Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 91, 92, 93

  

C91, 92, 93

Chapter 91: Player (3)

It's been 5 months since I woke up in this other world.

If we include the days I spent in the labyrinth, it feels even longer.

A lot has happened during that time.

I killed a person for the first time, and I killed monsters. I've done many barbaric things to survive.

But is my essence as a modern person still intact?

Click, clack, clack, click, thud!

As soon as I finish entering the password, my pinky finger naturally presses enter.

And I flinch as I realize one thing.

'This is... my body?'

It's not the rough and thick hands of a barbarian.

It's not the body of a warrior with broad shoulders and muscles like rocks.

It's Lee Hansu's body, 175 centimeters tall, average weight, with soft flesh and skin.

That's when...

"Ah, shit!"

I feel like the ground is collapsing, and my body is being sucked somewhere.

When I come to my senses, everything is pitch black.

It's not unfamiliar since I've experienced it often in the labyrinth, but...

Click.

With the sound of a switch being flipped, my surroundings brighten up.

Surprisingly, I'm in my room.

My room, Lee Hansu's room, where I used to enjoy games before being dragged here.

'...So what's the point of all this?'

I first check my surroundings.

Bookshelves, computer, a slightly yellowed bed...

I go outside and check the kitchen, living room, and bathroom, and everything matches my memory.

'Ah, then could it be that too...?'

I hurriedly open the refrigerator door.

For some reason, it's filled with nothing but chilled cans of cola.

I wonder what kind of arrangement this is, but I don't think about it too deeply.

How could I possibly resist this?

Click, hiss-

A sound that makes me feel refreshed just by listening to it.

I could endure everything else, but I've missed this so much. I quickly pour it into my mouth, worried it might disappear before my eyes.

But...

'Damn it.'

I can't taste it.

There's no sharp sensation that feels like it's splitting my throat in half.

It just feels like a tasteless, odorless liquid is going down my throat.

That's when...

Ding-dong-

The doorbell rings.

I check the intercom, and there's a blonde, white woman.

It's probably not a religious solicitation, right?

Just as I'm about to say, 'Who are you?' in my usual tone, I realize my mistake and speak again.

"Who is it?"

I judge that she might be able to figure out that I'm a barbarian from my tone of voice.

'But why does it feel so awkward?'

It feels like there are thorns in my throat even though I just spoke normally.

Soon, I hear a response from the other side of the intercom.

[I'm SoulQueens, the guide for Ghostbusters. May I come in?]

Hmm, I didn't know it was this kind of system.

I quickly open the door before I offend her.

But what's this?

"Um, why are you walking into the wall?"

"Ah, was that a wall? To me, it just looks like white space."

Is she talking about the space I saw earlier?

It seems like there are some mysterious rules at play in this spiritual world.

As I roughly give her directions and guide her to the living room, the woman lets out a gasp.

"You're amazing. Usually, you can at least faintly see the shape."

"Shape?"

"This place. Maybe you..."

"You can just keep calling me 'you'."

"...If you insist."

As promised in the letter that guaranteed anonymity, the woman doesn't show any disappointment at my indirect refusal.

"Anyway, this space is a manifestation of what you imagined. The place that your inner mind thinks of first. It usually becomes the space that you feel most comfortable in psychologically."

"So?"

"It's usually visible to others. Although there are some people with strong defense mechanisms, you can still recognize the shape to some extent..."

The woman looks at me with a strange expression.

I can't tell if it's curiosity or wariness, but I decide to address the inconsistency first.

"Then what about when you rang the doorbell earlier? You said you couldn't see me."

"I guess it was expressed that way. I didn't ring any bell. I just called out to you as soon as I arrived in this white space. Does that make sense?"

Honestly, I kind of understand what she's saying, but I don't understand at all.

So I just smile awkwardly and nod.

"Thanks to your kind explanation."

"I'm glad. Actually, it's a difficult concept even for mages to understand, so I'm always at a loss for how to explain it."

Anyway, since she introduced herself as the guide, I ask her what I'm curious about.

"Ah, but what happens if you enter the wrong password?"

I figured it out by chance, but there must be people who can't enter the password.

