Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 2

Barbarian.

When I first played this race, which literally means ‘savage,’ I chose a greatsword.

Well, because it looked cool.

If you’re a man, you have the urge to wield a sword in both hands, spinning madly in the middle of the enemy lines.

‘The problem was, I died too easily.’

Attracted to the Barbarian character, I started researching. How could I make a Barbarian survivable?

I tried many things, but the Barbarian still died too easily. No matter how much I focused on survivability, they just became like a berserker.

Every battle was a tightrope walk, making it unstable.

Then, at some point, I felt a sense of futility.

‘Do I really have to use this guy as a damage dealer?’

Barbarians have the highest health among the selectable races, and their strength potential is also high, so they can wear adamantite equipment [a very strong, mythical metal].

Although not as overpowered as the dwarves with their special abilities, they have the basic qualities of a tank.

Well, apart from that, I didn’t really want to play a tank Barbarian…

But I decided to try it since it would be a waste of all the research I had done.

And after some trial and error, I created a build.

‘What is this, a cheat character?’

I abandoned the dwarf I had been using as a tank without any regrets.

So what if I couldn’t have a thrilling battle?

I always valued efficiency, and as a gamer, I was the kind of person who could throw away my preferences if it helped with the strategy.

Just like this decision I’ve made now.

Thud.

After choosing my weapon and returning to my spot, I could feel the other barbarians looking at me.

What are you looking at? Never seen a shield Barbarian before?

I returned to my spot with a confident look, not at all intimidated, like a true Barbarian.

This time, I didn’t even need to act.

“Next!”

I have no regrets about my decision.

There are three reasons.

First, among the starting weapons, the shield is the most expensive when resold.

Second, there’s a high chance I won’t be able to use a blade properly right now.

Third, what I ultimately aim for is a shield Barbarian.

Today, I made the most rational decision I could make.

“With this, you have become a warrior!”

After choosing my weapon and returning to my spot, I finally had some time to myself.

While the other barbarians were undergoing their coming-of-age ceremony, I decided to speculate on the cause of the current situation. Actually, it was something I should have addressed earlier, but…

Well, what can I do?

I would have died if I had been thinking about that.

「You have reached the abyss.」

Let’s sort things out now.

I have reached the final boss room.

That’s probably what triggered it.

‘Wait a minute, then what about that guy who died earlier? Did he also make it to the final boss room?’

…Maybe he did.

There are many people in the world, and there are some oddballs like me. Let’s move on from this for now.

「Tutorial complete.」

I took this message to mean this:

We’ve told you everything we can, so use this knowledge to survive.

Whoever it is, they must be a cruel bastard.

If they really wanted me to survive, they should have included the settings for the ‘evil spirits’ or whatever they are.

I almost died as soon as I arrived. You son of a bitch.

“Whew……”

Is it because I’m in a Barbarian’s body? Unlike usual, I can’t control my emotions.

For that reason, I ended my thoughts here.

If I get too excited, I might mess things up, and it’s not like me to stress over the cause in the first place.

The deed is already done, and it can’t be undone.

It’s more productive to think about how to move forward than to dwell on the past.

So…

Yeah, let’s just think about that for now.

‘Surviving.’

***

The coming-of-age ceremony is over.

And I am now walking through a forest path.

The chief is in front, and the young barbarians are behind.

Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, as if they’re on a picnic.

But I can’t laugh like them.

Because I know their final destination.

“Halt!”

After passing through dense bushes, we arrived in front of a 30-meter-high wall.

“Open the gate!”

The gate opens with the sound of clunky machinery.

A speed slow enough to make you yawn.

However, the young barbarians watched the scene as if they had forgotten to breathe. In a strange silence, a gray city finally appeared beyond the gate.

“Laphdonia……”

Perhaps at this moment, my eyes are not much different from theirs.

Well-maintained roads and stone buildings.

And the towering spires that can be seen between them.

I never dreamed that the day would come when I would actually see the scene I had only seen in the loading screen illustrations.

Damn it.

“Warriors!”

As the gate opened, the chief turned around and shouted.

I thought he was going to say something nice before we left, but…

“Go! Your destiny lies there!”

The barbarians didn’t need a boring speech.

“Waaaaaaaah!”

The newly adult barbarians shouted and ran into the city. I didn’t want to, but I shouted and followed them.

There might be people sleeping soundly in those dark buildings, but who cares?

I’m a Barbarian.

Thump-!

The sound of the gate closing behind us could be heard.

Of course, no barbarian cared.

The excited barbarians ran for a while before finally calming down and slowing their pace, and only then was I able to calmly continue my thoughts.

I currently have conflicting emotions.

“……”

Fear of the situation I’m facing.

And a certain sense of anticipation that I’ve become a part of the world in the game I enjoyed playing the most.

