Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 28, 29, 30

 

C28, 29, 30

Chapter 28: The Rift (2)

Daria Withember di Tersia.

A 5-year veteran explorer, she is currently traversing the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.

With her younger sister, who seems so young in her eyes.

“Erwen, you used spirit magic again.”

“Ah, sister, it’s just that it’s too hard with only a dagger…”

“I told you, even without a bow, even in situations where you can’t use spirit magic, you need to be able to protect yourself.”

“No, I understand that, but…”

“That’s enough. You’ll gradually improve as you keep practicing and exploring.”

Tersia takes Erwen around the 1st floor, putting her through harsh practical training.

It’s all for her younger sister.

And her sister knows that too.

But as time goes on, it’s obvious that she’s getting tired.

“Ah, mister said it’s better to specialize in what you’re best at…”

“…What?”

“Trusting your team and doing your best at your assigned role, that’s, that’s the basics of being an explorer, he said.”

Tersia is speechless as she listens blankly.

Because it’s such a truthful statement.

How great would it be if the world always worked so righteously?

“Erwen, companions are just companions. Don’t place too much value on them.”

Tersia has experienced many teams.

From the 6th-floor exploration team she was part of until recently, to hunting teams that target specific monsters with high profitability, to running teams that focus on portal opening achievements.

She’s been through a lot, traveling with various people. Among those experiences, there are many things she doesn’t want to tell Erwen.

Companions are not to be trusted.

Unless they’re family, connected by blood.

“I understand…”

Erwen doesn’t talk back anymore, seeing Tersia’s stern expression.

Time passes, and it becomes Day 4.

Erwen, who has circled the 1st floor clockwise, has grown enough to defeat all monsters with just a dagger.

Naturally, she has also leveled up in the process.

“Um, sister? I’ve also leveled up, so can’t we just go to the 2nd floor now? Mister must be earning a ton of money on the 2nd floor by now…”

Tersia smiles as if she finds it cute.

What’s the big deal about catching a few more monsters on the 2nd floor?

“Erwen, a rift will open soon.”

A rift.

Even experienced mid-level adventurers might never enter one if they’re unlucky.

Erwen tilts her head.

“How do you know that, sister?”

“The last time a rift opened on the 1st floor was 8 months ago.”

Tersia explains things one by one as if dealing with a young child.

The statistical reason why a rift is bound to open within the next 3 days, since it’s Day 4 today.

“I see… Mister didn’t tell me that.”

Well, that’s natural.

Although Erwen keeps calling him ‘mister, mister,’ he’s just a newbie.

He’s probably making inefficient choices from an experienced player’s perspective, like blindly going up floors and making mistakes.

“Erwen, don’t be impatient and trust your sister. In just a year, there will be a huge gap between you and that barbarian.”

Sometimes, the slow path is the fastest path.

“Uh-huh… then I can help him when that happens!”

“Yes, you can.”

Tersia nods as if she’s proud.

It’s uncertain whether that barbarian will even be alive by then, and even if he is, she can always stop her then.

At least she wants her sister to maintain her innocence.

As she’s thinking that…

Drrdrdrdrdr!

The labyrinth shakes as if there’s an earthquake.

It’s a phenomenon that occurs when a rift opens.

“Erwen!”

Tersia grabs Erwen’s hand and sprints down the passageway. And soon, they discover a portal that’s shaking unsteadily.

It’s a rift.

Portals like this must have appeared all over the 1st floor by now, numbering in the thousands.

Now, every second counts in this race against time.

Whoosh!

Tersia throws herself towards the portal with Erwen.

But at that moment…

Whoosh-

The portal disappears.

Thud.

Tersia lands on the bare ground after traversing the air and clicks her tongue in disappointment.

“…We were a step too late.”

If she had thrown her sister in first instead of entering together, they might have succeeded.

But…

“…There will be other chances.”

It can’t be helped.

After all, what if her sister enters the rift alone and dies?

“Erwen, let’s go to the 2nd floor.”

I repeat, sometimes the slow path is the faster one.
____________________________________

Equivalent exchange.

I really like this saying.

But unfortunately, the world doesn’t operate on this principle.

Just look at what happened when I encountered the psychopath bitch.

I barely managed to stay alive, but I gained nothing.

‘No, I was even kicked out of the Land of the Dead and wasted a ton of time.’

But this time is different.

This time, I made the choice.

Therefore, there will definitely be consequences.

Well, probably.

Thud.

I tense up as I see the remaining two team members, a human man and woman.

The man lands with a heavy thud and has no particularly noteworthy features, but…

The woman is different.

