Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 438

Giant Step (1)

As soon as the gathering began, the man who had entered quickly put on his deer antler mask and stepped out into the hallway. He then hurried towards the room with the round table.

Unlike usual, the round table was empty.

“Looks like I’m the first one, thankfully.”

The man looked around briefly before heading to a specific seat.

It was the seat four spaces to the left of where the Lion always sat.

Unlike the early days of the round table, now that there were empty seats, everyone sat with at least one space between them.

Assuming all seven members attended, this guaranteed him the second spot in the order.

‘Being the first is kind of a hassle…’

The quality of the information for the entire round is determined by the information the first person provides.

‘And more than anything, it’s right next to that guy…’

Yeah, the second spot is the most comfortable.

The third or fourth spots aren’t bad either, but positionally, you have to make direct eye contact with that guy.

The later spots are a bit too much of a burden.

Well, the Clown seems to like the attention, so he always sits in the back, though.

‘That guy was born that way, after all.’

Anyway, unbeknownst to him, the seat he chose was secretly the most preferred by the members.

Was that why?

“Oh! Mr. Deer Antler? You’re here this time?”

As soon as the Goblin mask entered the round table room, he greeted him and looked around before sitting one seat away from him.

“Mind if I sit next to you?”

It was the spot that would make him the third in line when the gathering started.

“By the way, did you have something urgent last time?”

As soon as the Goblin sat down, he asked a question, and Deer Antler gave a vague answer.

“Personal reasons.”

“Oh, really?”

Whether it was just a greeting for small talk, the Goblin didn’t seem to care about his short answer.

Deer Antler cautiously asked.

“More importantly, was there anything going on?”

“…Huh?”

“I mean, last time. I was wondering if there was any big incident while I was gone…”

The tone of Deer Antler’s voice was too submissive for someone talking to the Goblin.

After all, this behavior was close to being rude.

It was an unspoken rule of the round table not to talk about what happened at the previous gathering to those who didn’t attend.

But…

‘The Goblin might tell me.’

What else would be the reason for entering so quickly?

It was to try and get a hint from someone before the other members arrived.

But the first one to arrive was the Goblin?

It was lucky—

Thud.

At that moment, footsteps were heard from the doorway.

Following the Goblin, another member had arrived.

‘Of all people, it’s the Fox.’

If it was her, with her nosy personality, she would likely try to stop the Goblin from answering my question.

As he sighed at that thought.

“I unintentionally overheard you.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. Nothing happened. Or rather, should I say, nothing could have happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Lion didn’t attend the last gathering.”

“The Lion didn’t attend…?”

“Yes. So naturally, the Clown and the Queen came and just left. Since you weren’t there either, the gathering ended naturally.”

“Ah…”

“If your curiosity is satisfied, don’t do that next time. The moment someone breaks it, it’s no longer a rule.”

A voice that felt a bit uncomfortable.

“…I’ll be careful.”

As Deer Antler readily agreed, the Fox’s gaze shifted to the side.

“Mr. Goblin, too.”

“Huh? Me? Why me?”

“I’m saying don’t just answer anyone who asks. Or rather, be ‘careful what you say.'”

“…Haha! Ms. Fox, you’re funny… Careful what I say… Yes, careful what I say… Hahaha!”

While the Goblin laughed awkwardly, the Fox quickly checked the empty seats and sat in the fourth spot.

“M-Ms. Fox, then that means the first in line will be Ms. Crescent Moon?”

“If she attends, that is. She doesn’t seem to prefer the back seats.”

“…Hmm, but I hope the Lion won’t be absent again?”

“Who knows? We’ll find out if we wait.”

“Ha, haha. Right…”

Watching the Goblin and the Fox naturally start a conversation as soon as they sat down, he suddenly had a thought.

Something felt a bit off, or should he say, out of place?

It felt like the Fox was comfortable with the Goblin, but the Goblin, on the other hand, seemed uncomfortable with the Fox.

However, Deer Antler didn’t dwell on the issue.

There was a more important matter to consider.

‘The Lion’s absence…’

In a way, it was a good thing.

He was disappointed that he had to miss the gathering, but it meant that even if he had come, it wouldn’t have been much different.

At least he didn’t feel like he had lost out.

However, one thing bothered him.

[The Lion is Bjorn Yandel.]

The words the Queen had said in front of the jewel that day.

Of course, the red light had come on and the topic had cooled down, but it was once a hot topic at the round table.

Circumstantially, there were many overlapping parts.

Between the Lion and Bjorn Yandel.

‘…Well, it must be a coincidence. The differences between the two are too great to say they’re the same person.’

First of all, Bjorn Yandel is now a 4-year explorer.

And the Lion first joined this community about 20 years ago.

They couldn’t possibly be the same person.

But…

‘What is it? This feeling that I’m missing something…’

Deer Antler glanced at the Goblin, who was in the middle of a conversation with the Fox.

“When will Ms. Crescent Moon arrive? The Clown and the Queen will probably come last again today.”

