Surviving the Game as a Barbarian – 199



Episode 199: Master Key (4)

The Stone of Revival is on the 9th floor.

In fact it is close to impossible to find the Stone of Revival with just these clues.

Perhaps Crescent Moon is not unaware of that fact.

Because he is also a user who plays this perverted game.

But was this alone no different from mere rain?

“Why…”

The crescent moon leaves behind its joy and asks me.

“Why are you showing me this favor?”

He seemed curious about the reason but…

As an ‘investigator’ there is only one thing I can say.

“Because I think it would be fun that way.”

Crescent Moon closed his mouth for a moment as if considering the meaning of my words and then his body trembled.

“You… are truly a scary person.”

huh? suddenly?

Not knowing what it meant he just rested his chin and looked at the crescent moon.

Then did he later realize that he had made a mistake?

“…Forget what I just said. He was talking nonsense. It doesn’t matter who you are. “I would give my soul if I could get that item.”

Crescent Moon who muttered as if making a decision added a self-deprecating remark at the end.

“Well you probably already know my situation.”

It was completely incomprehensible.

No how do I know that?

‘Why on earth did he have such a misunderstanding?’

I tried to recall what happened at the round table but I couldn’t figure out the reason so I just stayed still this time.

As always you’re halfway there.

“As expected… I really knew that.”

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I didn’t necessarily deny it.

Isn’t it a bit funny to say no in this situation?

He changed the topic as if it was something he was not interested in.

“Now it’s my turn.”

As soon as the rhyme was started the attention of the masks gathered.

They seem to be anticipating what I will say this time. Feeling awkward for some reason I threw out one of the pieces of information I had prepared.

Information like ‘Bandemon’ is interesting when you hear it but it is actually useless even if you know it. It wasn’t even as impactful as the ‘Stone of Revival’.

“Pisit I guess I knew this time.”

Even though the jewels on the round table gave off a green glow the clown looked somewhat wistful.

Of course it wasn’t something I cared about.

From the beginning rather than blaming me the clown seemed to regard it as his own problem of not being able to bring something fun.

“If it’s okay I’d like to continue. How is everyone?”

The meeting continued even after completing one lap as if there was a lot to prepare after taking a break.

I passed the turn by consistently spitting out similar types of information and before I knew it the third lap had begun.

“I’m leaving this for the last time.”

The goblin who was on his first turn struggled to get through the turn while receiving red lights four times and eventually took out the white flag.

However even if they weren’t as bad as goblins were they all in a similar situation?

“Hmm then I guess I’ll have to stop here too.”

Even the fox declared abstention and it was naturally decided to conclude the rally with this round.

There was no particular feeling of regret.

‘I think I’ve heard everything worth hearing.’

After the confrontation between Noark and the royal family I had no idea how the situation was going but I guess I’m starting to get a sense of it now.

It was completely opposite to the rumors spreading around the city.

‘As expected the royal family is in a much more advantageous situation.’

This time the subjugation failed and suffered great damage but this also applies to the underground city. If you listen to what they say the blockade of Noark’s city felt closer to a final struggle.

‘It is said that non-replicable dog tags have been produced so there is no need to make any major changes to the plan. There doesn’t seem to be any issue that seems particularly dangerous right now.’

I slowly moved my gaze and looked at the round table.

There was a green light on the information about Orculis that Crescent Moon had just brought out.

“…Now Mr. Investigator is the only one left?”

Naturally the members’ attention focused on me.

For some reason everyone’s eyes were bright.

‘Ugh it’s a burden for no reason.’

I tapped my finger on the armrest and thought about it for a moment.

What should the finale be like?

I had already decided on something but I didn’t know if there might be something better suited to the current atmosphere.

In fact it wasn’t long before something suitable came to mind.

Tuk.

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I grinned and stopped my fingers.

It’s not one of the pieces of information I’ve prepared in advance to write here but…

“Goblin.”

“Yes yes?”

When I suddenly spoke to him the goblin was very embarrassed and even stuttered.

I said staring at him.

“Come to think of it I said something like that earlier. “The ‘inspiration’ may be a more skilled wizard than the GM who created this community.”

“iced coffee! yes. “That’s right…”

The goblin furrowed his eyebrows as if he didn’t know what I meant while the fox got angry.

“Could this be information about the Master?”

It’s better than a goblin that seems to have nothing to figure out but…

“Wrong.”

I completely ignored the fox and spoke to the goblin.

I just skipped over it earlier but it seems like there is one fundamental mistake you guys made.

“This community was not created by GM. To be precise it is closer to remodeling an existing place into its current form.”

Like a parrot he spat out the information he had previously heard from Baekho Lee.

At the same time the members’ attention gathered in one place.

A jewel embedded in the center of the round table.

“…It’s green.”

It wasn’t surprising because it was an expected result.

I didn’t check it myself or anything but…

I don’t have any doubts about this information.

“…I never thought it was made by GM.”

“Fishit I’ve never heard of this before.”

“Then who created this place?”

The members who were pouring out questions simultaneously fell silent as if they had made a promise.

And then all eyes were focused on one place again.

The only one here who can answer that question.

‘Okay I think I’ve attracted aggro well at this level.’

I spoke in the heated silence.

In a voice that said he had no expectations at all.

Without any emotions.

“I hope it’s more fun next time.”

I said so.

If this is the case I won’t bring anything more useful.

***

“I’m gone…”

A heavy silence fell in the round table room after the investigator left.

It was actually a simple reason.

The last words he left behind.

To be precise the emotions contained in that voice.

“…Are you mad at us?”

The clown snorted at the fox’s muttering.

“I think Mr. Fisht Fox thinks too highly of us. “Do you think he’s worth getting angry at?”

“that….”

The fox who was about to retort held his mouth shut.