Thud.

As if defying gravity, the woman slowly descends and lands softly.

Seeing this sight, even the talkative dwarf opens his mouth wide in surprise.

I’m the same.

“To see a mage here.”

Mage.

They’re the undisputed strongest class in [Dungeon and Stone], receiving preferential treatment wherever they go, simply because of their status.

“Bjorn, are mages that amazing? Wasn’t the librarian also a mage?”

The female mage frowns in displeasure at Ainar’s question.

I quickly speak up before we get on her bad side.

“The librarian is a 9th-grade mage.”

“Is that different?”

It is.

Very much so.

If they are high-level workers who work in guilds, public institutions, or workshops, this woman is what you would call a real mage.

The fact that she entered the labyrinth is proof of that.

Mages are a valuable resource in Lafdonia, so they can’t enter the labyrinth unless they prove their skills.

“I see!”

“Yes, that’s right. You’re quite knowledgeable for a barbarian.”

The female mage joins the conversation in a calm voice, as if satisfied with my clear explanation.

The corners of her mouth are slightly raised in a smile, and I have a feeling I know what kind of personality she has.

“Hello, my name is Arrua Raven, a 6th-grade mage. This gentleman here is a professional porter I hired. What was your name again?”

“Tarjin, Lady Raven.”

Now that I see it, they’re a pair.

Anyway, it’s not bad.

There’s a subtle feeling of looking down on people, but among mages, this is considered polite.

There were much worse assholes in the game.

“Could you please introduce yourselves as well?”

“I’m Hikurod Murad. It’ll be a short journey, but I look forward to working with you, Lady Raven.”

“What year are you in, Mr. Murad?”

“3rd year.”

A 3rd-year explorer…

No wonder every piece of his equipment looks high-quality.

“I am Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

I briefly state my name and ask directly,

“There’s no reason for you to be operating on the 1st floor, so how did you get into the rift?”

Most explorers who operate on the 1st floor are poorly equipped.

That’s why I expected to have to struggle a lot to clear the rift.

But a 3rd-year dwarf and a 6th-grade mage?

This is a bit too suspicious to be a coincidence.

“I can’t explain the details, but I heard that a rift would open in this cycle.”

“Same here.”

Is this a case of pulling the ladder up after them?

Raven and the dwarf both remain silent about the method, as if they had made a promise.

Of course, it doesn’t matter much.

I can already guess how they figured it out.

“I am Ainar, second daughter of Frenelin.”

As everyone finishes introducing themselves, Raven takes the lead in the conversation.

“We’ll split the loot equally among everyone except Mr. Tarjin here. In return, could you all please follow my instructions?”

“I have no objections. It’s common sense to follow the mage’s lead in the labyrinth.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

The dwarf agrees first, and Raven’s gaze turns to the two of us.

It doesn’t take long to make a decision.

Since there’s a mage in the team, there’s nothing good about standing out.

It was the mages who first recognized the existence of ‘evil spirits’ and persuaded the royal family to declare them targets for eradication.

Damn it…

Clearing the rift is no longer the issue.

“I also agree.”

Let’s just aim for half.

She complimented me earlier, saying I was knowledgeable for a barbarian, but I don’t know when that gaze might turn into suspicion.

“I refuse.”

Huh?

Everyone’s attention turns to Ainar’s firm voice.

“I don’t know what’s so great about being a mage. I’d like Bjorn to lead us.”

No, I agreed, why are you doing this?

I want to cover her mouth right now, but that would only make us look more suspicious.

Raven then asks cautiously,

“Bjorn… you mean this barbarian, right?”

“That’s right. Bjorn is no ordinary barbarian!”

“What do you mean by ‘no ordinary barbarian’?”

“Bjorn is a warrior who is wiser than anyone else. He reads books in the library for six hours every day.”

“Hmm, he certainly sounds unique.”

“He’s not unique, he’s great! I’ve never seen a barbarian as smart as Bjorn!”

Damn it…

Please stop…
________________________________

Despite Ainar’s excessive praise, everyone just looks at me with a strange gaze and considers it a passing remark.

They probably think it’s just barbarian eccentricity.

At least for now.

“But! Isn’t Bjorn better than that mage!”

Maybe the phrase ‘for a barbarian’ from earlier offended her?

I’m glad I made her swear an oath beforehand.

Otherwise, she might have revealed everything, including the dimensional instability and the fact that I opened the rift.

“It’s a blessing to be respected by your wife. I’m envious, barbarian! Hahaha!”

“Ah, wife? I’m not like that!”

“Hahaha! You don’t have to be embarrassed!”

