Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 198

The Stone of Rebirth is on the 9th floor.

In reality, finding the Stone of Rebirth with just this clue is nearly impossible. The Crescent Moon probably knows that too. He’s also a user who has played this twisted game. But, even this was like a welcome rain, wasn’t it?

“Wh-Why…” The Crescent Moon asks me, putting aside his joy. “Why are you showing me such favor?” He seemed genuinely curious about the reason, but… As a ‘Lion’, there’s only one thing I can say. “Because it seems like it’d be fun.”

The Crescent Moon paused for a moment, as if pondering the meaning of my words, then shuddered. “You… you’re truly a terrifying person.” Huh? Suddenly? I didn’t understand what he meant, so I just rested my chin on my hand and stared at the Crescent Moon. Then, did he realize he made a mistake? “…Please forget what I just said. It was unnecessary. It doesn’t matter what kind of person you are. If I can get that item, I’d even give up my soul.” The Crescent Moon, who muttered as if making a resolution, added a self-deprecating remark at the end. “Well, I guess you already know my situation.”

It was a completely incomprehensible statement. No, how would I know that? ‘Why does he have such a misunderstanding?’ I reviewed the events at the Round Table, but I couldn’t figure out the reason, so I just stayed still this time too. As always, that gets me halfway there. “As I thought… you really did know.” I didn’t bother denying it. It would be a little funny to say no in this situation, wouldn’t it? I changed the subject as if it were an uninteresting topic. “Now it’s my turn.”

As I spoke, the masks’ attention focused on me. They seemed to be anticipating what I would say this time. I felt a strange awkwardness and threw out one of the pieces of information I had prepared. Information that was interesting when you heard it, like ‘Bandemon’ [a type of monster], but useless even if you knew it. It wasn’t even as impactful as the ‘Stone of Rebirth’. “Heh, I already knew that one too.” The Clown, despite the Round Table’s gem glowing green, looked somewhat disappointed. Of course, it wasn’t my problem to worry about. From the start, it seemed like the Clown blamed himself for not bringing something interesting, rather than blaming me.

“If it’s okay, I’d like to continue, what do you all think?” Perhaps because they had taken a break, they had a lot prepared, and the meeting continued even after one round was over. I consistently gave out similar types of information and passed my turn, and before I knew it, the third round had begun. “I-I’ll drop out after this turn.” The Goblin, who was the first to go, struggled to pass his turn, receiving a red light four times, and eventually raised the white flag. However, even if it wasn’t as bad as the Goblin, everyone else seemed to be running out of material. “Hmm, then I guess I’ll stop here too.” The Fox also declared her withdrawal, and it was naturally decided to end the meeting after this round. I didn’t feel particularly disappointed. ‘I think I’ve heard everything worth hearing.’

I had no idea how the situation was unfolding after the conflict between Noah Arc and the royal family, but now I was starting to get a sense of it. It was the complete opposite of the rumors spreading in the city. ‘As expected, the royal family is in a much more advantageous position.’ They suffered significant damage from the failed subjugation this time, but the same was true for the underground city. Just listening to them, Noah Arc’s city blockade felt more like a last-ditch effort. ‘They’ve also made identification tags that can’t be replicated, so I don’t need to make any major changes to my plans. There don’t seem to be any immediate dangerous issues either.’ I subtly moved my gaze to the Round Table. The information about Orculius that the Crescent Moon had brought up earlier was glowing green.

“…Now, it’s just the Lion left?” Naturally, the members’ attention focused on me. For some reason, their eyes were sparkling. ‘Tch, it’s unnecessarily burdensome.’ I tapped the armrest with my fingers and pondered for a moment. What would be a good finale? I already had something in mind, but I didn’t know if there was something more suitable for the current atmosphere. And actually, something suitable came to mind soon enough. Tap. I smiled and stopped my fingers. It wasn’t one of the pieces of information I had prepared to use here, but… “Goblin.” “Y-Yes?” The Goblin was greatly flustered and even stuttered when I suddenly spoke to him. I stared at him and said, “Come to think of it, you said something earlier. That ‘old man’ might be a more skilled magician than the GM who created this community.” “Ah, ah! Yes. I did say that, but…” The Goblin trailed off, as if he didn’t understand my intentions, while the Fox’s face lit up. “Could it be information about the Master?” She was better than the Goblin, who seemed to have no idea what was going on, but… “Wrong.” I completely ignored the Fox and spoke to the Goblin. I had let it slide earlier, but there was one thing you guys were fundamentally misunderstanding. “This community wasn’t created by the GM. To be precise, it’s more like they modified an existing place into its current form.” I repeated the information I had heard from Lee Baek-ho like a parrot. At the same time, the members’ gazes all focused on one place. The gem embedded in the center of the Round Table. “…It’s green.” I wasn’t surprised because it was the result I had expected. It’s not like I had confirmed it myself, but… I didn’t doubt this information at all. “…I never knew it wasn’t created by the GM.” “Heh, this is new to me too.” “Then who created this place?” The members, who had been pouring out questions, simultaneously closed their mouths as if they had made a promise. And they focused their gazes on one place again. The only one in this place who could answer that question. ‘Okay, I think I’ve drawn enough aggro.’ In the tense silence, I spoke. In a voice that showed no anticipation. Without any emotion. “I hope it’ll be more interesting next time.” That’s what I said. That’s how you’ll bring something more useful, right?

