Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Drawing a Line (3)

Tarikan Lien.

Of course, it wasn't his real name, but I decided to ignore that.

‘It’d better to have this conversation over a meal.'

Since my hotel wasn't too far away, I took him to my room, and got him some food from downstairs.

It was just the set meal of the week, priced at only 300 stones.

Chicken stew, a few slices of bread, and a few grilled vegetables were all it had, but that was enough to make him feel overjoyed.

Still, if there was one thing that bothered me, that was…

"I will never forget this grace!"

Although he’d thankfully come to his senses, if he was going to do it, he should’ve done it properly.

His voice was much too faint, and he lacked any kind of confidence.

We barbarians rejoiced a lot more enthusiastically when someone bought us something to eat.

‘… Although, I’ve been eating well from the start. Is he so starved he simply lacks the energy?'

Seeing him wolf down the food, I hid my bitter smile.

And I learned what I needed to from a short conversation after dinner.

‘I really thought he was a newbie… ‘

Surprisingly, this man was older than me in this world.

Although only by a month.

He was called into this world a month before I’d opened my eyes in Bjorn's body.

And there was one more surprising fact.

"C-, coming-of-age ceremony? Ah, I was really surprised back then. Who could’ve known that there were e-evil spirits hiding among us?"

‘So an evil spirit had appeared… ‘

Coincidentally, this man and I had very similar beginnings.

A demon had appeared at his coming-of-age ceremony as well.

In other words, there was an incident where a player got executed by the chieftain.

And another question arose at this point.

‘How did he survive that?'

At the ceremony, your get called by name.

But when you, the evil spirit, wake up, you have no information about who your body previously belonged to. That was why I’d had to count the time in my heart, taut with tension, every time the chieftain had called a name.

‘… Even if he hadn’t been as jittery as he is now, how did he keep people from suspecting?'

Well, perhaps he’d been in better condition back then.

Or, he could’ve used a strategy similar to mine to avoid suspicion.

I was mildly curious, so I asked in a roundabout manner, but the answer that came back was a little frustrating.

"When was I called at the coming-of-age ceremony? I don't know why you're asking but… I was the last!"

I see. He’d been the last one to be called.

That’s why he hadn’t needed to know what his name was.

Because there were no more warriors left to be called up.

All I could think was that he was lucky, but the man himself didn't seem to even realize that.

What an idiot.

"So what happened afterwards?"

"W-, what happened? That… why do you want to know?"

Why?

Because I was an evil spirit, too.

This was market research. Data collection. Whatever you’d like to call it.

"Tell me, and if the situation calls for it, I might be able to help."

I deliberately answered as vaguely as possible.

But had this guy already decided in his mind that I was going to help him out?

"I, I see! Then let’s talk about it!"

He didn’t hide his anticipation, and slowly began to tell his story.

From the day he’d woken up in the body of Tarikan Lien, to today.

As I listened, all I could think was that some punishments were well-deserved.

"… You mean you couldn't enter the labyrinth after the coming-of-age ceremony?"

"Th-, that couldn’t be helped! I got lost along the way… "

First of all, he didn’t even enter the labyrinth.

He made some excuses about losing his way, but…

‘It’s best to filter out the obvious lies.'

Quite possibly, the real reason was that he’d felt that fighting monsters was a crazy thing to do.

And it wouldn’t have been hard to break away from the horde of over-excited barbarians.

The problem was the next bit.

Left in the city, he’d eaten the rock-bread he had with him for a week, and wandered to and fro looking for a job. He hadn’t gotten accepted anywhere because he was a barbarian.

Other races can hold side jobs.

For example, beastkin may wait at a tavern, or dwarves may work at a smithy.

On the day the labyrinth opens, they go harvest mana stones inside, and for the rest of the month, they earn a living wage in the city.

Unlike barbarians, whose only option is combat.

"But didn’t you know that? You must’ve learned that in the sanctuary, right?"

"Th-, that… I g-guess I forgot! And, oh, didn't I tell you already! I got lost, and there was nothing I could do… "

He was bullshitting[1] again, so it looked like he didn’t know.

I’d asked him if he hadn’t learned about this while living in the sanctuary, but what I meant was he should’ve known about this setting if he’d played the game.