“Ugh! I’m, I’m not embarrassed!!”

Regardless of the content, thanks to the talkative dwarf, Ainar’s aggro is diverted elsewhere.

I also sigh in relief and observe Raven’s expression.

As I had worried, she’s not particularly interested in me.

“Hmm, so it’s a barrier that we can’t leave. Interesting. It seems to isolate dimensions, but how can we see the other side with our eyes?”

It’s a scholar-like curiosity, I suppose.

She seems to be wondering about the principles of this barrier that prevents us from leaving the map, muttering to herself while taking notes…

I hope her interest doesn’t shift to me until the moment we part ways.

“Everyone, please stop and let’s get going. There’s a lot to investigate to obtain samples.”

“Set off? We still only know each other’s names…”

The dwarf tilts his head at the words of Raven, who is in command.

I feel the same way.

A team needs to know what abilities each member has and what they can do.

Even for a makeshift team like this, it’s basic to reveal your core essences before starting.

However, Raven cuts it off, saying it’s unnecessary.

“Is there any reason to do that? The monsters that appear in the Crimson Fortress are all 7th-grade or lower.”

Her voice is filled with absolute confidence.

At this, the dwarf shows a slightly uncomfortable expression, but he doesn’t voice it.

Not until she says one more thing.

“Ah, I didn’t mention this, but I’ll take all the loot from the guardian. There’s something I need to research separately.”

What the hell is with this shameless bitch?

Ha, no wonder she seemed decent for a mage.

‘Damn it.’

As expected, things are about to go to shit again.

-----------------------------

Chapter 29: The Rift (3)

[Dungeon and Stone] is full of instances where internal conflicts arise during gameplay.

And the cause of these conflicts is always, without exception, ‘money.’

For mages who are financially well-off, research might be their top priority, but explorers enter the labyrinth solely to make money.

And now this mage bitch has touched on that very issue.

“You’re taking all the loot from the guardian?”

The dwarf is no longer smiling pleasantly.

His voice is low, and his eyes, revealed between his bushy beard, gleam fiercely.

“Do I look like an idiot?”

The atmosphere instantly turns cold.

And sensing this…

Clack.

The human man places his hand on the hilt of his sword.

He’s not just a simple porter, as expected.

Breaking the heavy silence, Raven speaks.

“…Instead, I’ll give you all the magic stones from the rift.”

“You’re telling us to scavenge for scraps.”

“…I think it’s a reasonable calculation, isn’t it? It’s not like those items are guaranteed drops.”

Although she tries to hide it, Raven’s face clearly shows her fluster.

She didn’t expect such a hostile reaction, it seems…

I find her naive.

She should have expected this.

The guardian’s loot is the highlight of the rift.

And among that loot, the ‘Numbered Item’ is a treasure beyond compare for the dwarf.

“I can’t give up the Numbered Item.”

“…Alright. Then I’ll take the guardian’s essence. And please acknowledge my ownership of any other discoveries made using my knowledge.”

“Fine. Then we’ll split the Rift Stone fairly by rolling dice.”

Oh please, fair my ass.

The two of them start arguing about their own interests, completely ignoring Ainar and me.

It gives me a headache just watching them.

I’m starting to think it would have been better to bleed with 1st-floor newbies while clearing the rift.

At this rate, we’ll really be scavenging for scraps in this rift we worked so hard to enter.

Having no power is such a pathetic thing.

“Bjorn.”

“I know what you’re thinking, but stay quiet for now.”

“Alright.”

The things I need to do become clearer.

I need to get stronger.

Regardless of whether those bastards pull the ladder up after them, I need to climb up on my own.

That’s the only way I can protect my rights like them.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll give in today.

“Wait.”

“……?”

The two of them, who were having a relatively friendly conversation, turn their attention to me as I speak up.

“Do whatever you want with the essence and the Numbered Item. But we’ll take the Rift Stone.”

“You’re being greedy.”

“Do you think there will be a problem if the two barbarians aren’t here?”

Their gazes are sharp.

Damn, they were all smiles when we first met.

Alright, I was just testing the waters anyway.

“Fine, I’ll give up the Rift Stone. In return, give us priority for up to two essences, excluding the guardian’s.”

“Alright, that much is fine.”

“Same here.”

As expected, Raven and the dwarf readily agree to my demand.

This is probably the limit.

For people of their level, there wouldn’t be any essences that are particularly attractive besides the guardian’s.

“Then shall we go now?”

“Sounds good, my body is already aching from just standing around! Hwahahaha!”

Once the negotiations are over, the mage bitch and the dwarf are all smiles and laughter again, as if nothing happened.

