Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 661

The witch’s curse that covered this world in ancient times.

In short, this curse is similar to ‘radiation’.

After the curse, the entire continent turned into a land of death where no living thing could survive, and only Lafdonia was able to escape the disaster.

…or so it is known to the public.

But there was no witch’s curse outside the wall.

No, to be precise, there was no witch’s curse that we knew of.

[The outside is actually fine. Plants are growing, and if you get close, you can see bugs eating the leaves. The same goes for wild animals.]

Just like a post from a certain Noah Ark player on the Ghost Busters bulletin board.

The outside of the wall was not a land full of death.

‘Well, it doesn’t seem to be in perfect condition though.’

Standing at the edge of the cliff, I look at the gray world unfolding before my eyes.

Everything was gray, but only the sun rising in the distance shone red, creating a strange atmosphere.

“…The world has never been okay.”

As the GM muttered, it was a world that anyone could see was clearly destroyed.

However, the more it is, the bigger the question becomes.

Because none of the things the royal family said were true.

‘Radiation my ass…’

There was no poison scattered in the air.

There was just a world that was destroyed in another way.

Of course, I can’t even guess why the royal family hid this fact—.

“I think I know why the royal family distorted the truth.”

“Huh?”

The GM lowers the telescope that I didn’t even know they had taken out and continues to speak.

“How could they tell the residents inside the wall that this world is heading towards destruction?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Look down there.”

The point the GM pointed to was the boundary line where the gray waves and the land met.

“It’s hard to distinguish with the naked eye, but the area is slowly expanding.”

When I put the telescope I received to my eyes and checked the area, I could see that erosion was slowly progressing based on the boundary line.

“The problem is… it doesn’t seem to be just this side.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Didn’t those who went outside the wall come back to the city? Surely, the other side wouldn’t be any different.”

“But is there any reason to return to the city? If the city is going to be destroyed first, as you said?”

“Well, maybe they know information that we don’t? Hmm, maybe the guardian magic circle can’t be penetrated even if the erosion progresses.”

After listening to the story, it was a guess that was not like a wizard, or rather, a ‘whatever’ guess.

But…

‘That’s not wrong.’

In fact, the Noah Ark guys invaded the city.

This means that there is a means to survive in Lafdonia.

I don’t know exactly what it is yet.

‘I’ll have to find out the rest by exploring myself.’

In that sense, after that, I went down to the coast with the GM and conducted various investigations.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find out much.

But let’s organize what we did find out…

Thud!

First of all, the erosion zone is literally a land of death.

The moment something touches it, it loses its color and hardens like a stone.

For reference, I haven’t experimented on people.

I’m curious if it can be endured if the magic resistance is high, but I don’t really have the courage to experiment.

Anyway.

“A corpse…”

The second thing was finding a skeleton in a cave we found while looking around the coast.

It seemed to have been at least a few years since then, but even after searching the surroundings, there was nothing more to find out.

Finally, the most important third thing.

“At this rate, it will take about 10 years to reach the outer wall of District 10.”

Assuming that the erosion progresses at the same speed, it was calculated that it would reach the city in 10 years.

Well, if the guardian magic circle surrounding the city can stop the erosion, there will be no problem.

“Let’s stop searching and go back.”

“Are you going back for good?”

“We can’t keep holding on forever, and you have to go home now, right?”

When I said that with a smirk, the GM’s eyes widened.

I should say it was a look that couldn’t believe that I was saying such normal things?

“Why don’t you want to go—.”

“No! Let’s go! Quickly!”

Geez, they’re happy enough to be disappointed.

I thought we were getting a little closer.

“Okay, let’s go.”

After that, we left the coast and talked while moving towards the wall.

“Havelion. But isn’t it a bit strange?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, the fact that this hasn’t been known yet. You should have been able to see the world going crazy from the top of the District 10 wall. I don’t think I’ve ever heard any similar ghost stories.”

“Perhaps… have you never been on top of the wall, Baron?”

“I’ve been there?”