"That? Nothing happens. It's just a bluff. In the first place, there's almost no one who gets the password right before I arrive, like you."

"......?"

"Whether you enter the password or not, I have to come and confirm anyway."

For reference, the confirmation she mentioned is simple.

She can just tell by looking?

I wonder if she has some special ability, but I realize it when I see my current appearance.

A navy blue suit that fits snugly.

It's the suit my ex-girlfriend bought me to celebrate getting a job.

'The difference starts with the clothes...'

Well, I also knew she was a modern person as soon as I saw her, so it must be the same for her.

"Wow, you're really quick-witted. The difference between players and NPCs starts here."

"NPCs?"

"It's a slang term for the locals. Anyway, the difference between the two is not just the clothes, but you can clearly tell when you enter this space. This is the first time I've seen a case where you can't see anything..."

"So usually, you can tell just by looking at the room."

"Yes. There's no way an NPC would have a poster of a rock star in their room, right?"

I understand.

With this kind of verification method, it would be almost impossible for locals... I mean, NPCs... to hide their identity and enter.

"Then I pass?"

"Of course."

I was secretly worried because my room wasn't visible due to my defense mechanisms, but the woman nods without hesitation.

Seeing that, I realize one more thing.

Clothes, tone of voice, expression, and this mindscape.

There must be a more definitive way to distinguish NPCs besides these things.

'They're probably not telling me for security reasons.'

"Alright, then... you've officially become a member of our Ghostbusters."

"But who came up with the name Ghostbusters?"

"There is. Someone like that. You'd think, 'what kind of crappy name is this?' I told them to change it to something else..."

Uh, I asked because I thought it was a very witty name...

"Ha, everyone who comes here asks why we chose this name."

I nod awkwardly.

Although I can't agree with the sentiment that it's a crappy name, I can pretend to agree.

Acting tactfully has always been my specialty.

"Indeed... it's a unique name."

"Right? Ah, where was I..."

The woman returns to the main topic and continues.

"Ah, we can no longer forcefully separate souls and kill people like we used to with NPCs who snuck in. Instead, we can banish them from ever being summoned here again, so please make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules when you have time."

The woman then explains the basic methods for using the Ghostbusters community.

"Do you have a computer? If you do, go ahead and turn it on. If not, you'll have to imagine one and materialize it..."

"I have one."

"That saves time. Go ahead and turn it on."

When I turn on the computer as instructed, instead of the familiar OS screen, a window pops up.

"Ah, just a moment. Your code is..."

After entering the code the woman gave me, the window changes to a page where I can set my nickname.

"Just create a nickname here, and that's it. You can't change it once you've made it, so choose carefully."

Hmm, what should I use?

As I'm contemplating, the woman offers some advice.

"You've used Stone Ivan, right? Most people use the nicknames they used there. My nickname, SoulQueens, also came from there."

Stone Ivan.

It's a community for a dead game, so the main board's refresh rate was less than 30 posts per day...

But still, everyone who played this game must have used it at least once.

I did too.

'It's not my real name, it's just an ID, so it should be okay to use my nickname from there, right?'

I enter my nickname and press enter.

But...

[That nickname is unavailable.]

"Ah, it seems like someone is already using that nickname."

What? Someone's using that nickname?

I don't understand at all, but I change one letter and set my nickname. The woman looks at my nickname and smiles meaningfully.

"Huhu, you must be a fan of that person, huh?"

Fan? What is she talking about?

Just as I'm about to ask in detail, the woman continues her explanation.

It's about how to use the community.

"Alright, then I think I've told you everything I need to. I'll be on my way now, so please feel free to use it. If you have any problems, send a 1:1 message!"

The woman with the nickname SoulQueens then leaves.

I'm alone in the room again.

Having completed the tutorial, I browse through the community without much difficulty.

[20s, 30s Men Only]

[American Union]

[Beastmen Gather]

[Wizardry]

[Chat Room]

There are several chat rooms currently active.

I guess I can choose any of them and enter to chat with the people there?

It's a futuristic yet fantastical system.

'There are even rooms with rank restrictions and passwords.'

I choose a random room to enter as a test, to get used to this place.

[Newbie Room]

It's a unique room where only people who have been in the community for less than a year can enter, not a rank restriction.

