Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 350

The Dark Continent (2)

The sun beat down, and the sand grew hot.

Here, the cool, slightly damp wind carried the salty scent of the sea.

This was Lymia, the starting island.

However, the vast ocean stretching to the horizon was nowhere to be seen.

[System Notification: You have entered the 6th Floor, the Great Sea.]

The first thing I saw upon stepping through the portal was a line of massive sailing ships, each over a hundred feet long, stretching along the coastline.

The ships were so large and numerous that the wide sea felt cramped.

“Alright, if you’ve crossed over, quickly move aside! The next people need to come through!”

Before I could even look around, I was ushered away from the portal by an explorer wearing the Explorer’s Guild emblem.

His tone was so casual that I asked Erwen about it, and she said he wasn’t a regular employee of the guild.

Apparently, they were explorers who had taken on a request from the guild.

The royal family had requested cooperation to manage the explorers, but since they didn’t have the manpower, they outsourced it.

‘Well, it would be difficult for a regular employee to come all the way to the 6th floor.’

Anyway, as this war had been going on for over a year, the procedures were carried out smoothly and naturally.

“Come this way! First, we’ll register your participation, and then we’ll help you with the unit assignment process!”

After waiting in a long line along the eastern coastline, I finally submitted my ID and completed my participation registration. There was a bit of a commotion here, by the way.

It was because Erwen was too famous.

“Erwen Fornachi di Tersia… Uh… Uh, Blood Lord… Lady?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Ah, no… there isn’t! I apologize for the disturbance!”

Seeing Erwen come to register alone, one might have had various questions, but the registrar seemed uncomfortable even talking to her and quickly finished the registration.

“5th-grade explorer Emily Raines. You have a previous participation record. Registered.”

After Erwen, it was Amelia’s turn, and this time, the registration was completed in literally one second.

Her name was created two years ago, and her age was 22.

She had started as a 9th-grade explorer and slowly raised her grade, paying taxes and completely laundering her identity, or so she said.

As long as she didn’t run into someone who knew Amelia’s real face, like Erwen, her identity was a free pass.

Unlike me, who received a slightly meaningful look.

“5th-grade explorer Richen Schuitz. You don’t have any participation records. Could you take off your helmet, please?”

My identity, ‘Richen Schuitz,’ which Amelia had obtained for me, belonged to an explorer who had been active five years ago. Of course, thanks to the broker who had diligently paid taxes, there were no issues on paper…

“Hmm.”

Perhaps it was because my face looked younger than my 29 years, but I received a strange reaction.

It felt like I was a minor trying to buy cigarettes.

Still, thanks to dyeing my hair a light brown, as stated on my ID, I passed without any issues. My eye color was the same from the start.

“What, is there a problem?”

“No, it seems like you’re returning after a long time. I wish you good luck.”

“Thanks.”

I had to lift my helmet once, but thankfully, the registration was completed without any problems.

As Amelia had said, there were many cases of people retiring and returning after the war, so they wouldn’t be too suspicious.

She said there were two such cases among the Seven Greats [a group of highly skilled and influential explorers].

“Then, all that’s left is to assign a unit.”

After completing the registration, we moved to the bulletin board next to it.

The bulletin board briefly listed the ships currently waiting and the number of people on board. Which ship to board was quite important in war.

This was because, upon reaching the 7th floor, the explorers on the same ship would form a single unit…

“There’s no need to worry about which one to take. Since this is your first time, you can only board a 3rd-class ship.”

“3rd-class ship?”

“It’s a ship mainly used by explorers who haven’t achieved any significant accomplishments yet or don’t belong to a large clan. As such, their combat power is relatively low, so they mainly take on support roles in the rear.”

Well, I guess newbies have to start from the bottom.

Well, if a newbie who would be a hindrance were to join the dangerous battlefield, it would only cause trouble.

“Then, let’s go with that one.”

After that, we chose the 3rd-class ship with the fewest people and boarded together.

We figured that having fewer people would make it easier to choose a cabin.

“Fortunately, we were able to get a three-person room.”

“Why is it difficult to get a three-person room?”

“It’s not that rare, but it’s the most popular.”

I didn’t need to ask why; I could figure it out myself.

‘Ah, the bond magic [a type of magic that enhances teamwork] was updated while I was gone.’