Scary explorer bastards.
____________________________

After walking along the mountain path for some time, with the fortress visible between the ridges, we arrive at the fortress entrance and encounter two winged demon statues.

“Gargoyle statues.”

8th-grade monsters, Gargoyle Statues.

They’re tricky monsters that usually remain still but activate and use ‘Petrification’ when an enemy enters their line of sight.

The typical strategy is for one person to sacrifice themselves and take all the ‘Petrification’ attacks, while the others defeat the Gargoyle Statues to lift the curse, but…

Surprisingly, we have a mage with us right now.

“Kyaaaaak—!”

The gargoyles open their eyes and spread their wings as the dwarf and I approach.

At the same time, my lower body instantly turns to stone, but the duration is short.

“Artena Viar.”

Raven chants the ‘Curse Removal’ spell, and the battle begins in earnest.

Ainar and I take on one, while the dwarf takes on the other.

Kwaaang!

The short dwarf swings his hammer like a madman, shattering both of the gargoyle’s legs.

And as the gargoyle falls to the ground, he smashes its head with his hammer in a satisfying manner.

Is that the dwarven way?

It’s quite manly to just smash things from the bottom up.

Well, it’s not that different from what we do.

“You guys are pretty good too!”

There’s not much difference in the time it takes to destroy the Gargoyle Statues.

We’re also confident in close combat.

「Killed Gargoyle. EXP +2」

The two gargoyles disappear into light, dropping magic stones, but there’s no need to pick them up ourselves.

They float up on their own and go into a large pouch.

“I’ll collect the magic stones and distribute them to you periodically.”

“That would be great! Hahaha!”

The dwarf doesn’t seem worried that the mage will steal the magic stones.

Well, there’s no way a mage would care about such small change.

“Then let’s go!”

The dwarf smashes the old wooden door with his hammer, clearing the way.

Is this where the real dungeon begins?

I follow behind, feeling a strange sense of anticipation.

“We’ll need some light.”

“Rieit.”

A sphere of light appears on Raven’s hand, brightly illuminating the dark interior.

This space I’ve entered is the outer checkpoint.

It’s the place where they would have handled various administrative tasks, such as checking the cargo of carriages and the identities of passersby, before allowing them into the castle.

“Grooooan.”

As if drawn by the light and sound, rotten corpses rise from closets and under desks, approaching us.

“Deadmen.”

Deadmen.

They’re unranked monsters that don’t give experience points or even drop magic stones.

And their corpses don’t even disappear.

Except when they drop essences.

“Their attacks are just biting and scratching, so I’ll conserve my mana.”

Although there’s no magical assistance, it doesn’t take long to clear the entire room.

“While I open the door, could Mr. Murad and Mr. Yandel go upstairs?”

“I’ll take care of it quickly! Hahaha!”

Following the dwarf up to the 2nd floor, we find a space that seems like a shared bedroom.

There are about ten Deadmen here as well, but since the space is wider than the 1st floor, it’s easier to deal with them.

Thwack! Thwack!

We quickly clear the 2nd floor and climb the ladder to the rooftop without much conversation.

There are about a dozen soldier Deadmen wearing rusty armor and a commander Deadman with a slightly larger build.

It’s not exactly a first boss…

But it’s something we have to defeat to proceed.

“He’s just bigger, nothing different from other Deadmen, so let’s finish him off quickly! Hahaha!”

Once again, we quickly clear the area and search the commander Deadman’s clothes, finding a horn.

When we return to the 1st floor, the iron gate on the other side is already open.

“Having a mage around is really reassuring.”

With light coming in from both directions, the windowless interior has become quite bright, but it doesn’t matter.

We’ve finished everything we need to do at the outer checkpoint.

Now it’s time to cross the 50-meter-long bridge.

“Be careful of your footing, Lady Raven.”

“Ah, thank you.”

The bridge, which is partially collapsed, ends about 20 meters from the gate.

It’s not because it’s been destroyed by time or anything.

It was designed that way from the beginning.

Boooooooo!

I blow the horn we acquired earlier, and the drawbridge starts to descend with a creaking sound.

Of course, that’s not all…

「The long-dormant water magic circle has been activated.」

“Bjorn! Water is rising from below!”

The moat.

Water also starts to rise from the ditch that would have been dug around the castle walls to prevent invasions.

Blackish, red blood-like water.

This is why it’s called the ‘Crimson Fortress.’

The sky is red, and the ground is red.

But there’s something else that heightens the apocalyptic atmosphere.

“Bjorn! Hands! There are hands splashing around on the water surface!”