I chose it because I thought there would be many people similar to me.

Click.

The moment I double-click...

A bright light emanates from the monitor.

And just like the day I woke up in the barbarian's body while playing the game...

When I come to my senses, I'm in an open space.
________________________

Click, clack, clack-

A bonfire is burning fiercely in the center of the clearing, like a campfire.

There are about a dozen people standing around it.

They're all men.

Well, how many women would play this perverted, hardcore game?

“Oh, a new person!”

Gazes gather as I appear.

White, yellow, black.

There's more racial diversity than I expected, but…

After living in the other world for a few months, I first feel a sense of kinship as people from the same hometown.

Is it the same for them?

“Which country are you from?”

“Ah, Korea.”

“I see! Welcome!”

I look around and observe my surroundings.

There’s no racism, and the atmosphere is one of genuinely welcoming a newcomer.

‘Is that thing above their heads their nickname?’

Letters are floating translucently above people’s heads.

A black man in a neat suit approaches me and speaks.

“It’s a bit bare, right? We haven’t gathered enough points to decorate yet. I’m DarkMan, the room owner. Could you please turn on nickname display and introduce yourself?”

“Nickname display?”

“You must be new to this room. Just think ‘I agree’. In this community, thoughts and intentions have power.”

Thoughts and intentions have power…

So I just have to do it like using an active skill?

‘Nickname display.’

As I say that inwardly, people’s gazes turn towards the top of my head.

It seems like they can see my nickname now.

But…

“Hello, I’m Elfnunna.”

The moment I reveal my nickname, thinking it’s an anonymous space anyway…

“…….”

“…….”

An eerie silence falls over the clearing.

And after a moment…

“Elfnuna?!”

“Crazy, the person who wrote the stat guide?”

“Uh… wasn’t that person from the game company?”

“As expected, that person was Korean! I knew it!”

“Excuse me! Is it true? Is it really you?”

For some reason, a commotion breaks out.

However, before I can grasp the situation, I quietly exhale a deep breath.

‘Whew…’

What is this again?

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

Chapter 92: Player (4)

The clearing starts buzzing with excitement as I reveal my nickname.

I close my eyes for a moment and assess the situation.

First of all, Elfnuna, the name they’re mentioning…

…is the nickname I used to use.

I chose it without much thought because my character at the time was an elf.

And…

‘I also wrote the stat guide…’

Was it around my 3rd year of playing?

I felt it was a waste to keep the information I had painstakingly compiled to myself, so I uploaded it to the forum.

As expected of a dead game forum, I remember the view count not even reaching 100 after a year.

But…

‘Why are they all looking at me like I’m some rare named monster?’

Come to think of it, that woman earlier also mentioned something about being a fan.

Why?

It’s been about 5 years since I last visited that community.

‘…Did I become famous without even knowing it?’

Whatever the reason, I come to a conclusion.

I’m famous.

I can figure out the reason why I became famous later.

I have enough clues to deal with the situation right now.

“Ah, you must have misunderstood.”

About 3 seconds.

After grasping the situation, I smile brightly and wave my hands.

“I’m a fan of that person. If you read the nickname carefully, you’ll see. It’s not Elfnuna, but Elfnunna. N-u-n-n-a.”

It’s a good thing I changed one letter because of the nickname overlap.

I hate receiving unnecessary attention.

“Oh, come to think of it…”

“The nickname is different.”

The men look at my nickname again at my words.

“It’s Elfnunna! Not Elfnuna!”

“What the, was he just impersonating…?”

“As expected, there’s no way. I had some expectations because he’s Korean…”

They sigh in disappointment.

Some of them even look at me with slightly unfriendly eyes, as if they feel like they’ve been deceived.

“Haha, it can happen if you’re a fan!”

The room owner, ‘DarkMan’, laughs and mediates the situation, then tells me a few rules to follow in the room.

That we must address each other with respect?

There weren’t any other noteworthy rules besides the fact that they’ll kick out anyone who causes trouble.

“Then I’ll be on my way, so feel free to chat among yourselves. You can leave whenever you want.”

The atmosphere of welcoming a newcomer is short-lived.

People return to their original spots and start chatting here and there.

