Surviving the Game as a Barbarian – 217



Episode 217: Monarch (1)

Dimensional door.

A type of unique magic that is handled only by a few schools.

It goes without saying how deceptive this spell is in a game filled with all kinds of annihilation flags.

Is it possible to return to the city without having to wait for the labyrinth to close?

Isn’t this an invincible survival story?

‘Well it’s not like there are no restrictions.’

First of all it is not a monster but it is not easy to use it as an escape device during battle because the method of countering it is widely known in person-to-person combat.

Also it can only be used by a maximum of 30 people.

This was the reason why upper-level expedition teams were almost always composed of 30 people.

‘More than anything once it is used the wizard will never be able to use that magic again.’

Please note that this is different from the game.

In the original game unless you were an archmage who had reached level 1 you could not use the ‘Dimension Gate’ spell.

If used the wizard must die.

However this is a future world 150 years later than the time in the game.

Through joint research the six schools that own the portal magic techniques have created a method that allows even low-level wizards to use portal magic.

I’m not a wizard so I don’t know the details but I do know that it’s a method that can only be used once in a wizard’s life.

‘Under the current situation there would be no wizard who wouldn’t use portal magic…’

So how many people entered the labyrinth?

Well it will be quite a while.

Large clans give top priority to recruiting wizards who can use portals and the schools also encourage wizards who still have the number of ‘dimensional gates’ remaining to go out to support exploration.

but….

‘Even if we gathered all the souls there would be less than 150 people.’

Realistically less than 4500 people can escape this hell through the portal.

‘A formal knight of the royal family. Excluding the elites of large clans who would have had wizards… it would be safe to say that virtually all the rest were abandoned.’

As the numbers become more concrete I can feel how ridiculous they are trying to do.

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The numbers are different from the 3rd floor monarch incident.

At least 10000 explorers will die.

‘I made this choice knowing that….’

Putting aside the feeling of becoming distant I tried to calmly continue my reasoning.

This might be the most important thing right now.

Why did the knight commander make this decision?

‘…He must have judged that the road to the second floor was blocked or at least the situation was no different.’

It is impossible to escape from the first floor.

No it may be possible but there will be more sacrifices than just a few escaping through the ‘dimensional portal’.

So the knight commander made this decision.

I thought it was the right strategic choice to conserve as much power as possible and return to the city—

“See you again.”

I suddenly turned around at the sound of someone coming from behind and froze in place.

I’m surprised.

“You said it was Bjorn Yandel right?”

I don’t know when it started but the knight commander was standing behind me.

So the name is…

“Marco Elburn.”

“For a barbarian you have a good memory.”

Normally I would have fired back at him but I received his words gently.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Isn’t he the highest authority here?

Just getting the chance to have a brief conversation alone was a lucky opportunity.

After thinking about it several times I asked him.

Straightforward like a barbarian.

“I was looking for a wizard who can use portal magic. Are you planning to run away?”

First of all this is the most important question to check.

As soon as he heard this question his eyes became cold.

“He’s like a barbarian in this respect. “If he had been someone else even if he had noticed he wouldn’t have thought to ask me directly.”

As you can see it’s a barbarian.

When I made eye contact he asked me a question.

“Where did you hear that?”

That was enough.

Yes it’s true.

I really wondered if there might be another strategy.

“I heard the driver giving instructions to the administrative officer earlier.”

“…You have poor attention span. Or maybe he was caught off guard because he thought he was a barbarian.”

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Looking at those eyes it seems like it would be difficult to ignore that article but it has nothing to do with me.

I was just trying to get to the point.

“Well maybe you were smarter than you thought.”

The guy gave me a strange look and continued speaking.

“I’ll just say this is what happened. “I heard about the composition of the team you belong to through the administration.”

“…You investigated my background?”

“For some reason I’m interested.”

I’m interested…

Is this a positive variable or the opposite?

As for the result it was both.

“I can take you and the wizard with me. “If you promise to serve the royal family for just one year.”

He offered me a portal ticket.

The problem is that there are only two of them.

“What about the rest?”

“You know right? “What choices do you have to make?”

You’re saying it’s below the fucking standard.

I thought I raised it well for a few months.

“Now what are you going to do?”

I was at a crossroads of choice.

“I want you to answer now. “I don’t have much time.”

Is it the life of me and one of his colleagues?

