Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

The evil spirits' gathering, Ghostbusters, opened every 15th of the month, based on city time. My routine here was almost always the same.

Whirrrr-!

First, I would turn on my computer and log into the community. Then I would check how many people were online in the chat room, 'Long Live Korean Independence.'

'No one's here yet.'

Then I would browse the forums, catching up on the latest news, before entering the chat room and spending an hour chatting with Baekho.

After Baekho logged out, I would talk to Hyunbyul until it was time for the Round Table meeting.

Click, click.

Today was no different.

I opened the forums, just like always, and skimmed through the titles of the new posts.

Casually—

"…Huh?"

I let out a gasp as I saw the title of the first post.

[Lafdonia Royal Family Decides to Close the First Basement Floor.]

What?

Click, click.

I wondered if it was just a troll post, but I couldn't resist clicking on it.

—ㅇㅇㅇㅇ.

As expected, the post itself was empty.

People usually posted the title first and then edited the content later.

The comments were what mattered.

They would tell me if it was true or not.

Like this.

[arolf5205: Damn it, I was going to post that.]

[NIKAMOTO: This is going to be a hot topic.]

[AI_DIDIGO: Information 1: 56% of the first posts on the day the community opens receive over 100 comments and become hot topics.]

[└Ki11Humans77: Wow, it's Didigo. Please let me get a 3rd-grade essence next expedition.]

[└MarkG: What's the benefit of becoming a hot topic?]

[└Pawel: The admins give you some GP. But I don't think that's the main reason.]

The users were discussing the post, not dismissing it as a troll or a rumor.

It told me one thing.

'…It's true.'

The Lafdonia Royal Family had decided to close the first basement floor.

And it was already common knowledge.

I quickly refreshed the page and scrolled down.

The important information was always in the later comments.

It took time to write them.

[Darkrealm93: But I don't understand why the royal family is doing this. Why are they closing the first basement floor?]

[└Akaistos: Because it's too dangerous.]

[└Darkrealm93: You think I don't know that? There has to be another reason.]

[└WhyDoYouSniffShit: It's obvious. They're in the middle of a war, and people keep trying to escape to the first basement floor.]

[└funkinthetrunk: But no one even knows how to get there. What's the point of closing it?]

[└WhyDoYouSniffShit: It's a message. Stop wasting time on useless things and focus on the war.]

I understood the situation.

It had been a month since the existence of the first basement floor was revealed.

Two clans had entered during the previous cycle.

And…

'…Both clans had a lot of stragglers…'

Many explorers had returned to the city without entering the hidden area.

And they must have spread the word about it.

The resourceful ones might have even figured out how to get there.

No, they definitely had.

'So everyone was preparing to go there. And that's why the royal family is trying to stop them.'

If the large clans knew how to get there, the royal family must have known too.

"Hmm…"

This was getting interesting.

I continued reading the comments and posts…

And then I stopped.

Thump, thump.

My mind was racing.

If the royal family had forbidden it, most explorers wouldn't try to go there.

Should I just change my plans and wait?

I ran various simulations in my head.

And after a while…

"Ah, they'll be waiting."

I realized how much time had passed and quickly snapped out of my reverie. I entered the chat room.

"Oppa, you're here?"

"Oh, hyung! You're late again?"

Hyunbyul and Baekho greeted me.

"Sorry. I'm a little late today."

"It's okay. I wasn't worried."

"……What?"

I tilted my head, puzzled, and Lee Baekho grinned.

"The main character always arrives late, right? I think it's cool."

What was he talking about?

I chuckled and sat down on the empty sofa.

"So, anything new?"

"No, I'm fine, oppa."

"Baekho, you? Are you okay?"

I asked indirectly, avoiding specifics. But I couldn't help but glance at Hyunbyul.

And he noticed.

"I'm fine. Hyunbyul noona knows who I am, anyway."

"……Huh?"

"Hyung! I'm not stupid. I know you're worried about her finding out I'm outside the walls."

"……Hee."

Hyunbyul just listened quietly, her eyes filled with curiosity, as Lee Baekho casually revealed his current location.

"…Baekho, are you really okay with this?"

"Why wouldn't I be? We're all Koreans. And besides, I felt bad about always leaving noona out of our conversations. It's more fun with three people."

I wasn't sure if it was a good idea...

But it wasn't my place to interfere. He said he was fine with it.

And I could relate to him, in a way.

'It does feel… nostalgic… talking to all three of us…'

It felt like being back in Korea.

This was the only place where we could talk about the military, politics, and kimchi.

I was happy with my life in this world, but…

I sometimes missed those conversations.

"Anyway, how is it out there? Have you met anyone from Noark?"

"Yes. It's been about a week. I'm still gathering information. I haven't found Auril Gabis yet."

"Auril Gabis…?"

"Ah, Hyunbyul noona doesn't know. I left the kingdom to find that bastard."

"Ah… I-I see…"

Hyunbyul, who was usually confident and assertive, seemed flustered by the sudden change in scale.

'It's been a while since I've seen her like this.'

I found her reaction endearing, and she glared at me.

"I'm not laughing."

"I didn't say anything."

"……."

Anyway, I asked Lee Baekho about the outside world, and he patiently answered my questions.

It was all new and interesting to me, since it was an area that had been completely unexplored in the game. But the most interesting piece of information was…

"You can farm."

Unlike Lafdonia, life outside the walls was possible without magic stones.