As I’m contemplating where to go, a white man approaches me.

He’s a player with the nickname PinkGuy.

“Elfnunna, what year are you in?”

“Ah, I’m in my 1st year.”

Actually, it’s been 5 months, but I judge that it would be strange if I said I entered this place too early.

However, the response I get is unexpected.

“Really? You received the letter quite late, huh?”

“Yes?”

“Well, very few people receive the letter after gaining fame, most of them get it early on when it’s obvious.”

“I see…”

“Since Elfnunna only received the letter now, it seems like you’ve been doing a good job acting. I started as a human and was just carrying luggage when I got the letter.”

“Ah, yes…”

“Anyway, if you’re in your 1st year, it’s only been about 70 days in that world… so you must be up-to-date on things, right? How is it over there?”

I’m not sure if there are any events worth mentioning, so I ask back as if I misheard.

“70 days… you say?”

I’m pretty sure I just said I’m in my 1st year.

But why is it 70 days ago?

PinkGuy continues with an ‘oops’ expression.

“Ah, you wouldn’t know that since this is your first time. The flow of time is different between that world and this one.”

“Different?”

“Yes. 1 month on Earth is about 5 months there.”

In short, it’s a 1:5 time ratio.

I feel a strange sensation as soon as I hear it.

‘Only a month has passed…’

I’m happy that less time has passed, but I wonder if I’ve been reported missing.

There should be someone who looks for me besides my company.

As I continue talking with PinkGuy, I hear various things.

“A way to go back? Well, there are many speculations… but I heard there’s nothing confirmed yet.”

Even the players who came here much earlier than me haven’t figured out how to return.

The founder of Ghostbusters is a veteran player of 20 years.

“Isn’t it amazing that he cleared that game 5 years ago?”

“That’s right.”

The more new information I hear, the more I feel a sense of defeat.

It’s like my pride as a veteran player is crumbling?

One way or another, everyone here reached the Gate of the Abyss before me, making them all experts compared to me.

‘They might look stupid on the outside, but they’re all actually amazing people—’

“So what multiplier mode did Elfnunna clear it on?”

Huh? Multiplier?

As I look at him as if I don’t understand what he’s saying, he adds,

“You probably didn’t clear the original version, so Elfnunna must have cleared the remake. What multiplier mode did you play on?”

No, I still don’t understand…

Remake?

“If I say pirated version, would you understand? You know, that game file that was uploaded on Stone Ivan’s forum 5 years ago, the one where you can adjust the experience points and drop rates.”

Oh…

There was such a thing?

PinkGuy then speaks with unconcealable pride,

“Ah, not to brag, but I cleared it on 50x.”

How can there be so many people who cleared this game?

It’s the moment a long-held question is answered.
__________________________

[Dungeon and Stone].

The game that I barely managed to enter the final boss room after grinding for 10 years.

While playing, I countless times wondered how a game could have such difficulty.

However…

‘You can set the maximum experience points and drop rates to 100x?’

Crazy, what kind of OP setting is that?

I didn’t even know the level cap was 30.

Because even after killing every monster in the labyrinth, level 11 was the limit.

‘Wait, if the level cap is 30, does that mean you can absorb 30 essences per character?’

Honestly, I can’t even imagine it.

At this level, there’s no need to choose what to give up or what to take, you can just stuff everything in.

It makes me feel like an idiot for agonizing over the best combination of essences, considering their synergy.

And I even heard that you can open rifts, the core of growth, at any time you want…

‘With a 100x drop rate, Numbered Items would just be raining down.’

Thirty essences.

And a super OP character armed with all sorts of artifacts.

If five characters like that formed a party…

The Ancient Dragon, the Lord of Destruction, Leviathan, or whatever, would have died instantly with just a poke.

“So what multiplier did Elfnunna clear it on?”

“…50x for me too.”

“Ah, I see. Was it difficult?”

Difficult my ass.

With these conditions, I’m confident I could clear it in one try even if dimensional collapse or any other bullshit event happened.

But…

‘It would be disadvantageous to me if I said that.’

Just like how the Evil Spirit Hunters came looking for me as soon as I gained fame, excessive attention is poison. It’s foolish to take risks just to brag to someone.