“They’ll come when it’s time. But… Mr. Goblin, why do you only call the Queen ‘Ms.’?”

“Haha… Did I?”

Come to think of it, it was this guy.

This guy was the first to raise that suspicion at the round table.

That Bjorn Yandel and he might be the same person?

If he had died, the timing was very coincidental, which was the basis for his suspicion, but he was only met with ridicule back then.

“It’s like I naturally use honorifics… Well… Her title is also Queen…”

He interrupted the conversation they were having.

“Hey, Goblin.”

“…Yes?”

“Do you still think Bjorn Yandel might be the Lion?”

“Uh… Why all of a sudden?”

“Yeah, I just suddenly got curious.”

“Hmm…”

The Goblin, who seemed confused by the question, still gave an answer.

“No. I don’t think so.”

A very clear and definite answer.

Deer Antler immediately accepted it.

“I see… Well, a person who was summoned 22 years ago couldn’t be the same person.”

“Yes? Ah… That’s certainly true…”

Deer Antler tilted his head at the ambiguous response.

“…Hmm? Is there another reason besides that?”

“Well… I don’t think Bjorn Yandel is an evil spirit in the first place.”

“Ah, is that why?”

Bjorn Yandel being an evil spirit was a strategic announcement by the royal family, and the news that it wasn’t true had spread throughout the region.

Then this reaction is understandable—

“No. That’s a bit of a different reason…”

What? Not that either?

As Deer Antler gave a look that asked for an answer, the Goblin seemed to glance at the Fox before opening his mouth.

“I can’t say much… Bjorn Yandel is not an evil spirit. He can’t be an evil spirit. Yes, that much is certain.”

After that, the Goblin closed his mouth as if he wouldn’t accept any more questions, and Deer Antler didn’t press further.

‘…Come to think of it, Sven Parav was also part of the expedition.’

Maybe he felt something during that process.

Evil spirits are relatively good at recognizing other evil spirits.

He couldn’t ignore the judgment made by someone who had been through the labyrinth with him.

‘Then… Bjorn Yandel really isn’t an evil spirit, it seems.’

Deer Antler didn’t dwell on the issue any further.

By now, the feeling he had been vaguely aware of had disappeared…

“Everyone’s here already.”

Starting with Crescent Moon, who arrived fourth and sat in the first spot, the remaining members were also arriving.

“Hello everyone, it’s nice to see you all again today.”

The Queen, who arrived fifth and sat in the fifth spot.

And…

“Hehe.”

The Clown as well.

With everyone except one person seated, the gazes of the remaining members naturally turned to one spot.

It was a ridiculous situation, when you thought about it.

That all these people would gather and wait for one person to arrive, even leaving a seat open for him as if it were the head of the table?

“Ah, I really hope he comes today.”

As if answering the Clown’s wish, footsteps were heard from beyond the hallway.

Thud.

Small footsteps coming from afar.

The moment that sound was heard, Deer Antler unconsciously tensed the muscles in his shoulders.

It was a strange thing.

Thud.

It was just the sound of someone walking normally.

He couldn’t even see his figure yet from beyond the hallway.

Why did he feel such a sense of pressure?

He wondered if he was using some kind of trick like killing intent, but he knew better than that.

Thud.

That’s right. Those footsteps weren’t special.

Anyone could make that sound if they walked.

But the reason everyone fell silent the moment they heard the sound was…

Thud.

It was simply because they knew.

Even if the sound was ordinary.

Thud.

The owner of that sound was not.

Thud.

Another footstep was heard, and finally, he arrived.

“Hehe, you’re here—”

The Clown, as if he were his confidant, stood up to greet him, but he didn’t even glance at him as he headed to the empty seat.

And…

“……”

He sat down and rested his chin on his hand without saying a word.

‘…I need to be as careful as possible today.’

He swallowed hard without realizing it.

It wasn’t like he thought his own behavior was ridiculous.

He knew he wasn’t the only one.

“……”

“……”

That was the atmosphere everyone felt.

***

A silence that made you want to flip over and take a nap.

‘Ugh, I’m so sleepy…’

I sat with my chin propped up, forcing myself to hold back the yawns that kept coming.

Sigh, should I have just skipped today?

Beyond being tired, I feel like I’ll fall asleep the moment I close my eyes.

‘And why is it so quiet here today?’

I was too lazy to say anything, so I just stayed still until things progressed on their own, but for some reason, the silence continued for a long time.

“……”

“……”

What are these guys doing?

Normally, I expected a barrage of questions about why I didn’t come last time as soon as I arrived.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I spoke first.

“Until when.”

“……?”

“Are you going to keep doing this?”

“……!!”

Start already, I’m so sleepy I could die.

At my roundabout way of saying that, the Goblin quickly replied.

“Y-yes! W-we should start! T-then, today, starting with Ms. Crescent Moon… That should… be fine…”

Hmm, I thought the Fox would be the one to lead, but it’s him?

He seemed unreliable, stuttering as he spoke, but thanks to him, the attention shifted to the first in line, Crescent Moon.