It’s a bit funny.

I just decided to focus on surviving, but these kinds of emotions are popping up.

…I guess I’m not normal after all.

Not that I’m comparable to these Barbarian bastards.

“Halt!”

The leader-like barbarian who was running at the front stopped and turned around, shouting confidently.

“I think we’re lost!”

The barbarians murmured at the shocking confession.

“Karak, the third son of Panun, has led us down the wrong path!”

“He is not qualified to be a leader!”

“He must take responsibility!”

Bullshit. They were the ones who followed him willingly.

Is this the society of barbarians? It’s ruthless.

“I understand. Stop it. I admit I am not qualified and will step down from being the leader.”

Karak, the third son of Panun, bowed his head and returned to the group due to the constant complaints.

The one who was promoted to the next leader was a female Barbarian.

“Ainar, the second daughter of Pnelin!”

“If it’s the wise Ainar, she can lead us on the right path!”

With many expectant words, the female Barbarian led the group with a happy face.

However, it didn’t take long for her to follow the same path as the previous leader.

“…I think we’re lost.”

Surprisingly, the two even said the same words without missing a single syllable.

“That can’t be! We have to get to the labyrinth within the allotted time!”

“Ainar is not qualified to be a leader!”

“That’s right!”

The confused barbarians began to seriously discuss who to promote as the third leader.

“I think Jin, the second son of Tetran, would be good.”

“No. I don’t think so. Rather……”

Do these guys have no brains?

Do they really not realize that no matter who leads, they won’t be able to reach their destination?

Maybe it’ll be my turn soon.

“……”

I quietly slipped back and approached the second leader.

She, who had a physique just under 2 meters, was slightly separated from the group with a disappointed expression.

“Bjorn, son of Yandel? Did you come to blame me too?”

Of course not.

In my eyes, they were all the same.

The female Barbarian tilted her head as I shook my head.

“Then why? I don’t need any comfort.”

“No. I came to tell you how to find the way.”

“…Is that true? How?”

I pointed to one place with my hand.

“Just follow them.”

“Just follow them?”

She looked like she couldn’t believe it.

I patiently explained step by step, using logic.

The city at night. All the buildings on the main street are dark. But there are quite a few people walking the streets, even though it’s late at night.

They are all armed, not in everyday clothes.

Where else would they be going?

“Certainly. Now that I see it, it seems so. I’ll try it.”

The female Barbarian returned to the group and shouted, ‘I’ve found the way!’ and the barbarians stopped choosing the third leader and cheered.

“As expected of Ainar!”

“A wise warrior!”

Anyway, the group started moving again.

As time passed, the number of armed people around us increased, confirming that we were going the right way.

And in the distance, I could see a cluster of lights spreading in all directions.

If we’ve come this far, we won’t get lost, at least.

“It’s the labyrinth! I can see the labyrinth!”

“The sacred dimension of battle!”

I continued my interrupted thoughts.

The biggest concern I have right now is whether entering the labyrinth is the right decision.

“I can feel it! The labyrinth is leading my soul!”

The barbarians, who were in a frenzy of excitement, wouldn’t notice if I quietly left the group.

Then I don’t have to enter the labyrinth.

I don’t have to fight monsters and shed blood.

But I know that fact better than anyone else, and yet I still haven’t finished this thought.

‘It’s because I know that running away won’t solve anything.’

[Dungeon & Stone] has a tax system.

From the age of 20, all citizens of the city must pay taxes, and if they fail to pay, they are executed.

If you only hear this, you might think it’s a terrible game, but if you look at the world setting, there is a somewhat understandable reason.

It’s not a problem to worry about yet, though.

“Ainar! Let’s speed up!”

“Wooooooo!!”

Anyway, I have to make money.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean I have to go into the labyrinth and fight monsters.

Even if I work at a tavern, I’ll be able to eat and sleep without any problems.

…If I weren’t a Barbarian.

The Barbarian is the only class that gets a weapon from the start of the game.

It’s a very simple reason.

[Barbarian? Sorry. We just hired someone.]

[Why don’t you go away? There’s nothing for a Barbarian to do! What are you going to break this time!]

Barbarians can’t do ordinary jobs.

In the game’s setting, the only way to make a living is to fight monsters in the labyrinth.

Well, it’s unknown how it will be in reality.

Maybe it’ll be easier to find a job than I think.

But there’s one thing that’s holding me back from leaving the group based on that alone.

“There are 10 minutes left until closing. Please enter quickly!”

The labyrinth opened once a month in game time.

In other words, if I don’t enter this time, I’ll have to survive in this city for a month.

But what if I can’t find a job?

What if no one hires me because I’m a Barbarian?

Well, the future looks bleak.