Let’s not do anything that stands out and just find out what I need to know.

“What multiplier mode did the person who created this place clear it on?”

“Ah, that person? Don’t be surprised when you hear this. He cleared it on 15x mode. It was only possible because he was an original player.”

“15x… I see.”

Since it seems like I should be surprised, I pretend to be surprised. For reference, PinkGuy said that the average multiplier among players is 60 to 80x…

Hearing that, the conversations of the people laughing and chatting in the distance start to pierce my ears.

“Haha, isn’t it a ridiculous world? I still haven’t entered a rift. In the game, you could just click on it.”

“Phew, that’s right. How can we even reach the last floor if it’s this hard just to enter a rift…”

“They say there were many Easter eggs in the game, I should have looked into those things more.”

The players are lamenting as they compare the remake version they played with reality.

Well, it’s understandable.

This is the real-life version with even higher difficulty than the original.

“Whew…”

A deep sense of emptiness washes over me.

Seniors who cleared this game before me.

As I think that, I try to console myself, saying that I should look for things to learn from them rather than trying to belittle them…

But this is ridiculous, isn’t it?

“Elfnunna?”

“Sorry, I was just thinking for a bit…”

Afterwards, I continue talking with PinkGuy for a while longer.

In the process, I learn things that are common knowledge for ordinary players, and I get a much better understanding of how this community works.

And one question is also answered.

‘So with the remake… I mean, the pirated version, circulating, the game became popular again, and my nickname also became famous…?’

In many ways, the conversation with PinkGuy was informative.

It was even fun.

“Ha, I would have no regrets if I could just have one proper pizza… Elfnunna, are there any foods you miss?”

“Cola and gukbap.”

“Gukbap? What kind of food is that?”

“It’s the most efficient food I’ve ever eaten.”

How long has it been since I had a conversation like this?
____________________________

After exchanging a few more words with other people, I leave the Newbie Room.

PinkGuy asked if it was okay to add me as a friend, and I politely declined. He was definitely a nice person, but I didn’t want to get close.

He was too nice.

As if he were treating me like a girl he likes.

‘Anyway, I think I know everything I need to know…’

I return to the room with the computer and continue to gather information, reading the forum and announcements.

So now it’s time to achieve the purpose of coming here.

‘Let’s look into the dimensional collapse.’

As I type on the keyboard, I check the timer in the lower right corner.

It was originally 12 hours, but it’s already down to 7 hours.

The space closes when the time runs out, even if you don’t log out, so I need to hurry.

[Exchange]

I use the mouse to open the exchange page.

This place offers a service where you can purchase information, items, etc. using Ghost Points (GP).

In simpler terms, you can use GP to obtain resources or buy rare items.

However…

‘As expected, it’s better not to touch this.’

I decide not to use this function as much as possible.

Items have to go through the real world.

No matter how complex the intermediary system is…

…even if the system seems quite safe…

…in the end, since physical objects are exchanged in reality, it’s inevitable that there will be a connection with me as a barbarian.

[GP Owned: 0]

Therefore, I also pass on the option of charging GP with real money.

Of course, I need GP to purchase information about the dimensional collapse, but…

It’s not a big problem.

I can be self-sufficient here.

Click, click.

I use the mouse to filter the exchange items by [Information] and then change the category to [Purchase Requests].

Countless question posts appear.

[20 GP] Is there an easy way to reach the 2nd floor?

[100~500 GP] I’m raising a melee character, I want to know an OP build for the early stages.

Easy questions have correspondingly low GP rewards.

However…

[7,000 GP] I want to know the special events for each stage of the 4th floor Tower of Heaven.

[2,800 GP] I want to know the exact mechanics of the passive skill ‘Dragon Master’.

The rewards for more in-depth questions are higher.

So I sort them by highest price.

Because that’s the most efficient way.

[70,000 GP] Buying 1st floor Floor Master strategy. No jokes.

[69,000 GP] Only those who know about the 6th floor Skull Island, please contact me.

1st floor Floor Master?

[1:1 chat request sent to TacitRonin.]

[Transaction completed.]

[GP Owned: 70,000]

Skull Island, the hidden piece on the 6th floor?

[1:1 chat request sent to Bro_78.]

