Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 678

My escape plan, set for the day after tomorrow, was thwarted. Well, the reason for escaping had vanished.

After Auriel Gavis left, all the discharge procedures went smoothly, like a flowing stream.

“In my opinion, you seem well enough to return to society.”

The doctor judged that I was completely cured.

“Congratulations on your discharge, Han-soo.”

Team Leader Kang, who brought news from the police, didn’t say anything particularly different either.

Of course, Hyun-byeol and my mother showed signs of being flustered by the sudden changes, but…

“That’s great, Oppa. Really. It’s so great.”

“Let’s go home… let’s go home, Han-soo…”

In the end, both of them were happy that things had turned out well.

And just like that, the discharge process was completed in a single day.

I finally escaped from the hospital, where I didn’t even know how long I’d been confined, and headed to my room with my mother.

“I stopped by last time and tidied up a bit… Is it very dirty? If I had known you’d be discharged this quickly, I would have done it all beforehand…”

“…Aren’t you going?”

“For the time being, Mom will stay with you and help… If, if it’s uncomfortable, I won’t sleep here and just come and go—”

“Ha… It’s fine. It’s over a two-hour drive, why would you come and go… Just stay here.”

It’s a world I’ll be leaving anyway when the time comes.

I decided that kicking her out would be more of a hassle, so I started living with my mother.

Still, having Mom around was quite convenient.

“Han-soo, dinner’s ready…”

When it’s time, food appears.

‘…How long has it been since I’ve eaten this?’

And the food suits my taste perfectly.

“I’m thinking of buying a laptop.”

“I’ll give you my card, use this.”

Money duplication is also possible.

Well, I didn’t use it because it felt icky.

“No. I was going to ask if you could drive me there, not for the card.”

Anyway, after cleaning up the house, I immediately went to an electronics store and bought laptops.

Five of the cheapest ones.

“Han-soo… Is there a reason to buy so many laptops?”

“Yes. It’s a game that needs five to run properly.”

“…I, is that so?”

My mother looked like she didn’t understand, but that’s because she hasn’t played this game.

The core of [Dungeon & Stone] is luck and grinding.

You have to keep retrying, how can you clear it with just one computer?

‘If I use a tool to run four on one computer… I can raise twenty characters at the same time.’

I actually played the game like this for nine years before.

Except for a few situations, it’s a game that doesn’t require meticulous control.

I raise multiple characters like this, and if a specific essence or specific equipment drops quickly, I judge that there’s a chance of clearing it and focus more on managing them…

‘Okay, setup complete.’

I filled all twenty character slots with Barbarians and started the game in earnest.

Click, click, click.

Tap tap tap, tap tap tap, tap.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

The first floor was difficult to automate, so my hands were very busy, but I endured by using the ESC skill in between to adjust the tempo.

And…

「The character has recruited a Warrior as a companion.」

「The character has recruited an Archer as a companion.」

「The character has recruited an Archer as a companion.」

「The character has recruited a Warrior as a comp…」

After the first return, I recruited companions one by one from the Explorer’s Guild, and things became a little easier.

Well, even then, I still had to monitor things carefully.

“Yeah, when it comes to the lower floors, Warriors and Archers are the best.”

Is it because it’s been a while since I played the game?

Even though it’s the boring lower floors, it’s quite enjoyable.

Of course, those times didn’t last long.

「The character has died after stepping on a trap.」

「Game Over.」

As I went past the 3rd floor, characters started dying one by one.

It’s because I played hardcore, raising 20 characters, letting the ones who were going to die, die…

「An overwhelming blow!」

「The character has died.」

There was nothing to be particularly sad about.

It’s a game where it’s impossible to clear by growing safely and steadily.

Survival of the fittest.

No, that’s not enough.

The pain that doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.

The characters who ‘luckily’ survived in places where anyone would die become stronger.

「A critical blow!」

「The character has died.」

「The character has died due to a raider’s attack.」

「Game Over.」

「The character has died due to a troll.」

「Game Over.」

Faster than any other characters.

***

「[Troll Essence] permeates the character’s soul.」

「The character has entered the 5th floor Demon Realm.」

「New equipment has been equipped.」

「The character’s overall equipment item level has increased by +799…」

***

One week, two weeks, three weeks…

The time since I’ve been holed up in this house has flown by like an arrow.

“Han-soo! Time to eat!”