‘But if the answer’s like this… ‘

I was slowly starting to get suspicious.

Was it actually true that ‘evil spirits' were the beings who opened the ‘Gates of the Abyss' on the last floor?

Because if this guy had been that experienced, he definitely should’ve known the settings about the barbarians.

"… So, should I keep talking?"

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, go on."

Anyway, we went back to the main point of the story.

After starving for several days, he finally sold his starter weapon for 50,000 stones.

I didn't know who the buyer was, but he was one sharp bargainer.

Barbarian starter weapons go for 150,000 stones on average.

‘Well, the most important part comes afterwards.'

With that little bit of money in his pocket, he made it to the next month somehow by skimping on everything.

And then came the next chance to enter the labyrinth.

In other words, the day I woke up in this body and decided to enter the labyrinth.

"Hah! You didn’t go into the labyrinth that time either? Are you crazy?"

"But how am I supposed to fight monsters without any weapons!"

No, that’s why you should’ve just walked in the first time.

He had to be a player who’d reached the ‘Gates of the Abyss', same as me, right?

Couldn't he even judge something so simple?

"B-, besides, I’d had a stomachache that day because of something I’d eaten!"

‘Really, I don’t know what to say anymore.'

My thoughts were getting complicated.

‘I can't ask him directly if he’s ever played that game…'

Now that I thought about it, I didn't even know if all demons, including this one, were from the same Earth as me.

Wasn't this a world of magic and monsters? Then why not have some evil spirits be summoned from some alien dimension?

"Anyway, keep talking."

It didn't seem like there was anything special left to learn, but I still listened to the rest of the story.

Of course, the content didn’t differ much from what I’d expected.

The money ran out, he got kicked out of the inn, and he had to fight hunger, sickness and cold every day.

One day, when he found out about the inn where barbarians gathered, he went to see if he could get some help, but was rejected for some reason…

"You really are special! Everybody else just gave me weird looks."

To be honest, I was now even more curious about him.

How could he survive three months in such a state?

‘No, shouldn’t he have realized how to pretend to fit in with the other barbarians, by now?'

Even though I didn’t understand the reasons behind any of his choices, there was a sense of relief blooming in my heart.

If I, too, had made a different choice back then –

‘Perhaps I wouldn't have ended up any different.'

On that day, if I’d chosen to run away because I was afraid of fighting.

"… By the way, how much does this place cost per day?"

By now I might’ve been sleeping on the streets instead of renting a room in an inn, with a window and a private bath.

I wouldn't even be able to afford rock-bread without soup, and would have to rummage through the trash for something to eat–

"Ah, hm! So, how was my story? Good, huh?"

Just like this, I might’ve had to pour out my own imperfections to scrounge for the sympathy of others.

I pondered one last time before answering.

And made my decision.

"It was definitely a sad story."

"Then, can you help me?"

His face regained some animation in an instant.

"Of, of course I will repay the favour. You might not believe it, but I actually know the labyrinth really well! If you go there with me in the future, it’ll be of great help to you too!"

Help, me?

‘I see, so you do have some knowledge about this world… ‘

I could even sense what kind of a future he was imagining in his head.

Like teaming up with me to go into the labyrinth.

He might’ve said he’d repay me, thinking of that.

Because he didn't know who I really was.

But if I had to cut off this dream of his, and draw a line in the sand in advance –

"I’ll never go into the labyrinth with you."

There was no such possible future, upon my oath.

I had so many bigger fish to fry[2], why would I take a burden alongside me into the labyrinth, just because he was somebody in a similar situation?

How crazy would I have to be to even consider something like that?

"Didn’t you say that you’d definitely help?"

Hearing his voice filled with a trace of anger, I again forcefully suppressed my bitter smile.

"I’ll help you, but in a different way."

"A different way?"

"Here, 150,000 stones. Buy a weapon with this and enter the labyrinth."

When I took out three 50,000-stone coins and held them out, his face brightened again.

"Are you really just giving this to me? Thank you! I will definitely repay this favour!"

I didn't even expect it to be repaid.

Even if he had the money, with his mindset, long-term survival seemed like a fool’s dream.

The labyrinth that I’d personally experienced was not a place one could easily navigate with just game knowledge.

But I still gave him 150,000 stones.

