Surviving the Game as a Barbarian – 182



Episode 182 Jinx (2)

A dog tag that could only be received before entering the labyrinth.

In fact you can think of it as just a steel pendant with the royal family symbol stamped on it.

For reference the estimated production price of Raven who holds a general appraiser’s license is less than 3000 stones.

[It really means an ordinary necklace.]

[No matter how royal the royal family was it would have been difficult to make and distribute magic tools in such a short period of time.]

There wasn’t even a name written on the dog tag so even if someone stole it it wouldn’t be possible to tell.

But after we looked closely.

There was a hidden trick in the dog tag.

It’s not that great but…

Neither the civil servant who handed it out nor the driver I met on the first floor pretended not to know and did not tell me about it.

[What on earth is written here?]

[…It’s an ancient language.]

Between the royal family symbols numbers in ancient language are written in small letters.

The number written on the dog tag we received was 2.

Raven and I made many guesses about this and compared it with the dog tags of various explorers and came to one conclusion.

[The dog tags of the clan I met earlier all had 3 written on them.]

This ancient number indicates the level of the explorer.

It does not indicate the exact level but 1 indicates the lowest level 2 indicates the middle level and 3 indicates the upper level.

[I wondered why they asked for the grade when handing it out and it turned out that something like this was hidden.]

[But why didn’t you tell me when you handed it out?]

[Because there is concern that Noark may abuse it.]

Of course it is such a flimsy device that it is possible to guess like us even if you only know how to read ancient languages.

However it is not bad in terms of cost-effectiveness.

Isn’t it that difficult to add one more number when stamping a pattern?

In fact I have actually benefited from this.

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‘After the damn Hans effect.’

I was careful to control my facial expressions and put strength into the hand holding the shield. The number written on the dog tag shown by the dwarf team a moment ago was 1.

It means that he is from Noark who stole the dog tag.

Judging from the equipment they are wearing there is no way they are low-level explorers.

‘So what do we do now?’

Screw it right away?

It was the first option that came to mind but if you look at every detail it was the worst choice.

Raven seemed to have similar thoughts.

[They don’t know yet that their identity has been revealed. So for now let’s pretend we don’t know and start exploring.]

Yes this is the best.

When I nodded in response to the electromagnetic spell the dwarf glanced at me with meaningful eyes.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No there isn’t. Just make a clear statement. This is Bjorn Yandel’s son. you?”

“Jagurs Martin.”

Although it’s a dwarven name it’s probably still an alias.

“ah! “My name is Ha Hans Krysen.”

Soon Hans G also revealed his name ending the general statement between the leaders.

“What about dog tags?”

“Oh here it is. What are you all doing? “I didn’t take it out quickly and show it to you.”

Just in case I also checked the Hans G team’s dog tags.

Except for one new person with a number 1 all of them were number 2.

“Hey… we have to move together from now on so how about introducing the others as well?”

“Hmm we have to move together? “Do you know anything about this rift?”

“Yes to a certain extent because I like books.”

Hans G nodded confidently in response to the dwarf’s question.

Looking at him I found him funny for some reason.

You saw it in a book?

Isn’t this the same excuse I often use?

“Explain. “What happens next?”

“Everyone is here so if we all work together the way will open. If you follow that path you will come into the forest.”

“…You might be useful.”

“Haha… I’m glad you found it helpful. In that sense why not spend time getting to know each other and who is good at what?”

Afterwards under Hans G’s suggestion we briefly introduced each other’s composition.

To summarize it was like this.

[HansG Team]

Summoner Wizard Mace Warrior Guide Elf Archer.

[Dwarf Team]

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Dwarf warrior beastman swordsman magician archer and priest.

“oh! “There was a priest!”

Hans G’s complexion brightened after hearing the composition of the dwarf team. It looks like the priest’s presence was welcomed as he had to run raids in the future…

Well it’s obvious that he’s a priest of Karui anyway.

“Well then how is it distributed…?”

As expected from an explorer we met in a rift after the introduction we immediately discussed the loot.

And the result.

The team that defeats the mob acquires it.

The trophy obtained from hunting together was agreed upon by rolling dice.

However the dice were not fair.

“Shouldn’t the one who contributed more get more? You said Mr. Chrisen right? Just by looking at it I think that would be the least helpful out of all of us.”

“Ah as I said before we don’t have any information about this rift—”

“I know a lot about the doppelganger forest right?”

Raven’s negotiation mode in which she taunts her opponent with a quiet voice.

“wait a minute. “Aren’t you being too rude?”

In the middle Hans’ team’s fairy archer got angry but nothing changed.

“Meirin stop it. “Isn’t that a false statement?”

“Okay I admit it. Didn’t you get into a lot of trouble earlier because of that barbarian friend’s doppelganger? “It would be unfair to them to demand fairness when there is such a difference.”

“….”

When the leader and the wizard said the same thing the fairy archer pursed his lips with an angry look on his face.

Soon Hans G spoke in a bitter voice.

“We will unconditionally subtract 1 from the dice score.”

“Subtract 2. “I’ll use a 10 die instead.”