“They’re just Deadmen, don’t worry.”

“Hmph, who’s worried?”

As the blood-like water reaches the bottom of the bridge, the Deadmen who were splashing around climb up.

The drawbridge hasn’t even descended a fifth of the way yet.

The concept of this part is simple.

—Hold out until the drawbridge descends.

If this were a game, that’s the message that would have popped up.

“Grooooan.”

Without any specific instructions, everyone starts fighting back, pushing away the Deadmen or striking them with their weapons.

Thwack! Thwack! Kwagic-!

Although Deadmen are unranked monsters, they’re quite troublesome opponents here on the bridge.

If you fall down, it’s game over.

“It’s done.”

About a minute later, Raven completes the magic spell.

“Witerna Dertu!”

The name of the spell roughly translates to ‘Blade Storm.’

A strong gust of wind spreads out from us, who are in a tight formation, and it grinds up the Deadmen like a blender.

Ratatatatatat.

The dwarf exclaims, looking at the bridge now covered in Deadmen corpses.

“…That’s amazing.”

“It’s just Deadmen, what’s the big deal?”

Despite her humble words, Raven’s eyes are full of pride.

But it doesn’t feel arrogant.

This part wouldn’t be so easy to pass without a mage with area-of-effect attacks.

Afterwards, as we’re just crushing the occasional Deadmen that climb up onto the bridge, the slowly descending drawbridge finally connects with the bridge.

Kooooong!

The first chapter of the Crimson Fortress is over.

Disappointingly easy.
___________________________

Now that we’ve crossed the drawbridge, there are three chapters left.

The city battle at the outer wall.

The underground prison of the inner wall.

The demon worship chamber in the lord’s castle.

“This is interesting.”

Entering the castle, Raven’s eyes sparkle as she looks at the ruins.

As if a treasure has unfolded before her eyes.

“A blacksmith, a tavern, an inn, a church, stables that must have been used by merchants… these ruins mostly seem to be public facilities.”

The dwarf chuckles.

“Is that so surprising, Lady Raven?”

“Of course. There were no farmlands or residential areas on the mountain path we came up, or inside the castle. That means there were no farmers. Aren’t you curious? How did everyone survive in a fortress city built in such a remote mountainous area?”

“There must have been alchemists in this dimension too. They would have turned magic stones into bread like us. Hahaha.”

“…Indeed, that hypothesis is the most likely among scholars.”

“Haha! Is that so? Even educated people have similar thoughts, I see!”

“But Mr. Murad, the interesting thing is not just that. The long drawbridge, the high castle walls… this fortress was built very practically. Who were their enemies?”

The dwarf, who was initially receptive, starts to distance himself as the conversation drags on.

“Why are you curious about such things? It’s all just an artificial space anyway.”

“An artificial space, indeed, ordinary people who haven’t properly studied dimensional studies might think so—”

“Stop it, Lady Raven, the monsters are coming.”

As we walk through the city towards the inner castle, monsters appear.

Deadmen, skeleton archers and mages, ghouls, and even the 8th-grade monster, Death Fiend.

The types of monsters appearing are not much different from the Land of the Dead, but the scale is vastly different.

There are at least dozens of individuals in each group.

“Everyone, gather around me.”

Moreover, while we’re dealing with one group, another group approaches, drawn by the sound.

Within a minute of encountering the first group, hundreds of monsters have surrounded us.

But at that moment…

The ‘Blade Storm’ we saw earlier sweeps through the surroundings once again.

Swaaaaaaaaaaa!

As expected of a spell used for slaughtering weaker opponents, it doesn’t wipe them all out like before.

Some ghouls survive with a limb or two severed, and the Death Fiends, known for their defense and regeneration, are unscathed.

But…

“I’ll leave the remaining monsters to you.”

Raven has done the work of several people just by wiping out the Deadmen and skeletons, which made up more than 90% of the horde.

“Ainar!!”

Ainar charges forward as I shout.

The target is the Death Fiend.

And the hunting method…

There’s no need to explain it in words.

A brief exchange of glances is enough.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

We’ve practiced our coordination hundreds of times, and now we’re at a level where we rarely make mistakes.

It’s called the (True) Double Barbarian Takedown.

Thud!

We lift both of its legs, slam it to the ground, and smash the Death Fiend’s head, making the dwarf flinch in surprise.

“…Is this how you usually hunt?”

It’s a look that says, ‘What kind of barbarians are these?’

“Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s quite, quite… refreshing, just like barbarians! Ha, haha!”

It’s not embarrassing at this point, but it’s a bit funny.