Or is it a gamble that risks everyone’s lives?

[Can you win…?]

[Don’t worry. I will definitely save everyone and return.]

A fleeting conversation we once had flashes through my mind.

“I am….”

I answered without hesitation.

“I don’t abandon my colleagues.”

Maybe I really have become a barbarian down to my head.

***

“The second Lord of Terror has been defeated.”

“The third Lord of Terror has been defeated.”

“The fourth Lord of Terror has been defeated.”

“The fifth Lord of Terror is defeated….”

「….」

***

Time passes.

I kept the conversation I had with the knight commander completely silent.

[Keep the story about the portal to yourself. If you value your colleagues.]

The guy’s threats were threats but he didn’t feel the need to do so. Anyway even if it weren’t for me this would spread quickly.

It was like that in reality.

“Did you hear Mr. Yandel? “That story.”

It is impossible to silence thousands of people.

Especially if it is not a tightly knit group.

The Knight Commander’s plan to escape through the portal spread quickly and it didn’t take long for it to reach Raven’s ears.

“Yes I know.”

“…What are you going to do? “Do you Mr. Yandel also think it’s a rumor?”

At Raven’s question Uncle Bear and Misha’s eyes focus on me. The three of you had already discussed it before telling me.

Actually they are probably the only ones who haven’t felt the presence of life in this cave.

“Charon you can’t even lift that great sword! “So you can call him a man!!”

“It’s not that you can’t lift it! Now look!”

“Oh! “Then you are half a man!”

A barbarian who has been playing happily for an hour while wielding an adamantium greatsword.

Sometimes I envy their indifference.

You can just move forward without doubt.

“Hey Mr. Yandel…?”

“Oh sorry I was thinking about something else for a moment.”

I smiled brightly and tapped Raven on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry about the rumors! “Everything will be fine!”

It will work out.

I will definitely make it happen.

So I hope they just move forward without doubt.

It would be enough for me to constantly doubt and be anxious about what kind of traps and enemies lurk ahead.

“Why are you being so needlessly positive!”

“That’s what it means to be a leader.”

“Oh okay stop hitting my shoulder!”

After roughly wrapping up the conversation I closed my eyes again and fell into thought.

Lately all my interests have been one thing:

How can we all live together?

To achieve this we thought thousands of times made and discarded numerous plans and reviewed countless times to see if there were any variables or errors in misjudgment even after making a plan.

‘It has to be perfect.’

If plan A doesn’t work plan B.

If that doesn’t work plan C.

When I have time like now I run the simulation from start to finish and assume the worst that I can face.

How much time has passed like that?

Whoa!

A weak vibration blooms from the ground as if indicating that the critical point is getting closer.

“It’s already the eighth time.”

With this the eighth hierarchical monarch was summoned.

Because this had been happening repeatedly for several days everyone including Raven didn’t show much.

That’s because they don’t know.

What event occurs when the ninth layer lord is killed?

‘Maybe that’s why there haven’t been any protests yet even though such rumors have circulated. Most people will think it’s just nonsense.’

From the average person’s perspective there is no reason for the leadership to escape through a portal.

Because there is no information about ‘it’.

“Anyway I heard a scream so I think it’s around here…”

“Everyone stay alert because they might come this way.”

We stood on alert just in case and waited until the Hierarch was defeated.

At that time a noise was heard from the back passage.

“I’ll be passing by for a moment so everyone please stick to the wall!”

A group of people moving quickly pushing explorers out of a narrow passageway as if an ambulance was on an emergency call.

As soon as it hit the wall it passed by like the wind.

“It’s Eramel’s Star Clan.”

A large clan with a well-known name.

Seeing that they were moving in the direction from which the screams were heard it seemed like they were moving to kill the Hierarchy Lord.

“Now that the support team has gone it will get dark again soon.”

30 explorers on the 7th floor are enough to capture a 1st floor monarch. If you have a strategy it can be done with much less power.

I smiled bitterly.

‘I don’t know why they keep going to catch the hierarchical monarchs when they’re just going to throw it all away anyway.’

The first-tier lords have no loot to speak of.

There is no essence and the by-products that can be obtained through ‘distortion’ magic are not of high value.

The only reward for defeating it is being promoted to a level 4 clan where full benefits are provided.

So it was mostly used only in a verification role.