[Transaction completed.]

[GP Owned: 139,000]

I know everything about this game.

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

Chapter 93: Player (5)

“Did you properly retrieve the computer that was handed over to the police?”

“Yes, we erased all memories and traces, so there won’t be any articles or anything like before.”

The old man nods at the woman’s report and then slowly reads the document on the desk.

It’s a document that summarizes a man’s life.

It doesn’t take long to read the entire page.

“He’s strong against misfortune.”

The old man mutters a brief observation and continues,

“But that’s all.”

The woman nods in agreement.

The man’s life has been full of twists and turns, to the point where saying he’s strong against misfortune is an understatement.

However, there’s nothing else noteworthy.

His job is ordinary, his education is ordinary, his relationships are ordinary.

Everything is ordinary.

Except for this game.

“I don’t understand at all.”

That’s why the man seems even more peculiar.

[Dungeon and Stone], Auril Gabis’s legacy, is a failure. Everyone came to that conclusion after much deliberation.

Although there’s no disagreement that it portrays that world better than any other work…

…it was impossible to clear.

So it was abandoned 5 years ago.

“…But to think that someone would clear it now. Could it be that it wasn’t a failure after all?”

The old man mutters and shakes his head.

Even if someone clears it, everyone agreed that there’s no guarantee it would produce better results than other works.

His decision wasn’t wrong.

But…

“I’m a bit curious about what would have happened.”

The old man then opens his laptop and types in the man’s name.

[Lee Hansu]

The name of the only player who cleared his legacy…

…which everyone said was impossible.
____________________________
[GP Owned: 139,000]

After selling information about the 1st floor Floor Master and Skull Island, I stop selling information.

There are two reasons.

First, it takes more time than expected per transaction.

It’s because buyers are suspicious of me since I have no transaction history.

Well, both of them bought the information after I answered a few questions…

But it’s more accurate to say that they trusted this community rather than fully trusting me.

If you dare to scam someone and get kicked out of the community, there’s no coming back.

And the second reason…

Actually, this is the bigger reason than time.

‘If I sell everything I know, I’ll definitely attract attention.’

There’s a saying, ‘the nail that sticks out gets hammered down’, right?

I want to avoid attention from anyone.

It’s not like I desperately need GP right now—

Ding!

That’s when I receive a message.

[Sender: Ghost master.]

It’s a nickname I’ve seen a few times in announcements.

In other words, it’s a message from the community administrator.

My heart skips a beat as if I’ve been caught red-handed, but when I open it, it’s nothing special.

[Elfnunna has made 10 or more transactions. EXP +10]

[Member rank is adjusted.]

[Deadman -> Goblin.]

It’s an automatic message sent when your community rank increases.

Although there aren’t any major benefits to having a higher rank, it doesn’t hurt to level up.

There are occasionally chat rooms with rank restrictions.

Tadat, tadadat, tadat.

First, I use the GP I earned to post a question.

The reward I offer is between 10,000 and 100,000 GP.

It’s a way of showing my willingness to pay that much if it’s valuable information.

[Your post has been registered.]

After registering the post, I spend my time browsing the community as if I’m surfing the web.

Looking at the jokes and humor posts on the free board, it almost feels like I’m back in the real world.

That’s when…

‘100,000 points for 2 million stones?’

While browsing the exchange, I learn the real-world value of GP.

I currently have about 140,000 GP.

‘Crazy, so I earned 2.8 million stones just by answering two questions?’

My jaw drops at first, but when I think about it carefully, it’s not that unbelievable. It’s not like the information I sold is worthless.

‘I could make a fortune just by selling information here?’

I even have the thought that maybe there’s no reason to enter the labyrinth anymore.

But…

‘Let’s not have strange thoughts.’

The act of exchanging GP for money still feels risky to me.

‘Let’s not get greedy and just use it as a place to gather information.’

Therefore, I set a new rule and gather my resolve.

That’s when, as I’m browsing the community…

Ding!

I hear a notification sound.

I check the monitor, and a new message has arrived.

[Elfnunalove has requested a 1:1 chat.]

Elfnunalove.

It’s a nickname that makes me feel uneasy for some reason, but I accept without hesitation.