In this era, a six-person team is common.

So, a three-person room, which can be divided into two groups, is bound to be the most popular.

“Then, since the departure is tomorrow, let’s all relax from now on.”

“Yes, sounds good! So, what should we talk about now?”

“…I said relax?”

“Yes, that’s what I mean. We’re going to relax, right?”

“……”

I looked at Amelia with a pleading gaze, but she had already finished organizing her belongings and was lying on the bed.

Come on, she’s just pretending to sleep.

“Then, should we talk about the war…?”

“Sure! Do you have any questions?”

“I heard that the people on the 3rd-class ships usually take on support missions in the rear, but what exactly do those entail?”

“Uh… I’m always at the front, so I don’t really know… I think I heard that they’re in charge of things like securing escape routes or escort missions.”

I wasn’t particularly tired, so I talked with Erwen and listened to various stories.

And how much time had passed?

Knock knock.

Suddenly, a visitor arrived.

It was someone we all knew well.

“…I heard we were on the same ship, so I came to say hello. It’s been a while, Ms. Tersia.”

I never thought we’d meet again so soon.

***

“Hoo…”

The blonde woman standing in front of the closed cabin adjusted the collar of her uniform.

Then, she let out a deep sigh.

‘Why did this woman suddenly do something so impulsive?’

Blood Lord, Erwen Fornachi di Tersia.

That was the reason Raven was standing in front of this cabin.

For some reason, that member of the Seven Greats had boarded a 3rd-class ship instead of a 1st-class ship.

‘…Seriously, they only give me the annoying tasks from above.’

Originally, her 3rd Magic Corps was also scheduled to board a 3rd-class ship. This was because a protective force of mages was essential for their combat power.

However, that ship was definitely not this one.

She had been reassigned by order of her superiors.

‘We’re not even that close anymore. We weren’t that close before either.’

The higher-ups had assigned her to this ship because they were once members of the same clan, but she herself was not happy about it.

How was she supposed to control that crazy woman?

Who knew what kind of trouble she would cause?

‘Still, since I was ordered to do it, I guess I have no choice but to talk to her and try to figure out what she’s up to…’

She sighed and knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

The door opened about 10 seconds after she knocked.

Squeak.

The rusty hinges creaked in the sea breeze, and the inside of the closed cabin came into view.

As the information stated, there were three people in total.

‘5th-grade explorer Richen Schuitz. And Emily Raines.’

One was wearing a helmet even inside the cabin, and the other had a black veil covering her eyes and ears.

This made Raven even more curious.

Who were these two, and why were they suddenly moving with a woman like the Blood Lord?

“Stop staring, old man, and say what you came for.”

Her voice, which was beyond cold and even felt aggressive, made her stop observing the cabin and look at Erwen.

Then, she forced a business smile.

“…I heard we were on the same ship, so I came to say hello. It’s been a while, Ms. Tersia.”

“Yes. Then, if you’re done saying hello, could you please leave?”

Tsk, when will that bad habit ever be fixed?

Raven clicked her tongue inwardly but didn’t show it and opened her mouth.

She had too many questions to leave like this.

For example…

“By the way, did you just call him ‘old man’?”

Why did this woman call that man ‘old man’?

Wasn’t that nickname only for him?

“……”

Unfortunately, Erwen didn’t answer.

She just stared at her as if to say, ‘What’s it to you?’

However, her eyes seemed somewhat anxious.

It was like she had shown something she didn’t want to show.

“Hmm.”

She shifted her gaze from Erwen to the man.

He was very unfamiliar, and she couldn’t see his face because of his helmet, but there was something familiar about his aura.

To be precise, she couldn’t put her finger on it.

No, there was no common ground at all.

Yet, he strangely resembled someone.

“Y-you, could it be! This man is…”

Raven’s mouth dropped open.

Then, she looked back and forth between Erwen and the man.

***

“……”

The longer the silence stretched and the longer Raven’s gaze remained fixed on me, the more I thought.

‘What? Am I being found out already?’

Then what will happen from now on?

Will I be able to convince them that I’m not a demon?

If I can’t convince them, the royal family will surely be informed…

“……”

I moved my eyes to look at Erwen, and she was looking at me too.