My mother took care of me with utmost devotion, as I spent all day playing games.

“Oppa, what is this? It doesn’t look like a monster.”

“A person. I’m going to raise this character by raiding.”

“Wow, that’s cruel.”

Hyun-byeol sometimes came over and sat on the bed, watching me play the game and talking about it.

Like a class president ordered to help a child who hasn’t adapted to the class.

“Oppa, then I’ll go! I have to go to work tomorrow. Goodbye, Mother!”

“Okay, bye Hyun-byeol! Be careful!”

Anyway, as those days continued, I became accustomed to living with my mother.

At first, I was uncomfortable with her seeing me change clothes, so I always locked the door, and when I went to the bathroom, I took my underwear and clothes with me…

‘I’m going back anyway, why bother?’

Now, I just live comfortably without thinking much about it.

However, as even that discomfort disappeared and I was just playing games day and night, I couldn’t help but have all sorts of thoughts.

In short, I was having a pointless existential crisis.

[Contrary to what you say, it seems you’ve grown quite fond of this place.]

The old man’s words kept coming back to me.

The parts I said I wouldn’t get confused about kept lingering in my mind.

‘Is this really… a dream?’

Was the witch who told me not to come back just an illusion created based on my subconscious?

I’m tired of worrying about it, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

So, I decided to organize my thoughts.

[Han-soo, whatever you believe, this is definitely reality. Even if it’s different from the place you were.]

According to Auriel Gavis, this place is a kind of parallel world.

[There is no ‘cheat mode’ in this world that you mentioned.]

A cheat mode didn’t appear, and so, another world where only I was dragged into Lapdonia.

[If you intend to return there, there’s no reason to persuade you otherwise.]

Auriel Gavis wants me to return to Lapdonia.

[It’s what I wish for.]

The only way to return is to wish for it earnestly.

The reason I’ve been living as a shut-in, playing games every day, is actually because of this.

「You may not be able to return.」

「Are you sure you want to enter?」

If I can press the ‘Yes’ button again after seeing that message.

Then my wish and will would be proven.

‘Maybe… it really is another reality…’

I’m no longer taking the drugs that made me feel hazy, but that’s why I’m even more confused.

It’s like more and more clear evidence is coming into view.

If this place isn’t a dream world.

Chew, chew.

The taste of this warm home-cooked meal that I’m shoving down my throat like cattle feed is explained.

Scribble.

The number of X marks on the calendar exceeding 60 is also explained.

I’ve never seen a ‘Dream Waterfall’ dream last this long.

Also, the motive is explained.

[You must not open the gate of the abyss.]

The Earth Witch, who once told me that, might have wanted to send me to another world because I might open the gate of the abyss someday.

Not only that…

‘The sense of incongruity that I thought was a dream can all be explained now.’

I’m not talking about Hyun-byeol and my mother’s kindness. The police station and the hospital were all unnatural in some way.

How should I put it? It just felt like that.

But…

‘Auriel Gavis.’

If that old man intervened, it can also be explained.

It was that old man who made the magicians make the kind of expressions that ordinary people would make when they saw magic.

The old man might have been looking out for me, whether by exerting influence from behind or by using magic to brainwash people.

Like how the doctor suddenly declared me cured the next day.

‘If I believe it’s a dream world, it would be a thank you for that old man.’

Ah, of course, I just organized my thoughts because I kept thinking about it in my free time, it’s not like my goal has changed.

Even if a huge force intervened and I came to the ‘reality’ of a parallel world.

So what?

Nothing changes.

No, it’s become even clearer.

My friends and colleagues are all there.

I will live there.

And someday, I might even have a family there.

Yeah, so…

Tap tap tap, tap, tap tap tap.

Click, click, click.

I move the mouse and press the keyboard to return to the place where I belong as soon as possible.

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

I die.

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

I die again.

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

Overcoming the countless unfair situations that [Dungeon & Stone] creates.

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

I use all my knowledge to increase the number of floors I reach.

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

Ah, of course, it wasn’t like there was no stress in the process.

“Aaaargh!! Why did you give the heal to that guy!!”

I scream in the empty room as my well-raised party is wiped out.

“Haaah…”

I’m having a hard time keeping my sanity as I’m focused on the game all the time except for sleeping, so I even crack open a can of beer.

“Han-soo, maybe you should stop playing that game…”

“There are people inside here!”