The dwarves’ fighting style wasn’t exactly elegant either.

“Rabiod Eheltun.”

There are seven Death Fiends left, but with Raven casting the ‘Wound Aggravation Curse,’ we can easily hunt them down.

Death Fiends without their passive ‘Physical Preservation’ are not that difficult.

“Now I understand why everyone says mages are amazing…”

Ainar mutters in a dejected voice, as if she has realized the power of a single mage through just two battles.

Raven doesn’t respond, but I see the corners of her mouth twitching.

She seems pleased to be admired.

The dwarf adds,

“Haha! Indeed, having a mage around changes the scope of what you can do.”

I agree.

If we were a 5-person party of newbies progressing through the ‘Crimson Fortress,’ we wouldn’t have dared to attempt such a head-on confrontation.

We would have started from the outskirts and gradually reduced the number of monsters, even if it took dozens of times longer.

“Hmm, well… that’s why I study so hard. Of course, talent is also necessary.”

Raven wriggles slightly at the continuous praise.

I’m starting to understand her character.

A talented young mage who pretends to be humble but enjoys showing off and is passionate about magic and research.

I’m starting to get a sense of how to handle her.

“Then, I’d like to take a moment to gather some research materials. Could you all help me if you don’t mind?”

“Of course, we should help, Lady Raven, considering how much time we have left thanks to you. Hahaha!”

“Thank you.”

Afterwards, we rummage through the ruins of the city, collecting antiques, books, soil, metals, Deadmen flesh and bones, and so on.

“We finished early thanks to you all. Then let’s move on to the next area!”

I’m momentarily stunned.

Huh? Wait, we’re done?

We killed all the monsters and even searched the surroundings thoroughly, but why aren’t they taking that?

“What are you doing there! Come on, let’s go.”

…They don’t know about it?

That easy-to-find thing that appears when you break the fountain statue?

--------------------------------

Chapter 30: Crimson Fortress (1)

As a gamer, it’s a habit to press the interact key whenever I see a suspicious wall or a peculiar object.

I’m no different.

And this habit has helped me discover numerous ‘hidden pieces,’ or hidden elements, while playing [Dungeon and Stone] for 9 years.

For example, like this fountain statue.

“Bjorn?”

“Ah, I’m coming.”

I follow the group into the inner castle, suppressing my uneasiness.

I decide not to mention the statue.

A barbarian knowing something that even a mage who has dedicated her life to learning doesn’t know?

‘It’s better to avoid anything that might raise suspicion.’

This time, even the excuse of “I read it in a book” won’t work, and besides, ‘that item’ is something that can’t be taken outside even with distortion magic.

“This is the inner castle.”

If the outer castle serves as the first line of defense in medieval times, the inner castle is like the last bastion.

Originally, this place would have been where the lord’s vassals, knights, and soldiers were stationed, and where various military facilities like armories were located.

Raven sighs as she looks around.

“…I’ve heard about it, but there’s nothing to salvage here.”

The inner castle, about a third of the size of the outer castle, is devastated.

All the buildings have collapsed, leaving only their foundations.

There aren’t even any monsters here.

“Let’s move on to the next area quickly.”

Under Raven’s instructions, we spend about 30 minutes clearing away the rubble and find a passage leading underground.

“Mr. Murad, could you take the lead?”

“Sure!”

“Ah, please light a torch to save mana.”

The dwarf takes out a torch and puts it on his head.

He looks like a mole miner from a cartoon, maybe because he’s short.

Whooooosh!

We push open a thick wooden plank and slowly descend the stairs hidden beneath it.

The third chapter of Crimson Fortress, the underground prison.

I swallow hard and prepare myself mentally.

「Entered Underground Prison 1st Floor.」

Ugh, I’m not good with gruesome things…
_____________________________________

“Lady Raven, what kind of monsters appear here?”

“As far as I know, Skull Rats, Banshees, Death Fiends, Chimera Wolves, Ghoul Lords, and Corpse Golems appear.”

“Except for Corpse Golems, we’ve encountered all of them before.”

“That’s right. Corpse Golems only appear in the Crimson Fortress.”

“Hahaha, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to gain achievements!”

The dwarf is excited about the prospect of gaining experience points by fighting new monsters.

But I can’t be.

The illustrations alone were horrifying, so how disgusting would they be in real life?

“Are there any other things we should be careful of?”

“Just be careful of the flesh explosions. The explosive power isn’t that strong, but the bodily fluids contain acidic poison, so it can be fatal if you get hit at close range. Of course, I’ll block it for you before that happens.”

“Haha! With the mage around, there’s nothing to be afraid of!”