When I told them about my experience of climbing the wall of Bipron and admiring the vast nature, the GM nodded as if they understood.

“That’s because Bipron is a special case. Other walls are covered with illusion magic, and I know that Bipron is the only city that has something wrong with that magic.”

“…Oh, is that so?”

“It’s something you wouldn’t know from the outside, so it’s natural that you don’t know. Ah, for reference, the soldiers and knights who worked on the wall of Bipron thought that the nature outside the wall was due to illusion magic.”

This is the first time I’ve heard of this.

Certainly, they are a high-ranking wizard and have a lot of experience, so they know a lot.

“But… isn’t the sanctuary also covered with illusion magic?”

Ah, that…

“That’s right, but I didn’t know the walls were like that too.”

The sanctuary is located outside the wall.

In the history books, it is said that the royal family respected the different races and gave them independent land to live in, but in reality, it is discrimination and exclusion.

Just look at the invasion of District 7 this time.

As soon as the Noah Ark side activated the magic circle created by the royal family a long time ago, the sanctuary was completely cut off from the city and isolated—.

‘My thoughts went astray.’

Anyway, if you walk along the sanctuary, you will come to a section where you cannot go any further because you are blocked by an invisible wall.

At that time, there was a forest beyond that…

[Everything has its order.]

[……]

[Warrior, it is not yet time to be curious about what is beyond.]

When I think about it, the shaman said something very meaningful at that time, I wonder what it would be like.

I’ve grown so much that it can’t be compared to that time.

Is it time to be curious about the outside of the wall now?

“Well… you might have thought that the sanctuary was a special case. After all, it’s known that the illusion magic was cast to be considerate of the different races.”

“Still, I’m suddenly curious. What it’s really like.”

“Yes…?”

“Since we’re talking about it, I should check it out. It’s on the way anyway.”

On a whim, I changed my route slightly and moved along the wall.

“The entire area around the wall is a forest, so it’s very inconvenient.”

“Don’t complain and move your feet quickly.”

As I was patting the GM, who wanted to go home quickly, and taking them along, I was soon able to reach one of the six sanctuaries in Lafdonia.

Thud.

A transparent barrier that blocks the way as if no further access is allowed.

It is the sanctuary of the fairies located in District 9.

First of all, it was not difficult to look inside from the outside.

‘……I can only see the forest.’

As it is the outermost boundary of the sanctuary, it was impossible to see the living environment or city landscape of the fairies, but it was still a bit strange.

‘It’s huge……’

The trees are so huge and neat that they cannot be compared to the barbarian’s sanctuary.

As if they had been carefully managed for thousands of years.

“…I came here because you told me to, but are you just going to wait like this?”

As I was looking inside with interest, the GM started to give me a look.

And surprisingly, at that moment.

“…Huh?”

I think I saw something moving beyond the barrier.

“Wait a minute.”

“…Yes?”

“Be quiet.”

I shut the GM’s mouth and stared intently into the forest, and then I spotted a fairy appearing through the bushes.

A silver-haired male fairy with a youthful face who looked like a minor or just an adult.

“They’re coming this way.”

The fairy slowly approaches the direction we are in.

“Can they see us…?”

It was such an accurate direction that I suddenly thought that, but it seemed unlikely.

If they had seen someone outside the barrier, they wouldn’t have such a calm expression.

Swoosh.

The fairy who arrived in front of the barrier reached out and stroked the invisible wall as if caressing it.

And they mutter something…

“……”

I couldn’t hear the voice because of the barrier.

But did the GM also have the talent of lip reading?

“They say it’s stuffy.”

“…Can you understand words by looking at them?”

“It’s a skill I learned while living. It wasn’t a difficult word either.”

The GM smiled modestly, but I was really surprised.

That’s because we are from players.

Being able to speak and hear is one thing, and understanding words by reading lips is another.

“Oh, now they’re muttering to themselves, ‘I wonder what’s outside…'”

Thanks to the translation next to me, I understood why the fairy was making that expression.

