Surviving the Game as a Barbarian chapter 208

208 Talk Reader (1)

It is moving slowly, vigilant in all directions.

This is a change that happened to us a few minutes ago.

I stopped running towards the second floor and paid more attention to safety.

It was an inevitable choice.

A mist obscuring the view filled the entire cave.

“… … I’ve heard of this. It’s black magic. It was said that the warlocks used it in subjugation wars in the past.”

heart beats low

heart-!

Even though Raven is removing the fog with her wind magic, the visibility is only about 5m in radius.

In such an environment, it is difficult to deal with risks.

Because the place I’m standing in isn’t just in a game made of HP/MP.

One mistake can lead to death.

A world without a ‘redo’ button.

heart-!

You have to be alert.

In order to come back alive without losing anyone.

“Mr. Yandel… … .”

In the past, we were too weak to defend ourselves.

So I had to lose a friend.

It was a crisis that could not be overcome without it.

If so, how about this time?

‘Yeah, because I’m a lot stronger than I was back then… … .’

Engrave the positive parts in your head so that your body does not harden with tension.

That was then.

“Mr. Yandel!”

“Don’t scream.”

“Then answer me at once.”

“So what do you mean?”

Raven on board Einar asked carefully.

“Is going to the second floor the right choice?”

“What do you mean?”

“A lot of the knights of the royal family also came. There must be many large clans. Wouldn’t it be safer to join them?”

It’s not at all an incomprehensible story.

No, if we were near the starting point, I would have chosen that option.

But, in the current situation, well… … .

Doesn’t seem like a really good option.

There is one thing to correct.

“Raven, more than half of the large clans did not enter the labyrinth.”

I heard it from the fox mask at the round table.

Large clans dissatisfied with the royal family began a massive boycott.

Well, it seems that some people who noticed that the royal family had such clans written down in the killing book were withdrawn… … .

Yes, that number wouldn’t be much.

“… … At a time like this.”

It’s not like that, it’s because it’s a time like this.

“Abman, what direction?”

“It’s over there.”

I checked the location of the portal with Uncle Bear and continued to find the way. This is also a change that occurred after the fog covered the cave.

The compass started not working.

“… … Is it okay if I just find the portal?”

“It wouldn’t be safe to be on the second floor. But all you have to do is go to the fourth floor.”

The Tower of the Sky is an independent tier.

As long as you get there, it will be possible to safely return to the city despite this war.

After all, that’s the best for us right now—

“no. I was saying there might be no defenses on the portal side.”

“What do you mean?”

“Literally. If I were a Noark tactician, I would have found a way to get to the second floor first.”

that… … . Yes.

But what do you mean?

You should try it first.

Thanks to the use of dimensional instability, we are already in the outermost part.

“If it becomes impossible to get to the second floor… … . What will you do then?”

Unlike usual, Raven keeps asking me questions. Seeing this, I think he’s worried too.

Well, you’ll need someone to depend on.

You will have little experience in this area.

“At that time, as you said, I will join the people of the city. In the first place, there is no other way.”

I said calmly.

I don’t know if this is really the best way, but at least one person should.

“Once that is explained, keep moving.”

“yes… … .”

That was when I was moving as fast as possible towards the second floor.

“Finally meeting someone. Do you know how this happened?”

I met an explorer.

A team of explorers made up of three humans and two beasts.

The equipment level is similar to or higher than ours.

After all, these guys came all the way here at this time, so there’s no way they’re low-level explorers.

If you join, your power will go up significantly.

But before that, there is something to check.

“First, the identification tag.”

Are they really trustworthy?

***

“Really.”

“Is it fake then?”

As soon as we met, we confirmed that we were from the city through the identification tag engraved on our wrist.

And we talked naturally.

Originally, they would have gone their separate ways as soon as the dog tags were checked, but… … .

Now an obvious emergency.

“Do you know anything?”

“Not many. Except that something was done on the side of Noark.”

“Noarkra… … . It was too.”

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the leader of the other side who nodded at my words.

“Isn’t there a wizard on your side?”

It is a well-known story that there are few ordinary wizards on the side of Noark.