It was like she was saying, ‘Old man, what do we do now?’

It was a bit absurd.

No, you were the one who made the mistake, so why are you looking at me—.

“Could it be…”

Just then, Raven opened her mouth, ending the uncomfortable silence.

“To think you’ve fallen this far.”

…Huh?

What is she talking about?

While Erwen and I were both bewildered, Raven continued in a somewhat sad voice.

“Ms. Tersia, no, Erwen… it’s not right to look for a replacement.”

“Ah…?”

“There’s no way there could be such a thing. You just have to overcome it, even if it’s difficult.”

“Uh uh…?”

Only then did I understand the situation.

Raven had misunderstood.

She thought that Erwen missed me so much that she had found a similar man, covered his face, and was playing a role-playing game.

“And you.”

Raven, in her petite uniform, turned her head sharply and glared at me.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

“…?”

“So, give up on the idea of using Ms. Erwen. No matter what, I can’t stand to see that. I’ll be watching you, and if you even cross the line a little…”

Raven trailed off, and I couldn’t help but blurt out an excuse.

“Wait! Whatever the misunderstanding is, I have no intention of using—.”

“Your voice…”

“My voice?”

I tilted my head at her incomprehensible words, and Raven stiffened, avoiding my eyes.

“Your voice… it’s similar… yes.”

It was as if she had understood why Erwen had acted that way.

“So that’s why…”

Raven muttered in a bitter voice and looked at Erwen.

“But it’s still not right. This kind of thing… he wouldn’t want it either, would he?”

Her sincerity was palpable, and her tone was almost pleading, beyond just giving advice.

However, it was unlikely to work on Erwen.

After all, everything she was doing was a misunderstanding.

“W-what gives you the right to interfere? You don’t know anything!”

Erwen quickly regained her senses and went on the defensive.

Ah, in simple terms, she attacked.

“Get out of here right now, and don’t ever come back!”

Erwen, having forcefully kicked Raven out, slammed the door shut.

***

After Raven’s visit, time passed quickly.

The departure day arrived, and the warships floating along the coastline all unfurled their sails. The identity of this ship was also determined.

“Escort for the Magic Corps…”

The explorers on this ship would escort the 3rd Magic Corps and participate in the battle as soon as they arrived on the 7th floor.

Oh, by the way, formations and tactics on the battlefield were taught on the deck during the voyage.

‘So that’s why they group units by ship. There’s time to train while traveling.’

The estimated voyage time to the 7th floor was about 15 days.

Excluding training time, most of it was free time, and I spent almost all of it on the deck.

There was a simple reason.

I was realizing anew that barbarians were weak to the sea.

“Uweeaaah-!”

Even though the ship was this big, I felt nauseous from seasickness and couldn’t stay in the cabin.

Well, I could just throw up anywhere here.

Anyway, as I spent a lot of time on the deck, I often ran into Raven.

And quite frequently.

For some reason, it was always when Erwen was away.

“…Even your seasickness is similar. It’s annoying.”

“……Uweeeah.”

“Why are you covering your face like that? Did Ms. Erwen tell you to?”

“Uwek…”

“Well, your face doesn’t look similar at all.”

“……”

“Why are you walking around like that with a perfectly good face? Don’t you have any pride?”

“……”

“Just try to do something. I won’t let it slide.”

Ugh, I’m so tired.

Why does she keep bothering me?

Surviving the Game as a Barbarian [EN]

Surviving the Game as a Barbarian [EN]

Surviving as a Barbarian in the Game, 게임 속 바바리안으로 살아남기
Status: Ongoing Author: ,
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[English Translation] After nine grueling years, Hansu Lee finally conquers the infamously challenging game "Dungeon and Stone." But his victory is short-lived; upon defeating the final boss, he's thrust into a blinding light and awakens as Bjorn Yandel, a barbarian warrior within the game's universe. In this perilous world, survival hinges on his ability to embody the savage strength and cunning of his new identity. Armed with only his gaming knowledge and a barbarian's physique, Hansu must navigate treacherous dungeons, battle formidable monsters, and conceal his true origins to avoid deadly suspicion. Dive into "Surviving the Game as a Barbarian" and join Hansu on a relentless quest where the line between player and character blurs, and every decision is a fight for survival.

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