“…I will. But instead if we give a lot of credit please increase it.”

“It’s a reasonable offer. Since I’ve completely abandoned it it would be nice to make it a rule. If any team makes a mistake 1 is subtracted from the scale and vice versa it is added. how is it?”

Raven spoke while looking directly at the dwarf and the dwarf obediently nodded his head.

“Nothing bad.”

Because I’m going to stab you in the back anyway.

Is it because of my mood that I heard such gossip?

***

As everyone gathered at the altar located in the center of the community and raised their hands the vines blocking the passage were pushed aside revealing an uphill path.

“We will go first. Instead I hope you don’t follow me too closely.”

“That’s natural.”

As the team proceeded through the passage while maintaining a safe distance from each other the forest soon appeared.

The second chapter begins now.

“The character has entered a special area.”

「Field effect – Doppelganger Forest is granted.」

“The status abnormality [Distrust] is granted.”

「Damage is doubled when attacking an expedition member.」

The content of this chapter is very simple.

Go around the forest kill the three middle bosses and find an altar somewhere.

“Then which team takes the lead?”

“I think it would be best to take turns.”

As befits an explorer with a passive ‘Distrust’ each team moved in separate formations rather than moving as one.

A structure that looks like an isosceles triangle when viewed from above.

The method was to take out monsters in each direction on their own and provide support if they were dangerous.

“Turn on the voice control magic first.”

Although we are quite far away from other teams we turned on the team voice magic. And the exploration continued defeating doppelgängers that appeared every few minutes.

How long has it been since then?

“Nyahat! What is that dwarf! “It weighed a lot but when I actually fought it it was nothing special!”

We naturally hunted down the remaining members’ doppelgängers and obtained information.

Hans G’s side was easy as expected and the dwarf team wasn’t as strong as I thought.

‘I guess it’s about level 5.’

This is extremely happy news for me who was open to the possibility that he might be a dragon slayer.

“Turn on Raven voice control.”

“yes? “I’m already using it?”

Ah I didn’t say that.

“Just you and me.”

It is such a sensitive topic.

“huh? Why only the two of us…”

“I’ll explain everything later.”

The three people who had been openly ostracized expressed their doubts but when they saw my expression they nodded.

“…It’s done. But you don’t want to tell the three of them?”

“I don’t think all three of you are good at acting.”

It wasn’t our intention but our eyes naturally focused on Einar.

“…Let’s just leave this conversation here.”

“yes. “That would be nice.”

I got to the point.

“So how do you think it will come out on the other side?”

“It’s half and half. They might just want to finish their exploration peacefully and leave… or they might be greedy.”

It was a slightly surprising answer.

“Half and half?”

I thought he would naturally see a greater chance of being greedy.

“First of all their numbers are smaller than us. “When we actually faced them they weren’t even stronger than us.”

Well that’s true.

“But one thing is certain: Even if you’re greedy it’s not right now. “Probably after we kill the guardian.”

This part matched my thoughts.

Doppelganger Forest is a crack in the 15-person garden.

This means that unless you are extremely skilled it is difficult to clear as a single team.

“You know? In other words it also means that we can’t attack that side first until we catch the guardian.”

“Yes I know.”

This is the most fucked up part of the current situation.

The base of the sacral flexor muscle.

Since ancient times if you can only be at ease by removing the root of a problem at once you can’t launch a preemptive attack!

Mace is itching and I feel like I’m going crazy.

“Then what about over there?”

“A team with a guy named Hans?”

“okay. “Did you notice anything suspicious?”

“I don’t know. “He may look a little sloppy but he doesn’t seem like a bad person.”

“He doesn’t seem like a bad person….”

It sure looks that way.

But I know.

Hans G was the one who led more than a hundred explorers to death for their own survival when they were trapped in the [Evil Gap].

He is a guy who can’t just be seen as an asshole.

He is also a player.

“ha….”

A sigh comes out of my mouth.

If Hans G wasn’t enough the Noark Explorer Team.

Why does hard mode open when I enter a rift?

“Bjorn doppelganger!”

“…Watch that side carefully not just the dwarf side. “If you feel anything strange let me know right away.”

“all right.”

At this point I ended the conversation with Raven and focused on exploration. Contrary to expectations no one inquired deeply about our conversation.

There’s no way I wasn’t curious…

It would be correct to say that they just believed that there would be such a reason and waited.

‘…I feel sorry for that person.’

“Please give me some support!”

Anyway apart from the occasional request for support from the HansG team time passed without any notable incidents.

And when night time came.

Found one of the three mid-bosses.

“It’s Ma Manticore!”

One of the few entities in this rift that is not a doppelgänger and one that is rumored to have good cost-effectiveness whether as a by-product or as an essence.

“The Manticore has been defeated. EXP +5」

Thanks to Raven and Hans G’s information the strategy itself was not difficult.

But the problem is…

Isn’t it a bit much to say it’s a problem?

“Stop moving!”

Essence was dropped.

It was truly the essence that I could drink that had been dropped for the first time in a long time.

“Raven quickly take out the dice!”

You must win.