“As you can see.”

However, the other side proudly shrugged.

“Because we are a team aiming for public achievement. There is no reason for a wizard to exist.”

Shiba, this makes sense again.

When speedrunning, wizards usually do not participate.

Not only is it a burden because of its slow movement speed, but also because a wizard can’t eat experience points even if he uses a speed run.

So, I started by name.

“This is Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

Just as I have a nickname called Little Balkan, I judged that if there was a reputation over there, I could have heard the name.

“It’s Hansen Kelders.”

“Hansen?”

“Oh, do you know me? Maybe we know each other across the bridge—”

“I don’t think that will happen.”

I shook my head.

I was just startled by the ominous sound, but it was the first time I heard the name itself.

If so, what should I do?

Hansen, who was thinking about it, exchanged whispers with a colleague.

“Little Balkan? ah! A barbarian from the time of that hierarchical monarch!”

There must have been someone who knew my tinnitus.

Hansen’s gaze changed a little more favorably.

“Now I see, he was a famous guy, right? How about moving like this? I don’t think we’re in a situation where we’re exploring each other.”

A proposal to join Hansen first.

“Can you give me a moment?”

“If only for a few minutes. It’s just that I’m too nervous to be in one place all the time.”

After obtaining Hansen’s consent, I had time to discuss with my colleagues.

Isn’t there such a thing as collective intelligence?

Judging that they may have discovered a foreign part that I had not been able to find.

“I don’t know. I think it will be safe if the number of people increases… … . But, Bjorn, I think you should do as you please.”

“I’m just like Misha!”

First of all, Sister Geun-Dil expressed her intention to thoroughly follow my choices.

Uncle Bear was the opposite.

“Something is strange. At that level, the name would have been known for sure, but this is the first I’ve heard of it, right? Even if you’re not from the underground city, it’s possible that you’re a looter.”

This is a bit of a concern.

Because Uncle Bear has the widest feet among us.

“Raven, what do you think?”

“Hey, there doesn’t seem to be anything strange. So wouldn’t it be better to just join? The identification tag was fine.”

Well, that’s right.

Inwardly, I was most dependent on Raven, but now I think I need to change my mind.

Is it because this is the first time this has happened?

He doesn’t turn his head like usual.

“Don’t worry about dog tags, just look at people thoroughly.”

“yes? What does that mean… … ah!”

Raven realized the truth of my words and opened her mouth.

Given the circumstances, it is foolish to believe only in dog tags.

Because there’s no chance of making a fake.

There are two cases.

I couldn’t make fakes, so I cried and worked like eating mustard.

Or, because it was created, he believed in it and dared to throw a number.

I still don’t know which one.

So, you have to trust your senses and make a choice. Just like when playing [Dungeon and Stone], which is game over once you die.

“I, I don’t know. Just let Mr. Yandel make the decision.”

As if Raven was confused, he entrusted everything to me.

Why the hell is he so mentally out there?

“Raven, calm down. In the Tower of the Sky, I was fine even when a stealthy assassin was next to me.”

“Yeah, it’s different now than it was then. Now, if I make a mistake, other people get hurt.”

Oh, that’s what it was.

I learned something new about Raven.

It must be a style that can’t make decisions when responsibilities increase.

It’s not that I don’t understand.

Someone dies in my opinion.

Overcoming that burden and making a decision can never be easy.

Because this isn’t in the game.

It’s not just that one character you’ve been raising dies and ends.

‘Shit.’

In the end, the decision was in my hands.

It’s not surprising, though.

‘My head hurts.’

I sighed and stared at the hordes of Hansen who had fallen from a distance.

If there was a wizard among them.

Even if it wasn’t, if it was an explorer who had heard the name or a team belonging to a famous clan.

If that was the case, I would have believed a little more easily.

‘Neither of them.’

Unfortunately, the time given was short.

“Have you made a decision?”

“okay.”

Soon, I finished worrying.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, but I will decline the offer you just made.”

It was my final decision that I didn’t have to gamble.

“okay? It’s unfortunate.”