“…I should have sat in a different seat.”

Crescent Moon sighed, as if the first spot was a burden, and then announced the start of the gathering.

“Then, I’ll go first.”

The information he revealed was about the fairy race.

Or rather, should I say, about Erwen?

He received a green light for the information that the Blood Lord had expressed his intention to leave the Pureblood Order.

For reference, the Pureblood Order was like a special forces unit of the fairy race, and Erwen was currently on leave.

That’s why he had applied to leave a while ago.

Tap tap.

So, the first one is information I already knew.

“…The expedition led by Bjorn Yandel was organized with the intention of being annihilated.”

Deer Antler, who was second in line, revealed that the expedition was a throwaway card and received a red light.

After all, the Fox, the Goblin, and even I already knew about it.

In the end, Deer Antler was flustered and tried again…

“…The royal family offered Bjorn Yandel a promotion for his contribution to this expedition.”

He got a green light, but there was no feedback on it.

Normally, there would have been a few comments like, ‘So, he’s not a Baronet, but a Baron? He can even pass it on to his children!’

Come to think of it, it was the same with Crescent Moon.

‘The guys are unusually quiet today.’

Actually, the expedition story was something only we knew, and the others would have been shocked, but.

The reaction was a bit strange, but it wasn’t important.

I was too tired to care.

Tap tap.

Anyway, so the second piece of information is a bust?

‘I should have told the Fox and the Goblin beforehand. If I had, it would have been a red light again.’

As I clicked my tongue in disappointment, it was the third turn. The Goblin, who was up next, trembled and only spoke about the main point.

I thought he would talk about the expedition, but he didn’t.

Was it because of the ‘be careful what you say’ that the Fox had told him?

Hmm, but I think it would be okay to reveal information that would be helpful to us…

‘It’s just internal affairs of the cult that I’m not really interested in…’

This was also a characteristic of the Goblin.

Sometimes he would reveal important information, but the quality of the information he provided was generally low.

However, he did get a green light, so the turn passed.

‘So, the third one is a bust too…’

Something was a bit off today.

Normally, even if a green light came on, they would have raised objections and made him reveal something else, but why were they all just staying still?

Tap tap.

I don’t want to get involved, so let’s just move on.

For now, the Goblin can be considered an ally.

‘So, now it’s the Fox’s turn.’

Actually, I didn’t have much expectation this time either.

After all, she was with me in the labyrinth the whole time, just like the Goblin…

“…Large clans are planning a collective boycott. They’re unhappy that an expedition was organized for a special mission without even informing them.”

This was information that was reported to me while I was in the city.

Although she was kicked out of the clan after the vegetative state, the Fox, who had been the vice-leader for a long time, had a knack for accessing various information through her wide network.

Now, that information network was also being shared with me.

‘In the end, the fourth piece of information was useless too.’

I really hope the next one is different.

Tap tap.

As I shifted my gaze to the next in line, the Queen, our eyes met for a moment.

But, was my gaze too much for her?

Swoosh.

The Queen was startled and looked away, then opened her mouth in an uncharacteristically timid voice.

“…The GM has lifted the community ban on that person… Baekho.”

It was obvious that the GM had ordered her to do it.

She was trying to show that she had fulfilled the request I had made before.

Seriously, instead of doing useless things, she should just reveal some information.

Tap tap.

Anyway, it was information that would receive a green light for everyone except me, so the turn passed to the next person.

“…It’s already my turn. Hehe.”

Was it because everyone was only revealing information without any small talk or anything? The sixth turn came several times faster than usual.

Sigh, yeah, this guy was always the joker.

Even in this situation where I felt like I was going to die from sleepiness, I didn’t let go of my expectations and kept my ears wide open.

But…

“Everyone knows that the Dragonslayer Regal Bagos is dead…”

Even the information that the guy, who started by testing the waters, finally revealed was disappointing.

“Bjorn Yandel, the guy who the royal family said was on a special mission and had infiltrated our side. That’s all a lie.”

It wasn’t just unhelpful information, it was just annoying.

‘Tsk, if this is the case, I’ll have to explain it to the Fox and the Goblin later. They believed it, after all.’

Anyway, no matter how I felt, the Clown’s information easily received a green light.

And then, my turn came.

“……”

“……”

Gazes gathered on me one by one.

It was a pattern that always happened when it was my turn.

Since I came, an unspoken rule had been created at this round table. If someone brought an interesting story, I would evaluate it and give them information as a reward.

So, how would it be this time?

Was it really a story that I found interesting?

Tap.

My answer to that is simple.

I placed my hand on the jewel and opened my mouth.

Normally, it might have been filtered and come out much more mildly.

“All the things you guys just said.”

Honestly, it’s annoying.

Yeah, I had to hold back my yawns several times while listening to the stories?

“I think it would have been more beneficial to just sleep.”

The light came on the moment I took my hand off the jewel.

Whoosh-

It was a strange thing.

“But, did you guys really not know?”

“……”

“Seeing how this green light has lit up.”

It was so boring that I wanted to sleep.

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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