When you reach a certain level you only have to kill a monster once as a rite of passage.

‘Do you feel guilty or something? ‘Did we do our best until the end?’

I suddenly had that thought but the realistic reason is probably more important.

You have to look like you’re doing your job until the end so those who will be left behind won’t notice.

[Kyaaaaaagh—!!]

After about 20 more minutes a huge roar was heard from afar and the red-hot crystal turned off its light.

This means that the treatment of the hierarchical monarchs has been completed.

“It’s the fifth day starting tomorrow so I just have to hold on for two more days.”

I continued to check my plan by checking the time occasionally.

How much more has passed since then?

[22:07]

About two hours had already passed since the eighth hierarchical monarch was killed.

No let me say it again….

“Shit!!”

There are still 4 hours left until hell unfolds.

“Everybody run inside! “The rumor was true!”

“The royal bastards are abandoning us and trying to run away!! Stop it!!”

A commotion spread from inside the cave.

***

At that time the center was where the barracks for knights belonging to large clans and the royal family were located.

“You bastards!! “Get out of the way out of the way!!”

“Go back. If the explorer comes any closer I will cut you down.”

“One way or another dying is like—!”

Suddenly!

Tuk degurur.

An explorer’s head falls to the ground.

“Is there anyone else coming?”

I hesitated for a moment at the knight’s cruel words.

“What are you doing push it!!”

“I’m going out! “I’m going out!!”

“Ahh! eight! “My arm…!”

Explorers blinded by life rush in like moths.

It was a scene happening simultaneously in all passageways connected to the center.

“The real enemy is out there but they are willing to shed meaningless blood.”

The man who is the leader of the 3rd Royal Knights and the person who created this current situation.

Marco Elburn clicked his tongue and asked his adjutant.

“What is the current progress?”

“A little more than half of the people left.”

“It’s only half… It’s taking a lot longer than planned.”

If everyone had used the portal magic and escaped to the city at once there wouldn’t have been such a commotion.

However due to the nature of portal magic that sucks in the surrounding magic power it was inevitable because magic had to be used sequentially.

“Now it’s our turn. Let’s leave this place to the remaining knights and go. “Captain.”

Marco Elburn followed his adjutant to the center. Just then a new dimension door opened emitting a brilliant light.

Huuuuuung-!

Marco Elburn erased all his regrets and slowly walked towards the portal.

“Please take me too!!”

“Aaaahhh!”

Every time I took a step I heard a mixture of emotional screams and the sound of weapons.

Clap clap clap.

Marco Elburn paused in front of the portal.

It was because I suddenly remembered a conversation we had two days ago.

[I do not abandon my colleagues.]

He was an impressive man in many ways.

Should I say that it looks like a barbarian but is also not like a barbarian?

He was a bit disappointed too.

[I guess I misread you. I never thought I would make such a wrong choice.]

He lost interest in the barbarian.

Making him this offer in the first place was pure whim.

But I never thought I would even get that luck.

[Keep the story about the portal to yourself. If you value your colleagues.]

He tried to leave with only a silencing threat.

But in that moment.

[I feel guilty.]

The barbarian spit out something strange.

[Guilt…?]

[I guess so. He was disappointed because I declined the offer.]

At first I couldn’t tell what was happening.

But soon a cold voice reached his ears.

[Didn’t you want to convince me that your choice was wrong?]

Marco Elburn could not refute.

He didn’t even notice it but it occurred to him that maybe he did.

[Article I am different from you.]

[So don’t try to use me to relieve your feelings.]

The conversation with the barbarian ended there.

We will probably never meet face to face again and talk to each other again.

“Captain you have to go quickly.”

Marco Elburn raised his head and stared ahead.

Unlike this dark labyrinth a brightly shining city was visible beyond the portal.

The only city in the cursed world.

A place we must truly protect.

The final citadel.

“For Lapdonia.”

He thrust himself through the portal.

It was a choice that had to be made.

***

Close your eyes for a moment and catch your breath.

And he reminds himself:

Finally the moment of decision came.

so….

‘Do what you have to do.’

Open your eyes.

“Everyone follow me. “Move to the center.”

“yes? “What are you going to do?”

What can I do?

By the time we arrive all kinds of talented people abandoned by various groups will be struggling in despair.

‘First of all we have to match the weight class.’

We must gather forces.

That is the first way to live.