Surprisingly, Hansen nodded without a sign of displeasure. He already seemed to understand what I was thinking when I made this decision.

“The prudent one survives long. I hope to see you again later.”

“What will you do?”

“I will go to the second floor first. I don’t know if it will be okay there. Better than here.”

“Right. See you in the city if you get a chance.”

“What are you doing? Come on, let’s go.”

After a brief conversation, Hansen’s group set out first and disappeared into the mist.

Did I really make the right choice?

eating.

I forcefully smiled as if to erase doubts and anxiety.

When did you make a choice because you knew the outcome?

“We are leaving soon.”

Just believe and move on.

***

About five minutes after parting with Hansen’s group, we found five corpses.

It wasn’t the Hansen group who went first.

The equipment had been robbed and she was naked, but there was no problem with identification.

“It’s a knight.”

“… … A knight?”

“yes. Here’s the tattoo on the back of the neck. It’s the design of Viscount Terten.”

“It’s like a stigma to have a family print on it.”

To be more precise, it is as if they are objects, not people.

Is that so?

It just makes my taste bitter.

The world in which even knights are treated as consumables really touches my skin.

“… … Not all aristocrats are like this.”

Leaving behind Raven, who was chanting like a lawyer, I organized my thoughts.

The corpses of one knight and four soldiers.

And the surrounding area with no traces of battle.

It meant one thing.

“There is such a thing as a monster.”

“yes. Looking at the wounds, it was all over with one blow. Seeing that the scars are the same, it doesn’t look like they were attacked by a group of people.”

A knight who uses an auror is the strongest person in battle, and is the sword that protects the vested interests in this world where magic and superpowers exist.

But he died doing nothing.

I feel like I have entered the snow of the storm once again.

A knight who would have enjoyed immense authority while holding a sword and wielding it for the rest of his life died like an extra.

No, he is still dying.

Just like in the subjugation of Noark in the basement a few months ago.

“What time of death?”

“It’s been about 20 minutes.”

Yeah, it’s not that close.

It was a positive clue, but it is too early to be reassured.

From now on, no matter what happens, it won’t be strange.

“They… Are you going to start a real war?”

Uncle Bear frowned and muttered.

After seeing the knight’s body, he seemed to have touched the current situation with his whole body.

Well, we haven’t fought anyone yet.

I just cut it off.

“It’s not about making money. Abman.”

“… … .”

“It’s already at war.”

We are lucky to be in the outermost part.

So, I haven’t experienced the effects myself yet.

Well, now it’s just a matter of time.

“What are you going to do?”

At Raven’s question, I let out a sigh.

I don’t know how many times this has already happened since I came down to the first floor.

We are again at a crossroads of choice.

“There is only a portal in this direction.”

“You don’t have to explain. The guy who killed this knight must have gone there.”

The only way out I judged was the 2nd floor portal.

A monster lurks there.

But even if you turn around, the situation remains bleak. The battle that started in the center will soon cover the entire first floor.

‘Fuck it, it was a den of beasts, and I didn’t come down to the first floor.’

Even if you don’t regret it, you will regret it.

I can’t believe that such a trivial choice would put me in a shitty situation like this.

It’s as if the heartless world is testing me.

Whatever choice you make is fine.

But the responsibility is all yours.

Without realizing it, my gaze went to my colleagues.

“… … .”

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Misha, Ainar, Raven, Mister Bear.

They were looking at me too.

The choice seems to be mine.

“… … come back.”

Soon I made a decision.

I don’t know who is in front.

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Maybe it’s a member of Orculis.

A strong force like this wouldn’t be many even in Noark.

It was the car I was about to turn around.

“Hey, are you really just going back!”

A voice came from beyond the fog.

Tub.

The sound of footsteps followed.

👌👌👌👌👌👌

Immediately, Raven sent a gust of wind and harvested the fog.

It turned out that there was only one man.

A man wearing nothing but a simple black suit with no equipment.

He had a skull mask on his face.

“What barbarian is so shy? Yes?”

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My body stiffened at the voice.

It was the first voice I heard.

It was clear enough.

However.

“Fisit.”

somehow got used to it.