But that only deepened the mystery.

"Then why are they so obsessed with the labyrinth?"

Why was Noark still waging war?

Why were they so desperate to leave the labyrinth, even going so far as to create a portal to the outside world?

Unfortunately, Lee Baekho didn't have a definitive answer.

"I don't know. But there must be a reason. And I suspect Auril Gabis is involved."

"That's what I thought. Anyway, let me know if you find anything."

"Sure, hyung."

That concluded the topic, and there were only ten minutes left until Lee Baekho's logout time. We spent the remaining time chatting idly.

"I feel like I did most of the talking today. Tell me about your adventures next time. I'm curious."

"Alright, I will."

"See you next time!"

Lee Baekho logged out, and I spent the remaining time with Hyunbyul.

"He seems to be having fun out there."

"Ahaha… not really…"

"Don't lie. Do you want to read with me?"

"Sure, thanks."

I took the book from Hyunbyul and started reading.

I had been interrupted at an interesting part last time.

'Why is this so interesting?'

I chuckled at the funny parts, my eyes tearing up at the emotional parts…

I was completely engrossed in the story…

"Oppa."

"…Yeah?"

"It's almost time. Aren't you going to the Round Table?"

"Ah, right."

I reluctantly closed the book and stood up, and Hyunbyul said casually,

"If you like it that much, you can come back later. I'll lend you another book…"

"No, it's okay. I have enough GP. I'll just buy it."

"……."

"See you next time."

I left the chat room and stretched. It was a meaningless gesture, since I didn't have a physical body in the community… but it was a habit.

And it helped me clear my head.

"Alright, let's go."

I had a lot to do at the Round Table today.

______________________

A lion mask that covered my entire face.

And a neat navy blue suit.

I looked in the mirror, wearing my usual outfit, and felt a surge of confidence.

As if I could do anything.

But I also had to be realistic.

'This is getting serious.'

Damn it, years of roleplaying was taking its toll.

I was becoming the character I had created.

Well, I wasn't going to stop now.

Step, step.

I checked my outfit in the mirror and then walked towards the Round Table room.

As usual, the other members were already there.

"Pfft, you're here."

"Hee… Welcome, Lion!"

"You're late again."

I ignored their greetings and went to my seat.

As I was walking, I remembered Lee Baekho's words.

[The main character always arrives late, right?]

He was right, in a way.

I always arrived late for the Round Table meetings.

But it wasn't because I wanted to make a grand entrance.

'It would be awkward if I arrived early.'

People usually chatted before the meeting started.

And I couldn't join their conversations.

I wasn't good at small talk, and it would only make the atmosphere awkward.

Just like now.

"So… everyone's here… let's begin…"

"……."

"Is there… a problem…?"

Wolf, noticing my silence and my distracted expression, cautiously addressed me.

"Not really."

"Then… let's begin. We're all busy people."

For some reason, Wolf was leading the meeting today.

Well, it didn't matter to me—

'…Why do I become so… antisocial when I wear this mask?'

I wondered if I should be more careful, but I decided to postpone that thought and focus on the meeting.

Stag Antlers was the first to speak.

"The royal decree regarding the closure of the first basement floor has been finalized. Anyone who enters the first basement floor will be executed, regardless of their status."

"That's a harsh punishment."

"Ah, of course, it only applies to clans above a certain size. Ordinary explorers won't be punished so severely."

It was understandable.

If they could prevent the clans from leaving, they could maintain the war effort.

'…Those damned royals. They're always causing trouble.'

Anyway, the members quickly took their turns after Stag Antlers.

And there were two pieces of information that caught my attention.

"If you use Distortion magic on the Nameless Statues on the 3rd floor, you'll get fragments with three different patterns. And those fragments are the key to the first basement floor."

Queen had revealed the method to enter the hidden area.

And…

"Pfft, I have some good news for you. Our elite team failed to clear the 8th floor and suffered heavy casualties."

Clown.

It seemed like a trivial piece of information, but it felt like a lightning bolt had struck me.

'…Failed to clear the 8th floor…?'

I didn't have any proof, but it didn't seem like a coincidence.

I unconsciously spoke.

"Kalheum."

The Radiant City of Kalheum, an 8th-floor rift.

The rift where Mirayel, the Celestial Spearman, appeared as a Rift Guardian.

And the moment I mentioned it…

"…P-Pfft?"

Clown stopped laughing.

"How did you… know…?"

So it really was Kalheum?

Was there a connection between the failed raid and Mirayel's appearance on this floor?

As I was pondering the possibilities…

Clown regained his composure and said,

"Ahem! I shouldn't have asked such a question. You must have spies within Noark."

He had found a plausible explanation and seemed satisfied.

Was this the benefit of being famous?

I didn't know, but the other members were now looking at me.

'It's my turn already.'

I didn't have to think about what information to reveal.

I usually revealed information of similar value to what I had received, but…

'I'm not here to gather information today.'

Or rather, I had changed my plans.

The royal family's decree had thrown a wrench into my plans.

If this continued, the influx of explorers would stop.

So I had to take action.

'Queen already revealed the method to enter the hidden area, so I can skip that…'

I wasn't worried about the royal family's threat.

I knew how explorers worked.

"The 1st Basement Floor: Archives."

They didn't value their lives.

"Bjorn Yandel obtained two single Numbered Items there in two months."

Not if there was enough gold at stake.