***

“He’s gone…” A heavy silence hung in the Round Table room after the Lion left. The reason was simple. The last thing he had said. To be precise, the emotion in his voice. “…Is he angry at us?” The Clown scoffed at the Fox’s mutter. “Heh, Fox, you seem to think too highly of us. Do you think we’re even worth him being angry at?” “That’s…” The Fox, who was about to retort, closed her mouth. She remembered what the Master had said earlier. [If it’s you, there’s nothing you can gain by participating here.] A secret meeting that ordinary players didn’t even know the name of. The Fox had been using the information she had gained here to her advantage. That’s why it was hard to accept at first. But after hearing the Master’s words, there was no point in denying it. This place had no merit for the Lion. ‘No, is it wrong to say there’s absolutely none?’ The Fox let out a wry smile without realizing it. [I hope it’ll be more interesting next time.] Fun. Something that could alleviate boredom, even just a little. In short, a pastime. If there was anything the Lion wanted from this meeting, it was only that. But what have we been doing so far? We couldn’t even do that properly. And yet, we just kept expecting him to tell us things… “…We must have looked pathetic.” “We probably did. That man is a different kind of human than the Master. Even if they are a little similar.” The Fox tilted her head at the Deer Horn’s words. “…Similar?” It was the Crescent Moon who responded to her words. “At least since he came here, there hasn’t been a time when I felt the Master’s absence.” She was starting to understand what he meant. The Master was that special of a presence at the Round Table. He was the one who gathered the current members, and he was also the one who taught them valuable information and knowledge that no one else knew. “The difference is that the Lion isn’t someone who would do volunteer work like the Master. Heh.” “Volunteer work…” “Why, isn’t it true? Or does the Fox really think the Master created this place to get information?” The Fox didn’t make any rebuttals. No, she couldn’t. Everything was as the Clown said. The Master always knew everything. And he shared it generously. Like a teacher in a classroom full of students. “Heh, isn’t that why the Fox is so fond of the Master in the first place?” This time, the Fox didn’t deny it either. “…That’s right. If I didn’t think of it as volunteer work, I wouldn’t have thought of him as my benefactor.” The fact that this meeting was maintained was all thanks to the Master. Just looking at what happened recently proves it. Before the Lion came, there were only four regular members. As soon as the Master disappeared, the members’ attendance rate dropped drastically. The other members, like the Goblin, would occasionally come in to check if the Master had returned and then leave. ‘Maybe the others will keep participating if they know a new person like this has joined. Just like the Goblin did.’ For some reason, she felt strange. However, the Fox put those feelings aside and focused on the conversation the remaining members were having. The topic was the Master, who had reappeared after a year. No, to be precise, it was about the Lion, who seemed to be acquainted with the Master.

“The Lion must be someone we’ve all heard of at least once. If the Master called him ‘amazing,’ he must be one of the very few.” “Indeed, he was someone who treated even the infamous ‘Corpse Collector’ like a child.” “A child… Yes, he did say that. Heh.” This time, the time for deduction came without fail. “The information he gave at the end is also very meaningful. That this community wasn’t created by the GM… How could he know such a thing?” “Well, maybe he knows the GM.” “…You mean the GM who is only known through rumors?” “That may be true for us, but he’s someone who called the Master an old man. There must be a world we don’t know about.” “I see…” The Clown asked, seeing the Goblin’s pure admiration. “But, why are you like this today? Last time, you seemed to think everything was a leap of logic.” “…That was when I didn’t know much about him.” “Heh, so your two eyes aren’t just holes?” The Goblin coughed and looked away at the Clown’s sarcastic remark. Then, the Deer Horn opened her mouth. “Or is it just me who felt it?” “What are you talking about?” “When the Master left, I felt a thought projection.” “Ah, if you’re talking about that, I felt it too.” “Wait a minute, both of you. A thought projection? Then does that mean he used ‘Telepathy’ [a form of mental communication]?” The Fox was genuinely surprised. ‘Telepathy’ was a term used to describe an ability that could only be used in this spiritual world, a kind of telepathy. The principle was similar to killing intent. It was about conveying thoughts to the other person in the form of language. “That’s something even the Master said was difficult to use…” “Hehe, Fox, why are you so surprised again? Did you think the Lion wouldn’t be able to do that?” “…” It was a somewhat annoying tone, but there was nothing to say. Thinking calmly, it wasn’t that surprising, as the Clown said. He was a man who had exuded that much killing intent from the first meeting. It would be strange if he couldn’t use ‘Telepathy’. “Anyway, does that mean the Master and the Lion had a conversation before he left?” “Yes. They must have had something to talk about in secret.” “And the Clown doesn’t know what kind of conversation it was?” “Of course not. The Master and the Lion are like monsters!” The Fox clicked her tongue, unable to hide her regret. If she could know their conversation, it might have been a clue to what situation the Master was in… “Heh, but it’s not like we didn’t gain anything.” “Huh? What do you mean by gain?” The Fox came to her senses at the Clown’s words. The Clown smiled, pleased with her attentive posture. “I didn’t feel it at all.” “Please, could you explain a little more?” “I’m talking about the Lion’s thought projection! I really focused, but I couldn’t feel it at all. Unlike the Master, who I could feel even faintly.” The Fox, who had some knowledge of ‘Telepathy’, froze. She couldn’t help it. No matter how playful his tone was, the content was definitely not light. “Wait a minute. That means…” Instead of the Fox, who couldn’t bring herself to speak, the Clown spoke the ‘gain’ they had obtained today. “Yes. Maybe the Lion is an even bigger monster than the Master.” Everyone was speechless at the truly shocking speculation. And so, the silence began. “Um…” Then, the Goblin carefully opened his mouth. “Couldn’t it just be that only the Master spoke? Then that would explain why the Clown couldn’t feel the thought projection… Ah, no, why are you all looking at me like that? I was just saying. Just saying. I didn’t really think that!” The silence continued for a while after that.