Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 506

Let’s be clear about one thing: you’re going to die.

The moment Berzak shows up here, 70% of the explorers present will be making their last exploration today.

Of course, that’s assuming they run the moment they see Berzak.

If they decide to fight, then they’ll all be having their last exploration together.

‘These guys… don’t they value their lives at all?’

The more I see, the less sense it makes.

Even with Berzak summoned and time ticking away, more people keep arriving.

“…As expected, there are even more people.”

A group of about a dozen explorers arrived, their entire team looking battered and bruised, probably from triggering traps while clearing the path.

The first thing they checked when they saw the other explorers was this:

“The portal! Has the portal opened yet?”

“The ninth Lord of Terror was defeated, and Berzak was summoned!”

Are they really this crazy?

To come here instead of going to the second floor, just believing in that one slim possibility.

The original group had been waiting since Berzak was summoned, but these guys aren’t even like that.

As I was letting out a hollow laugh, Amelia sidled up next to me.

“…Yandel, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I think I seriously underestimated the explorers’ desires.”

“It’s not that you underestimated explorers, but humans in general. There have always been people like this in every era and place.”

These days, when I talk to Amelia, it feels like I’m talking to a sage.

However, this time it wasn’t of any practical help.

So what? If you expected it, you should have given me advice beforehand.

“Haa…”

Let’s calm down.

It’s a troublesome situation, but it’s not right to take it out on my companions.

It’s wiser to come up with a solution in the time I have.

‘The biggest problem is that it’s difficult to open the portal with so many people here…’

If the portal opens, these guys will surely jump on the bandwagon and try to grab all the benefits.

That means the sweet rewards I can get will also decrease.

‘More than anything, word will get out.’

Even if the number of people who can enter the portal is limited and only we can enter, the story that we found a hidden area will spread throughout the city.

From the next exploration, we’ll have people tailing us and interfering, and a bunch of annoying things will happen. As someone who wanted to quietly take all the benefits, this is not a welcome development.

But…

“It, it’s the Abyss Watcher…! Berzak! That monster is here…!”

With this, the option of watching and figuring out a solution over time also became impossible.

Because the moment you see that, it’s confirmed that Berzak will appear.

“Ugh, ugh! G-get away! Get away!”

“Don’t push!”

“Uwaaaaa!”

The moment the Abyss Watcher was generated among the group of explorers, chaos erupted.

Knowing that the aggro [aggression or attention] is drawn to the one who defeats it.

The explorers were busy running away from a mere 9th-grade monster, and the Abyss Watcher was fearlessly hitting those higher-level explorers with basic attacks.

*Splat!*

Ah, by the way, the basic attack was spitting.

Poisonous liquid shot from its eyes like a water gun.

“Uwaaa! Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”

It was absurd to watch.

Explorers who are at least on the 6th floor or higher are panicking and struggling with a single 9th-grade monster, what kind of comedy is this?

I was watching the scene from a few steps away when it happened.

*Thwack!*

An explorer was hit in the eye by a basic attack and, flustered, swung his hand, hitting the Abyss Watcher.

And immediately.

*Whoooooosh!*

The Abyss Watcher turned into a cluster of light and disappeared.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence fell as the chaos ended.

“Ah, ah… no…”

The explorer who realized what it meant to defeat the Abyss Watcher began to tremble, and at the same time, the situation entered a new phase.

“G-go somewhere else quickly!”

A shout from an explorer, who I don’t even know who it was.

From this point, the explorers began to turn on the explorer who had defeated the Abyss Watcher.

“If you’re here, Berzak, that guy, will come! Run to the second floor quickly!”

“B-but… I, I can’t possibly go to the second floor alone…”

“Then why did you kill it!”

Ugh, are all the explorers really psychopaths?

“Stop it.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore and intervened in the situation.

“Baron Yandel…?”

“…Baron! If that guy is here, we’ll all surely die! We have to chase him away!”

It was ridiculous logic.

What, would they not die if he wasn’t there?

The fact that Berzak would eventually come here was a foregone conclusion the moment the Abyss Watcher appeared.

Anyway, seeing that, I’m newly convinced.

It doesn’t seem like they’ll go to the second floor willingly if I wait any longer.

Okay, so…

“I said stop it.”

“But—!”

“I’m going to open the portal now.”

This time again, it’s Plan B.

“…!”

As I said that and started to move, the explorers stuck to the wall and made way for me.

The same was true for the explorers next to the monument.

“Everyone, get out of here.”

“…Yes? Ah, yes! What are you doing! Don’t interfere and get out of here!”

Maybe it was shocking that I said I would open the portal, but after just a short word, the room with the monument was completely empty.

“Bersil, can you make it so they can’t see this side? Ah, and make sure no sound leaks out.”

Then, Bersil used magic to create a barrier so that they couldn’t see inside from the other side.

Okay, so at least the minimum privacy is secured.

Just as I was about to get started, Amelia spoke to me.

“Yandel, are you sure about this?”

“There’s no other way. I can’t just leave them all to die.”

“If we wait longer, they might go up to the second floor? No matter how reckless they are, they know their lives are precious.”

Well, it’s not like I didn’t think about that…

“But it doesn’t seem like they’ll give up on this place if I do that.”