“It’s all thanks to reliable warriors like Mr. Murad.”

Bullshit.

They were just glaring at each other and arguing over loot.

Thud.

We descend the last step of the stairs, and the maze-like structure of the underground prison unfolds before us.

Deadmen are chained and growling inside the iron bars, and skeletal rats scurry around on the floor, making strange noises.

“Bjorn, are these monsters too?”

“Those are the Skull Rats I mentioned.”

“I wasn’t asking the mage!”

For your information, they’re unranked, just like Deadmen.

They practically have no combat power to be called monsters, so we just trample them as we see them and move forward.

And soon, we encounter banshees.

“Keuheuheuheu, heuheuheuheu!”

The banshees are wraiths with only the outlines of their grotesque faces visible, flying around here and there.

“Bjo, Bjorn…”

Ah, right, she’s scared of banshees.

Raven chuckles as she sees Ainar clinging slightly to me.

It’s a good thing Ainar doesn’t see her. Otherwise, she would have started yelling again.

“Be careful not to bump into the banshees. Once or twice isn’t too dangerous, but…”

“…But?”

“You’ll have a very, very unpleasant experience.”

“A, a very unpleasant experience? What does that mean! Explain it clearly, mage!”

“Well, I’ll leave it to your imagination.”

Raven smiles as she looks at Ainar, whose face is pale.

It seems she’s not so kind-hearted after all, taking revenge like this.

I sigh inwardly and join the conversation.

“I heard that mages have a way to deal with banshees.”

“Hmm, you like books, so you’re quite knowledgeable, aren’t you?”

Is this something to be praised for?

Well, maybe if it’s with the ‘for a barbarian’ condition…

But I guess this is still within the acceptable range.

“Then let’s stop playing around and take care of the banshees first. Teirun Shel.”

A light arrow shoots out from Raven’s staff, piercing a banshee.

The spell name in the game was Mana Bolt.

It’s a basic attack spell, like a mage’s auto-attack, so there’s no casting time.

“Kihiiieeeeek!!!”

After a brief wait, dozens of banshees swarm towards us, emitting intense hatred.

They sensed the ‘Mark’ left behind by their dead comrade.

It’s something a mage with powerful area-of-effect spells would welcome.

“Ihernno Haindar.”

Flame Storm.

Flames erupt from the magic staff, filling the straight passage.

And when the flames subside…

There are no banshees left.

Whoosh!

Once again, the magic stones that fall to the ground float up on their own and enter the pouch.

Honestly, this is what I envy the most.

Not having to pick up magic stones one by one.

Phew, how long will it take to have a mage in my team…

I realize once again that I still have a long way to go.
______________________________________

The 2D world beyond the monitor and reality are different.

Especially when it comes to the creepiness that you can feel through your skin.

「Character has entered Underground Prison 2nd Floor.」

The underground prison I experience firsthand feels like a mad scientist’s laboratory.

Chimera Wolves with bulging muscles like mutants and multiple heads.

Ghoul Lords leading around thirty Elder Ghouls.

These 8th-grade monsters all have grotesque appearances, and even the small props around them are reminiscent of horror games.

The climax is from now on, though.

“Anyway, Lady Raven is amazing too. Aren’t you scared?”

“Well, I’m quite fond of anatomy. This much doesn’t bother me.”

Damn, it’s not barbarian anatomy, is it?

Come to think of it, the reason barbarian hearts are sold at a high price is because they’re used as magic materials…

“Ah, we’re here.”

We arrive at the 3rd floor of the underground prison after hunting all the monsters, and discover a hidden door leading to the basement of the collapsed lord’s castle.

Originally, we would have had to get a map from the guard room first, but…

“There’s a door hidden behind the wall… it’s a good thing I memorized the map beforehand.”

Thanks to Raven’s thorough preparation, we don’t get lost.

Well, even if I were alone, I would have found it just fine.

The structure of the underground prison is exactly the same as the game.

‘But that’s only possible because I’m a player.’

I’m realizing the status that mages hold.

Powerful attack magic.

Highly versatile support abilities like the Wound Aggravation Curse.

And the knowledge they’ve accumulated by reading numerous books.

There’s a reason why mages receive treatment equal to or even better than priests in teams.

“It’s better to leave our backpacks here before entering. Especially for Mr. Yandel.”

I feel a bit embarrassed as I put down my extra-large backpack in front of the door.

…I should buy a magic backpack or something when I make some money.

This thing has been inconvenient countless times.

“Ah, please light a torch from now on, Mr. Yandel.”

Following Raven’s instructions, I secure a torch on top of my head.