Even if I survive for a week with the food the chief gave me, I’ll have to live by eating food scraps after that.

Maybe I’ll starve to death before that.

One thing is clear, even if I survive that time, my body will be completely different from what it is now.

“I’ll go in first!”

“No! I’ll go first!”

Starvation, cold, and sleeping in unsanitary conditions.

I know better than anyone how deadly these things are to the human body.

So, if I’m going to enter anyway, it’s more rational to enter now when my condition is at its best.

‘The problem is, it might just shorten my lifespan.’

I was deep in thought when someone grabbed my shoulder.

When I looked, it was the female Barbarian from earlier.

Her name was definitely……

“Ainar, the third daughter of Pnelin.”

“Second daughter.”

Anyway, what does she want from me?

“All the other warriors have already entered the labyrinth. You and I are the only ones who haven’t entered yet.”

“Ah.”

No wonder it was so quiet.

When I checked, there were not many people left in the square, let alone the other barbarians. Ainar, as the second leader, seemed to have come to check on me since I was just standing there.

“We have to hurry. We don’t have much time because we arrived late.”

At those words, I looked up at the front.

The portal, which had been emitting a strong light even from afar, had noticeably shrunk in size.

“There are 5 minutes left until closing!”

The guide announced the remaining time once more.

5 minutes, it’s tighter than I thought.

I need to make a decision soon…

“Go in first. I’ll follow right behind you.”

“Okay.”

Ainar nodded and headed towards the portal, and my worries grew deeper.

So, what should I do now?

As an efficiency freak who preferred everything to be done quickly, it’s not easy to make a decision this time.

Because unlike the game, my actual life is at stake.

“Bjorn, son of Yandel!”

Just as I was about to take a step back without thinking.

Ainar, who had been walking well, suddenly turned around.

“Thank you for earlier.”

“…You don’t have to thank me.”

“And there’s one thing I want to ask.”

Anything but my mother’s name.

When I nodded, Ainar asked with a 100% sincere voice.

“How can I become as wise as you? I’ve never seen a Barbarian as smart as you in my life. I want to be like you too.”

That’s a difficult question to answer. How can you become smart? Honestly, wouldn’t it be faster to just be reborn?

No, why am I even thinking about this?

Let’s just give a rough answer and send her off quickly.

“Just think and act all the time.”

“Hmm, I see!”

It was a thoughtless remark, but Ainar pondered my words with a serious expression.

And then she said something a little unexpected.

“Thank you for the advice. If I come back alive from the labyrinth, I will repay you.”

If I come back alive?

It sounded too strange coming from a Barbarian.

So, unlike myself, I asked an unnecessary question.

“…Are you perhaps afraid of dying?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Of course, I’m afraid of dying. Maybe the other warriors are too. They just don’t show it.”

Is that so?

Honestly, it doesn’t resonate with me even if she says that.

The Barbarians in the game were beings who didn’t know fear.

They didn’t seem much different in reality either.

When I didn’t say anything, Ainar added an explanation.

“We were born as warriors. If we can’t fight, we die.”

Her tone was clumsy and stiff, but somehow I could fully understand what she was trying to say.

“I see.”

Just like me, they had no choice.

Because they were born as Barbarians.

If they can’t kill monsters in the labyrinth, they can’t survive in this city.

That’s why they learned how to overcome fear and move forward from a young age.

Yes, that was all.

That’s why they seemed like savages.

“Let’s meet again alive. Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

Ainar then entered the portal.

“There is 1 minute left until closing!”

Now there’s nothing holding me back.

There is only my choice.

Like the phrase that came to mind when I entered the final boss room, there are two options.

「Yes / No」

My head, which had been somewhat complicated, feels clear.

Yeah, let’s just think of it as playing a game.

When I played games, I always focused on efficiency to achieve my goals.

I considered the possibilities before acting, and I always moved while thinking about the next step.

If I judged that it would be a loss in the end, even if I gained an immediate benefit, I would choose ‘No’.

And if it was the opposite, I would choose ‘Yes’.

That’s why I never had a choice.

“The gate is about to close! Please step back!”

I ran forward.

Just like when the chief called my name, fear was boiling over from the depths of my heart.

That’s because I’ve lived a sickly life, and I don’t even have the experience of a common fistfight.

And the opponent is a monster?

My legs are already trembling.

“It’s dangerous!”

But, unless there’s absolutely no possibility.

I now have the ridiculously powerful body of a Barbarian.

I have the knowledge I gained from raising characters thousands of times.

Above all, I have the grand goal of surviving.

So, I have no choice but to do it.

Even though I know better than anyone that it’s a terrible ordeal that no sane person would choose.

Because that’s the most rational choice—

「You have entered the first floor, Crystal Cave.」

That’s what I thought.