“…You’re surprisingly calm.”

Well… it’s closer to resignation, actually.

If this method works and the portal really opens, and countless freeloaders follow us in, I’ll have a headache from being so upset.

But…

“If this method is wrong, we’ll eventually have to run to the second floor to avoid Berzak. It’s dangerous to waste any more time here.”

When I told her the real reason for making this decision, Amelia understood and didn’t say anything.

So, I approached the monument with the fragments I had collected from the third floor in my hand.

And I stopped in front of it and gave a new order.

“Bersil, cast a binding spell on the remaining six people except for you.”

“Yes?”

“If the portal really opens, there’s a high chance that contribution points will come in.”

“Ah…!”

Understanding, Bersil used the binding magic again without complaint. After all, mages don’t need experience points.

“It’s done.”

Huh… so that’s how it is.

‘Please, let it work.’

I swallowed hard and placed my hand on the monument.

And at that moment.

*Whoooooosh!*

The air swirled around the monument, and a brilliant five-colored light burst out.

「You have opened the portal to the hidden area for the first time. EXP +99」

Yeah, that’s it.

***

The portal opened.

A portal leading to an unknown space that no one had ever set foot in throughout history.

Perhaps because of that, I have a lot of thoughts now that it’s actually open.

However, I decided to move as I had planned beforehand.

“Bersil, use the binding magic again.”

“How?”

“Me, Erwen, and Bersil, you’re team 1, and the rest are team 2. If the portal closes after we enter, team 2 should go up to the second floor immediately. Ah, Emily, your role is important here… can you do it?”

“Don’t worry. When they see the portal closing, they’ll come to their senses. If I persuade them to go to the second floor together, it’ll be safe.”

“Okay… If they follow us in and start in a different place, you have to do well too. Got it?”

“I’ll do my best.”

Okay, then the plan for the worst-case scenario is done…

“Then I’ll go in first.”

I carefully put my body into the portal.

*Flash!*

A bright light spread over my eyelids, and I lost my vision for a moment. Soon, my vision recovered along with a sensation of floating.

「You have entered the Underground Floor 1 Archives.」

「This is the first achievement ever accomplished.」

「The great footprints you have left will be engraved on the Stone of Honor and recorded forever.」

I was used to going through portals, so I naturally balanced myself and landed on the floor.

*Thud!*

I raised my shield to protect my upper body and quickly scanned the surroundings.

The floor tiles are made of rock.

The visibility seems to be about 100m, but there’s nothing special to see beyond that.

Only a rugged rocky area is spread out.

And…

*Whoooooosh.*

Is that the sound of waves…?

‘For now, it doesn’t seem like there are any monsters.’

Just as I was thinking that, light burst out from above, and my companions followed me in.

“…!”

“W-whoa…!”

First, Erwen and Bersil, who are members of team 1.

And…

“Wooooooo!”

Starting with Ainar, who was screaming, Auyen, Misha, and Amelia followed.

‘…Thankfully, the portal didn’t close.’

I was relieved thinking that, but at that moment.

I belatedly realized one thing.

“…There’s no exit.”

Just like when entering a rift, the portal that had opened for a moment spat out people and then closed again.

***

It’s a one-way trip, and there’s no way to go back to where we were.

I felt uneasy about this, but I decided to think positively.

‘…Nothing much has changed.’

Either way, the first floor closes on the 7th day.

Of course, after that time, it will be impossible to go up.

‘The problem is when this place closes…’

This is the kind of information that needs to be found out through exploration in the future.

I put my thoughts aside and approached Amelia.

“Emily, what was the situation like when you came in last?”

“It was the same. There was only a slight difference in the color of the portal. It was no different from any other portal. When Gowland’s barrier disappears, other explorers will start coming down.”

Hmm, so that’s how it is…

“Everyone, be on guard and check your current status. If anything has changed, be sure to tell me, even if it’s trivial!”

“Bjorn! I, I feel a little strange!”

“Strange? Where?”

“Uh, my face is hot, and my heart is beating fast!”

…That’s because you’re excited.

Anyway, as I was checking the members’ conditions and trying to see if there were any special features of this field, explorers began to pour down from above.

“Oh! A new floor! It’s a new floor…!”

“Kuhahaha! My name will be recorded in history!”

There were some who seemed to have lost a few screws, but there were also many who were relatively normal.

“Everyone, be on alert…! We don’t know what will come out, so don’t let your guard down!”

They gathered with their companions and prepared as soon as they entered.

Whether they intended to or not, they all seemed to have gathered at a reasonable distance from us.

Did they think it was safer to be next to us?

I don’t know, but surprisingly, the influx of explorers, which had been like a downpour, ended quickly.

And…

“What, what’s going on! Why aren’t they coming in?”

“Ah, Mr. Zelton hasn’t come yet…”

“Kurdo! Lord Kurdo hasn’t come yet either!”

One piece of information was added.

Unlike the portals connected to other floors, the portal we opened this time closes when a specific condition is met.

Then, what is that condition?

‘For now, it doesn’t seem like there’s a time limit…’

I quickly counted the number of people.

Let’s see, the number of people who have entered so far is one, two, three, four, five, six…

‘Fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty…’

Okay, the portal closes when there are 60 people.