“Curiosity is the greatest of human desires. Perhaps one day, that boy will make a name for himself.”

“Didn’t you say that you should only question what you can handle?”

“Yes. That’s why I said it was great. People like me are just curious.”

Geez, they’re a wizard, so they’re good at talking.

“In that sense, if you’ve satisfied your curiosity, Baron, how about we start moving again?”

“Okay, let’s go.”

I laughed at the GM’s request for a moment.

I turned my back after checking the silver-haired fairy beyond the barrier one last time.

‘Hmm, their face looks a little familiar…’

Well, if we have a connection, we’ll meet again someday.

***

As always, the way back was the reverse of the way we came.

However, perhaps because we had built up intimacy by traveling to unfamiliar places for a few days, small talk did not stop, unlike when we came.

They don’t seem to be that afraid of me anymore?

“So, what about you, Baron? There are many rumors of scandals in the city.”

“They’re all rumors.”

“Hmm, from what I’ve heard, I know that one of them was real—.”

“…You’ve become very comfortable, haven’t you?”

“Haha… I’m, I’m sorry.”

Beyond having light conversations, they also threw out personal questions that they had been secretly curious about.

“Um… what is your goal, Baron?”

“Are you picking a fight?”

“No, it’s not that, I’m really curious. You’ve always been at the forefront of dangerous things and have been busy.”

“…I don’t have one.”

“Yes?”

“I mean, I’ve never had a grand goal. To survive with me and my people. If there is a goal, that’s about it.”

Of course, the world is a give and take.

As much as I answered honestly about myself, I continued to ask them personal questions.

“So, what is your goal?”

“Me?”

“Yes. When I see you asking me that, it seems like you have a clear goal.”

“I’m…”

When asked about their goal, the GM seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then slowly continued to speak.

“There is someone I want to meet again someday.”

As a fellow player, if I interpret it, it means that their goal is to return to their original world, and the motive is ‘someone’.

‘Is it family…?’

I don’t know, but I nodded as if I didn’t know.

“I see. I hope you can meet again, whoever it is.”

“…Thank you.”

“Cheer up.”

When I patted their shoulder with encouragement, the GM ran away from me, but then laughed as if it was funny.

And…

“If you exclude the incomprehensible ‘cultural differences’… Baron Yandel seems like a pretty good person.”

They throw out words that I don’t know if they are praise or sarcasm.

Well, it’s not something I can’t understand.

Even the locals are fed up with me, so how strange would I look to a player?

‘I’m a little upset though.’

Would they have been different if they had started as barbarians?

One hundred out of one hundred would have acted the same as me.

…Maybe.

“Then let’s rest here for the night.”

“Yes. That’s good.”

After it got dark enough, we spread out a blanket in an open space with few trees and lay down.

‘At this rate, we’ll be able to return to the city before tomorrow evening.’

Just as I was closing my eyes and checking the schedule for tomorrow, a sentimental voice suddenly came from next to me.

“The sky, I mean.”

“……?”

“The sky is the same in any world.”

In fact, it was a feeling I often felt while camping.

If I just lie down at night and look at the sky, I don’t know where I am.

However, perhaps realizing that they had said something they shouldn’t have, the GM added an explanation that I didn’t ask for.

“Ah, I mean, whether it’s inside or outside the wall.”

“Yeah. It’s really no different.”

“……”

Then, a time of looking up at the sky without saying anything continued.

Perhaps because they had been living in the magic tower all the time?

They seemed to be reminded of old memories in the process of camping outside like this. It must have been their daily life when they were going in and out of the labyrinth.

“Baron.”

“Why are you calling me?”

“You were curious about the school I first entered, weren’t you?”

“I was. I didn’t ask in detail because you drew a line saying you didn’t want to talk about it.”

But why, are you thinking of talking about it now?

When I said that as if throwing it out, the GM smiled bitterly but answered firmly.

“Yes, it’s not a very interesting story.”

It seemed like today was the day for them.

A day when they want to talk to anyone.