Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 614

Having barely slept, I ran for days and nights, finally arriving at the temple.

“…….”

The eerily silent temple was much the same as when I had left it.

The barracks and cooking facilities I had set up, expecting a long stay, were still there.

Only the people were gone.

Thump-

What on earth happened here?

There weren’t any signs of a battle.

There was even a pot full of thick stew, as if they were in the middle of cooking—.

‘…It’s open?’

Only then did I notice that the temple door, which should have been closed, was wide open.

Could this be related to what happened?

As I cautiously approached the temple, thinking this, a familiar voice came from behind.

[Bjorn Yandel……!!]

“…Hamsik?”

As soon as I turned my head towards the sound, Hamsik flew at me.

[Why are you only coming now! I thought I was going to die of fear……!]

It was the first time I had seen him so startled.

However, I didn’t have the time to calm him down and listen to his story.

“What the hell happened here?”

[I, I don’t know! Suddenly, a light burst out from the temple, and everyone stood up like they were out of their minds and went inside!]

“They went in on their own……?”

Were they affected by some kind of charm or mind control? If so, it would explain why there were no signs of a battle…….

[Yes! I’m telling you, their eyes were strange. They were walking all wobbly, and even when I was next to them, it was like they couldn’t see me!]

“Okay, calm down.”

[…….]

“Anyway, you were fine in that situation?”

[Yes.]

“And you didn’t see the expedition members who went across the river with me?”

I asked, trying to sound calm, and Hamsik replied in a slightly calmer voice.

[Ah……! If you mean them, they went into the temple a few days ago. Carried by some strange flying objects…….]

Flying objects, like those drones I saw before?

“So, were they unconscious?”

[No, their eyes were open. But they were completely out of it, like the others.]

“…Damn, what’s with the range?”

[…Huh?]

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

It was obvious that the source of the mind control was the temple.

But the fact that its effect reached all the way across the river was insane.

I was fine because I was inside the bunker with the dimensional barrier, but why was Hamsik okay?

Was it because he was classified as a ‘monster’?

I didn’t know, but I focused on getting information from Hamsik for now.

“So, you don’t know what’s inside the temple because you haven’t been in?”

[Well… I was just waiting for you to come! It’s not like I was scared or anything!]

“Yeah, sure.”

[…….]

Unfortunately, Hamsik was just a witness, not someone who actively investigated the incident.

Therefore, that was all the information I could get from him.

“I guess I’ll have to go in myself to find out the rest.”

From now on, I had to do it myself.

***

「The character has entered the 7th archive.」

***

The interior of the temple was very simple.

As soon as I entered through the open stone door, there was a staircase, and further down, a heptagonal [seven-sided] hall appeared.

And on each side, except for the stairs I came down, there were a total of six stone doors…….

“All but one are closed.”

[…More than that, it feels eerie.]

“But what’s that?”

In the center of the hall was a desk-like structure.

Or should I call it an altar?

It had a similar appearance and texture to stone, and there were a total of seven rectangular grooves carved into it.

“I know I’m supposed to put something on it, but I don’t know what it is yet.”

[No, I’m telling you it feels eerie!]

“Ah, is it the kind where you get a reward for breaking each one?”

[Hey… can you… not hear me……? No, right……?]

While I was organizing my thoughts, Hamsik’s anxious voice reached my ears.

Normally, I would have pretended not to hear him as a joke, but given the serious situation where my companions were kidnapped, I didn’t have the time for that.

“I can hear you.”

[…Then why do you keep not answering?]

“I need to have something to say.”

[Huh……?]

“In the first place, what’s the big deal about it being eerie? Do you want me to sympathize with you?”

[No, it’s not that…….]

“Then it’s fine. Be quiet for a moment. I need to think.”

Fortunately, Hamsik seemed to understand me and didn’t say anything unnecessary, so I was able to focus on organizing my thoughts.

‘No matter how I look at it, the size is just right…….’

I immediately took out the golden book.

It was the book I had looted from Hamsik’s house, which could be entered after clearing the Library Island, and it was also mentioned in the village chief’s strange tale notebook.

Swoosh.

I carefully placed the golden book on the groove, and it fit perfectly without any gaps.

…Is this really a coincidence?

‘No way.’

I then recalled the phrase written in the village chief’s notebook.

[The golden book will not help you with your goal.]

I interpreted that advice as the golden book not being related to ‘escape’.

Because my goal was always to escape.

But why is this device appearing while I’m trying to conquer the Rainbow Island, which I thought was the key to escape?

[Nothing’s happening……?]

“Of course nothing’s happening now. It looks like something will happen when all the slots are filled.”

[Ah…….]

“Anyway, be quiet for a little longer. I have more to think about.”

This golden book could be obtained after clearing the Library Island.

Then where can I get the rest?

‘It’s simple, but the most likely scenario is that I can get one book each time I clear an island…….’

Library Island, Stone Door Island, Tree Island, Giant Island, Village Chief Island, Rock Island, and the Rainbow Island where I am now…….

Even the number of islands in this layer matches perfectly with seven.

Of course, this hypothesis is not without contradictions.

Stone Door Island.

The island full of guardian statues, where a crack opened at the end.

I did clear that island, but I couldn’t find a golden book in the reward room that resembled Hamsik’s house.

‘Well, there’s a possibility that it’s because I didn’t see the true ending…….’

Then what about Rock Island or Village Chief Island?

There was a super giant on Giant Island, but there wasn’t anything to conquer on Rock Island or Village Chief Island, which were the starting points.

‘The village chief is already dead, so it’s not related to conquering.’

No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t come up with a clear answer, and the more I did, the more impatient I became.