Now we’re all set.

Creak, creak, creak-

As I turn the round valve to open the iron door, a rotten stench wafts in.

“This is an unexpected place.”

“Ma, mage… do we really have to go in here?”

“I hate it as much as you do, but it can’t be helped.”

It’s a space that resembles a sewage treatment plant.

Large pipes line the cylindrical walls, dripping something that looks like black sludge.

And…

The floor is piled high with severed limbs and heads, and the gas from their decomposition stings my nose and gives me a headache.

“Urgh, bleugh!”

The porter is the first to vomit.

The guy, who had been standing next to Raven as if guarding her, just vomits up everything in his stomach with an expressionless face.

The second one is Raven.

“Ugh, urgh!”

Although she might have visual tolerance due to her extensive anatomy experience, she seems vulnerable to smells.

Surprisingly, I can handle it.

If it were before, I would have fainted at this sight, but this strong barbarian body is unaffected.

“It’s a relief that at least you’re alright. Let’s move forward.”

Feeling an indescribable emotion, I slowly approach the center.

Squish.

Each step makes a sound like stepping on a sponge.

And as the light gets closer to the center, the massive shape that was only visible as an outline in the darkness becomes clearer.

“Hello.”

Surprisingly, it speaks to us.

In a woman’s voice, like a broken voice recording.

“Urk, keuk! Li! I, keukeukeok, save me! Me! Kiik, kakkadddeuk, delicious, uh, father, kiihi!”

Uh, um, uh…

Honestly, it’s a bit shocking.

“Phew…”

Damn it, you were quiet in the game.

Why are you doing this to me?

Complaints come out involuntarily, but nothing changes if I just lament.

I look to the side, and even the dwarf, who seemed somewhat reliable, is frozen stiff.

“Everyone, get a grip!!”

I immediately shout to wake up the dazed team members.

But as if stimulated by this…

“Father! Father! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurtsaaaaa!!”

The pile of corpses that was crouched down rises up and takes a step forward with something that’s either a foot or something else.

Koooong!

The mid-boss of Crimson Fortress.

The Corpse Golem.
_______________________________________

[Dungeon and Stone], the epitome of obscurity, still has some mainstream aspects.

At least the illustrations are famous.

The vivid illustrations that look like they were taken with black and white photos are often used as ‘memes’ online.

Although few people know that those illustrations actually came from the game.

I realize once again…

“Damn it.”

No matter how realistically a picture is drawn, it can’t compare to the real thing.

“It hurts! It hurts! It hurtsaaaaa!!!!”

Is this what it would look like if you gathered thousands of human arms, legs, and heads and mashed them together?

And each one of them moves individually as if they have their own will.

The hundreds of mouths are the same.

They spew out whatever they want to say without any control.

Most of them are nonsensical and rambling expressions of momentary emotions like “I’m in pain,” “I’m cold,” “I’m resentful,” “Kill me,” or “Save me.”

“Kyaaaaak—!”

Well, or just screams.

The combination of all these grotesque voices creates a horrifying harmony that once again leaves everyone stunned.

“Hikurod! Be careful!”

The mage who is supposedly skilled in anatomy.

The 3rd-year dwarf who must have encountered countless monsters.

And the human man who exudes an aura of professionalism that doesn’t quite fit the title of ‘porter.’

They treated the two newbie barbarians like extras, but…

Surprisingly, at this moment, Ainar and I are the only ones who haven’t lost our composure.

“What are you all doing!”

Just as Ainar, who was keeping an eye on the Corpse Golem, pulls the dwarf up by the scruff of his neck…

Kwaaang!

A clump of corpses flies towards them like a shot put and explodes on the spot. Blood and flesh scatter, splattering onto Ainar and the dwarf.

Sizzle!

Fortunately, Ainar is unharmed because it only landed on her clothes, but the dwarf is a different story.

“Aak! My eyes! My eyes…”

Damn it, somehow it managed to get through the narrow gap in his helmet and hit his eyes.

The dwarf is instantly incapacitated.

And the mage who told us to trust her…

“Urgh, bleugh!”

…Is still vomiting.

…What the hell are you guys doing?

No wonder things were going so smoothly.

Of course not, no way.

“Ainar! Take the dwarf to the back and protect the mage!”

I raise my shield and face the Corpse Golem.

There’s no choice.

I’d rather run away if possible, but…

These guys, who were acting all high and mighty like bus drivers, are messing things up.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

If we want to survive, I have no choice but to take the wheel myself.


Trial

I like Korean novels (Murim, Dukes, Reincarnation, etc, etc, etc)

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