This is because I remembered what the Master said earlier.

[If you are at your level there is nothing to be gained by participating here.]

A secret gathering whose name regular players don’t even know. The fox has been using the information obtained here to good effect.

That’s why it was difficult to accept at first.

But since I had heard what the Master said there was no point in denying it.

For investigators there is no merit to this place.

‘Is it true that it doesn’t exist at all?’

The fox smiled bitterly without realizing it.

[I hope it’s more fun next time.]

fun.

Something that can relieve some of the boredom.

To put it simply it’s a fun way to kill time.

If there’s anything the investigator wants from this rally that’s the only thing he wants.

But how have we been doing so far?

I couldn’t even do that properly.

But you just expect me to tell you about such a topic…

“…It must have looked pathetic.”

“I guess so. Because that man is a different type of person than the Master. “He looks a little alike.”

The fox tilted his head at the words of his antlers.

“…You look alike?”

It was Crescent Moon who received her words.

“At least since he came here I haven’t had to feel the Master’s absence.”

Slowly it seemed like she knew what she meant.

The Master was such a special presence at his round table.

It was he who gathered the members we have today and it was he who taught us valuable information and knowledge that no one else knew.

“The difference is that Mr. Sousa is not someone who just volunteers like the Master. Fishit.”

“Volunteering…”

“Why isn’t that wrong? Or Mr. Fox do you really think that the Master created this place to obtain information?”

The fox did not make any rebuttal.

No I couldn’t do it.

Because everything was as the clown said.

The Master always knew everything.

And he generously shared this.

As if I were a teacher in a classroom full of students.

“Isn’t that why Mr. Fox follows the Master so much in the first place?”

This time the fox did not deny it either.

“…that’s right. “If he didn’t think of it as a service he wouldn’t think of him as a benefactor.”

It is all thanks to the Master that this meeting has been maintained.

Just looking at it from a while ago it was like that.

Until the investigator arrived there were only four regular members. This is because as soon as the master disappeared the attendance rate of members decreased significantly.

Aren’t the remaining members like goblins coming in from time to time to check if the Master has returned?

‘Maybe the rest will continue to participate if they know that a new person like this has joined. Just like Mr. Goblin did.’

For some reason I felt strange.

However the fox put those feelings aside and focused on the conversation being held among the remaining members.

The topic of discussion is the Master who appeared for the first time in a year.

No strictly speaking it was a conversation about an investigator who seemed to be close to the master.

“I’m sure the investigator is someone we’ve heard of at least once. “If the Master can be said to be a ‘great’ person then he is truly one of the few.”

“Well the infamous ‘corpse collector’ was also treated like a child.”

“Young child… Yes I once said something like that. Fish sit.”

The time for reasoning has arrived again without fail.

“The last information is also significant. “It’s not the GM who created this community… How can he know such things?”

“Well maybe I know GM.”

“…You mean the GM of whom there are so many rumors?”

“It may be true for us but we are not the ones who call the Master an inspiration. “There must be a world we don’t know about.”

“okay….”

The clown asked as he saw the goblin’s look of pure admiration.

“But why are you doing that today? “Last time whatever I said he treated it as if it was a leap forward.”

“…Isn’t that a time when I didn’t know much about him?”

“Fishit but the two eyes weren’t knotholes were they?”

The goblin cleared his throat and averted his gaze at the clown’s nonsensical sarcasm.

Then his antlers opened their mouths.

“Am I the only one who felt it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“When the Master left he felt doubtful.”

“Oh if that’s what you mean I felt it too.”

“Wait a minute both of you. What do you mean by intention? So you’re saying you wrote a ‘message’?”

The fox was truly surprised.

‘Message’ refers to an ability that can only be used in this space the spiritual world and is a type of telepathy.

The principle is similar to living.

Conveying thoughts to another person in the form of language.

“Even the master said it was difficult to write….”

“Hehe Mr. Fox what are you surprised at again? “Then you thought Mr. Sousa couldn’t do that?”

“….”

It was a somewhat irritating tone but I didn’t have anything to say.

When I thought about it calmly it wasn’t that surprising just as the clown said. Isn’t this a man who has been showing off his fierce spirit from the moment we first met him?

It would be strange not to be able to write a ‘message’.

“Anyway so this means that the Master and Mr. Investigator had a conversation before leaving?”

“yes. “I’m sure the two of you had something to talk about in secret.”

“You don’t even know what kind of conversation this is Mr. Clown?”

“Isn’t that obvious? “The Master and the Investigator are no different from monsters!”

The fox couldn’t hide his regret and quenched his appetite.

If I could hear the conversation between the two it could have given me a clue as to what kind of situation the Master is in…

“Kick but it doesn’t mean there was no income at all.”

“yes? “You mean income?”

The fox came to his senses after hearing the clown’s words.

The clown chuckled seeming to like the way she pricked up her ears.

“I didn’t feel it at all.”

“Can you please explain a little more?”

“Mr. Investigator’s intention! I put so much effort into it but I couldn’t feel it at all. “Unlike the Master who could feel it even faintly.”

The fox who had some knowledge about the ‘message’ froze.

She had no choice but to do so.

No matter how playfully he spoke in his usual tone the content was never light.

“wait a minute. That means…”

Instead of the fox who couldn’t continue speaking the clown blurted out the ‘income’ he had earned today.

“yes. “Maybe Mr. Susa is an even bigger monster than the Master.”

Everyone was speechless at the truly shocking speculation.

That’s how the silence started.

“I….”

Then the goblin carefully opened her mouth.

“Couldn’t they have just told the master and left? Then that explains why the clown didn’t feel anything… Oh no why do you look at me like that? I’m just saying this. What I’ve said. “I didn’t really think like that!”

The silence continued for some time after that.