Therefore, I decided to end this thought process here.

Swoosh.

After putting the golden book back into my subspace, I approached the firmly closed stone doors and took a quick look.

‘How can I open the other stone doors?’

I didn’t have a clue yet, but I thought it was too early to worry about this problem.

There was one that was wide open, wasn’t there?

If I proceed from here, I’ll find some clues.

The way to save my companions who were kidnapped to the temple must be beyond that door.

“Let’s go, Hamsik.”

With that in mind, I didn’t waste any more time and approached the open stone door.

Beyond the stone door, something smooth was blocking the view, so I couldn’t see inside. It wasn’t a portal, but it felt like an air curtain.

Swoosh.

I carefully pushed my hand inside, and it slid in with a soft, squishy sensation.

It felt similar to dipping my hand in liquid, but it didn’t feel wet.

It was a bit rough, but since there was no other option but to go inside, I didn’t hesitate and put my body in.

Thud.

My outstretched foot touched the ground, and a strange scene unfolded before my eyes.

‘A prison……?’

The place I arrived at was a prison.

However, it didn’t feel like the underground prison under the Explorer’s Guild, but rather like a modern prison structure.

No, to be precise, it should be called a prison of the future?

Drrr-!

Drones flew through the corridors where the guards would pass, and in the center of the hall, a large wolf made of machine parts was sleeping.

Also, various monsters with hazy eyes were being led somewhere by the drones…….

“……Can’t they see me?”

As if I had become an invisible man, the drones, the monsters, and the mechanical wolf ignored me and went about their own business.

[Wha, what is this place……?]

“How would I know?”

First, I turned around and checked the wall.

The smooth membrane I had passed through was attached to the wall, as if to say that I was free to come and go.

Swoosh.

Okay, my hand goes in just fine.

I had secured an escape route for emergencies—.

[Bjorn Yandel…….]

Then, Hamsik, who was on my shoulder, called out to me.

I thought about ignoring him, thinking he was just making a fuss again…….

[This place… feels familiar for some reason.]

I couldn’t just ignore what he said.

[Maybe… it’s a place I’ve been to before I lost my memories.]

“What……?”

[……Be quiet. I’m thinking.]

Is this what they mean by ‘you get back what you give’?

“Ah, okay.”

I kept my mouth shut so as not to disturb Hamsik’s concentration, and continued to explore the surroundings.

There was no point in rushing him.

He’d tell me if he thought of something while I was doing my thing.

Thump, thump.

As I walked around and looked around, I realized that I had misunderstood something.

The drones, the mechanical wolf, and the monsters with glazed eyes.

I thought I had become an invisible Barbarian because they didn’t even pay attention to me when they saw me.

‘It seems like they can see me after all.’

When I approached, the drones that were flying would stop for a moment and zoom in on me with their lens, which acted as their eyes, but soon they would ignore me and go back to their work.

‘Ha… I’d rather just fight them.’

If everyone had attacked me as soon as I started, I wouldn’t have had to worry about this.

…Would it be too Barbarian-like to think that?

‘Whatever, let’s follow them for now.’

With Hamsik lost in thought on my back, I followed the monsters who were being controlled by the drones and moving in a line.

[Hey, go down there.]

Hamsik suddenly tapped my shoulder and said.

“Suddenly?”

[Hurry!]

It was a sudden suggestion, but I followed Hamsik’s words and left the line, going down the stairs next to me.

And how long had it been?

[It’s here.]

While I was going down the stairs that looked like an emergency exit, Hamsik stopped me.

[Look closely at the wall over there.]

His voice didn’t sound like he was joking, so I did as he said instead of asking why.

But what is this?

Thump.

While I was touching the wall, I felt a small hidden groove with my fingertips. I took out a dagger, inserted it into the groove, and applied force, and a tile attached to the wall fell off.

And…….

[It’s really here…….]

In the empty space hidden by the tile, there was a card of unknown origin.

It wasn’t a plastic card that was commonly used in modern times, but a metal card with a decent weight.

“……What is this?”

[…I don’t know, either.]

“You told me about it, and you don’t know?”

[What I remembered was just a fragment of my memory. Once… I hid that thing here.]

Hamsik only said that it seemed to be a very important item to him, but he didn’t even remember the purpose of this card.

“…Okay, I understand.”

So, after carefully putting the card into my subspace, I closed the tile back and left the spot.

“Where do we go now?”

[Further down……. If you go further down, there will be something. I was always going down this way.]

“…….”

It seemed like Hamsik really knew something, so I didn’t ask any more questions and continued down the stairs.

And how much time had passed?

“There’s no more way down.”

[Then it must be here.]

Finally reaching the end of the stairs, I carefully opened the door and went inside.

Fortunately, the door was not locked…….

“…….”

Beyond the door was a completely different atmosphere from the prison on the surface.

A dome-shaped space reminiscent of a soccer field.

However, looking at this open space, the first thing I thought of was a factory.

Zzzzzzz.

A monster moves along the rail and stops.

And…….

Flash-!

A machine above its head emitted light, and the monster disappeared without a trace.

For some reason, a magic stone was left alone in its place…….

Zzzzzzz.

The stopped rail started moving again, and the generated magic stone went into a box at the end of the rail.

Also, as soon as the box was full.

Drrr.

The box was loaded onto another rail and moved somewhere.

However, I couldn’t see where the box was going.

[Hey! There! There!]

As soon as I turned my head at Hamsik’s shout, I was stunned.

Zzzzzzz.

On the moving rail, I saw a familiar face.

“…Raven?”

Raven was moving along the rail, standing blankly.

Flash-!

Towards the place where the device that turned monsters into magic stones was located.