As those days continued, it was clear that my mother and Hyun-byeol were getting exhausted.

“Mother… I don’t think this is going well, is it?”

“But it was you who said that if he clears that game and nothing happens, it would help him come to his senses.”

“Yes, I did. But it seems like his condition is getting worse day by day… Maybe we should go to the hospital and get some medicine…”

“I’m sorry, Hyun-byeol… It’s all my fault…”

“No, Mother. I’ll help you by his side.”

I suddenly felt like a real problem child when I opened the door to go to the bathroom and heard the conversation in the living room, but…

That didn’t change anything.

Clench…

I just need to do my job.

Like a Barbarian.

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

「The character has entered the 7th floor Dark Continent.」

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

「The character has entered the 8th floor Land of Dawn.」

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

「The character has entered the 9th floor Star Tomb.」

「The character has died.」

「Game Over.」

「The character has entered the 10th floor…」

.

.

.

.

「Gate of the Abyss」

「Do you want to enter?」

“I’m hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!”

As I shouted in front of the monitor, Hyun-byeol, who was lying on the bed reading a book, frowned and approached me.

“…What’s with the sudden shouting?”

“I arrived! I arriveddddd!!!”

“…Did you wake up?”

When I nodded slightly, Hyun-byeol’s expression became very strange.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Oppa this excited.”

“Of course I’m excited, wouldn’t you be? I’ve wasted months locked up in this room!”

Hyun-byeol didn’t say anything to my reaction.

“Oppa, you’re cruel, calling it a waste.”

“…Huh?”

“When ordinary people think about it, what I did was a waste, Oppa.”

Uh…

“Of course, I’ve never thought of it as a waste.”

When Hyun-byeol, who was always strong, made a weak expression, I couldn’t say anything.

I admit that she helped me in every way for months.

To be honest, it would be a lie to say that I didn’t grow fond of her while talking to her all this time—.

“Don’t you have to press it?”

“…What?”

“That ‘YES’ button over there. Just… can’t you not press it?”

“Hyun-byeol…? What are you talking about? Why are you telling me not to press it?”

When I calmly asked, Hyun-byeol’s voice became tearful.

“That’s right. Oppa… You think that if you just press that button, you’ll go back to your original world.”

She never believed that I went into the game, but now that the time has come, is she having second thoughts?

I suddenly had that thought, but as a result, it was wrong.

“Do you hate us that much?”

Hyun-byeol was sad.

About my choice itself.

“Were the times we spent together just making things difficult for you?”

Actually, that’s not true.

It was quite enjoyable and comfortable.

In a way, these daily lives were my long-time dream.

No, to be precise…

‘It was something I once wanted.’

My dream has already changed.

I have something more precious, and something I want more desperately.

So…

“You can just start anew here—”

“I have to go back.”

No matter how uncomfortable it is, I clearly convey my intention.

“…”

At the same time, a heavy silence was created.

“Hyun-byeol, I’m sorry. When I go back, I’ll really, really help you… Okay? Anyway, I have to go to send you back over there, right?”

When I awkwardly laughed and joked, Hyun-byeol sighed.

“…Ah, what are you even saying. You idiot. I don’t know anymore. Do whatever you want, Oppa. I just said not to press it because I was annoyed.”

After that, Hyun-byeol lay on the bed with a sulky expression and opened her book, and I sat back in my chair and looked at the monitor.

And…

Click.

I carefully press YES, and the message is displayed one more time.

「You may not be able to return.」

「Are you sure you want to enter?」

A production that I thought was unnecessary from the player’s point of view.

But something is strange.

“…”

Unlike the time when I clicked without any regrets, my hand doesn’t move easily.

“Why? Aren’t you going to press it? Are you worried about hurting my feelings? It’s already too late anyway?”

Hyun-byeol glares at me with a sulky voice.

“What are you two talking about in the room? Come out and eat! Dinner’s ready!”

The smell of warm food wafts from the kitchen.

[Contrary to what you say, it seems you’ve grown quite fond of this place.]

Now I also acknowledge what the old man said.

However, the time I hesitated wasn’t long.

Lee Han-soo, who wanted to have everything in his hands when he was a child, has now grown up.

「You may not be able to return.」

「Are you sure you want to enter?」

Click.

「Yes.」

It’s time to wake up from the dream.

Opirlove

Wolf Training Center

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