I handed him the money, knowing that the act wouldn’t do me any good.

"Now, I’m a bit tired, so shall we wrap this up?"

"Ah, that’s right! I get it! I'll be back next time –"

"Don't."

I lowered my voice and repeated my words so he could clearly understand me.

"Tarikan son of Lien. Whether you’re defeated in the labyrinth or survive and make a fortune, or even if things go well and you can afford to repay the favour –"

I closed in and grabbed him by the shoulder, and he flinched.

An awkward feeling passed through my fingertips, but I didn’t let that stop me.

"– Or for any other reason. Leave this room today, and never return to see me. If you understand what I’m telling you, then answer me. Do you understand?"

"… I understand."

After his confirmation, I semi-forcibly kicked him out of the room. Then I stretched out on the bed, pondering what I’d just done.

My lips twisted into a smirk.

‘Huh, did he remind me of the past?'

A past when I, too, had desperately needed someone's help.

But even considering that…

‘What a disgusting thing I've done.'

From a pragmatic point of view, it’d been a foolish act that had no value.

From an emotional point of view, I could’ve done much, much more if I’d actually intended to help, instead of this anaemic level of support.

Neither were wrong.

I had neither the ruthlessness to completely step back from the line, nor the recklessness to cross over it.

So I’d stopped right on the line I’d drawn.

‘In the end, I’m just being a hypocrite.'

I closed my eyes.

And thought.

No matter how hypocritical my actions were today –

"Tarikan, live as long as you can."

This was the best that I could do.

And without money, I could’ve never made the choice I’d made today.

The next morning.

I visited the same Adventurers’ Guild branch I’d visited yesterday.

Unfortunately, it was a different staff member who responded…

"Five stars…?"

The face of the female employee who checked my identification card underwent an instantaneous transformation, same as what’d happened yesterday, and she also responded very kindly.

What the hell?

Maybe the regional chief had done something to my identity card?

I was curious, so I asked, but couldn't get a definitive answer.

"Star? Oh my, did I say something like that?"

Well, rather they just plainly pretended not to know.

I didn't choose to dig deeper, either.

It had to be something like a password used only by the guild.

Something like being marked as a VIP, or to be temporarily given special treatment.

I was curious how exactly it’d been marked, but…

‘Either way, I’m the one who benefits.'

It didn’t matter if I was considered a VIP, or if it was a limited-edition special treatment.

The end result was the same, to receive a kinder response from the guild staff.

"This is a list of teams that meet the criteria you mentioned. Would you like to check them out? Sir adventurer?"

Same as yesterday, I again went through the recruiting announcements.

They were almost unchanged compared to yesterday, except for a few new teams being added.

‘Am I going to find a decent team today?'

While looking through the documents focusing on the newly added teams, I stopped my gaze at a specific part.

It was because I saw a familiar name.

[Third Floor Exploration – Hikurod Murad]

• Preferred Exploration Area: None, to be decided at a later meeting.
• Average rating: To be decided.
• Current personnel: 1 dwarf melee warrior/defender (7th rank)
• Recruitment: 4 (regardless of role, may vary depending on team composition)
• Equal distribution

‘Is the team leader called Hikurod Murad?'

The race was dwarf, too.

Could it really be the same guy…

‘Is his original team disbanded?'

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t a bad deal for me.

It was a bit odd that there weren't any members yet, but at least the team leader was fairly reliable.

I wondered what numbered item he’d gotten at the ‘Blood Citadel'.

‘I'll have to meet him once.'

I filled out a short application form and submitted it to the administrative officer, then left the building and headed along the road towards the business district.

Maybe tomorrow, or perhaps the day after tomorrow at the latest, a meeting would be arranged.

‘Then let's do some in-game purchases before then.'

I was certain.

This was definitely going to rank up there in terms of having fun, given my recent history.

‘Huh… But have I ever had fun before?'

I decided not to worry about such trivialities.

Editor's Notes:

[1] 구라 (gura) comes from Japanese and used in Korean as a slang, meaning to lie or to exaggerate. Something you’d use in a conversation between friends, or a close translation might be ’spinning a yarn’.

[2] 내 코가 석자 (lit. my nose is three lengths), indicating when your nose is running you don’t have the time to worry about others.

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