Because there’s only one reason why someone would contact me.

‘I was worried, but they appeared within the day.’

The information seller has finally shown up.
_____________________________

In a study with a classic interior…

I’m slightly surprised as I smell the faint scent of books.

‘It’s quite well-decorated. How much did they spend on this?’

It’s on a completely different level compared to the clearing that was the background of the Newbie Room or the desolate field that appeared when I initiated a conversation.

It must have cost a lot of GP.

However, I don’t think it’s a waste of money.

‘Indeed, this alone creates a certain level of trust…’

I briefly look around and spot a white man, and I greet him.

“Hello.”

“Yes, hello. You’re Elfnunna, right? Have a seat.”

As soon as I sit down, the man gets straight to the point.

“You want to know about Chernal Pergan, the mage from the Tarutein school?”

“That’s right.”

The dimensional collapse phenomenon.

If I only ask about this, it will be difficult for me to distinguish whether he’s telling the truth or not.

But it’s different if I ask about Chernal Pergan.

Just like this.

“To be precise, I want to know more about his recent activities.”

“Hmm, is it because of the rumors about the dimensional collapse phenomenon?”

The man immediately connects the name Chernal Pergan with dimensional collapse.

This increases the reliability of the information that will follow.

Therefore, I also ask directly,

“Is that rumor true?”

The man asks for 20,000 GP in exchange for the answer, and I accept, so he continues.

“If you’re asking whether such a story came from him, then yes, it’s true. But if you’re asking about the truth of the rumor… it’s actually not true.”

“What do you mean?”

The man pauses for a moment as if to organize his thoughts, then says firmly,

“It means that the dimensional collapse phenomenon will not occur.”

“What’s the basis for saying that?”

“That’s because it involves high-ranking individuals and political conflicts…”

In short, it means it’s high-level information that’s not worth sharing for just 20,000 GP.

“I’ll give you another 20,000 GP.”

“If you’re that eager to hear it.”

The man nods and continues speaking without hesitation.

“The Tarutein school is a school that focuses on the study of labyrinths, specifically magic related to dimensions. And their master wanted to conduct an experiment.”

“Experiment…?”

“I can’t tell you the details, but it’s not a dangerous experiment. It just requires that there be fewer explorers entering the labyrinth than usual.”

So the Tarutein school spread rumors through their mages.

They judged that if rumors of a dimensional collapse circulated, it would deter explorers who are susceptible to superstitions.

“…Is it okay to tell me this kind of information?”

“I didn’t just blurt it out, I sold it for GP.”

His confident attitude leaves me speechless.

The man chuckles and continues,

“In the first place, is it any of my business? I’m not the master of that school. And besides, the royal family will soon issue an official statement denying the rumors.”

“…The royal family?”

“Would the Lafdonia royal family just stand by and do nothing? If there are fewer explorers, the amount of magic stones they receive will also decrease.”

Hmm, he has a point.

I listen to him for a while longer, and the situation makes sense. The evidence he presented without hesitation is also convincing.

He doesn’t seem like he’s lying.

Just as I’m about to complete the transaction and tell him that I’ll send the remaining 20,000 GP separately, the man shakes his head.

"On second thought, it's fine. You seem like a fan of that person."

20,000 GP is equivalent to 400,000 stones, but to not accept it just because I'm a fan of the same person...

I thank him, but at the same time, I'm curious.

I wonder what year he's in?

'5th year? 10th year?'

Whatever it is, one thing is certain.

He's firmly established himself in this world to the point where 400,000 stones isn't a big deal.

'That's why he knows all the details of the information that I didn't know even after struggling for days.'

I'm reminded of my beginner's spirit once again.

15x? 20x? 30x? Or even 100x?

Well, no matter what mode they cleared, it's none of my business.

This isn't the game world.

It's a harsh reality governed by barbaric principles where the one who survives is the strongest.

'Little Balkan or whatever, in the end, I'm just a newbie here...'

I realize once again that the road ahead is much longer than the path I've already traveled.

But why is it?

It was just a moment ago that I renewed my beginner's spirit.

'This is fun.'

The man who bought the 1st floor Floor Master strategy.

The woman who wanted information about Skull Island.

And this man standing in front of me, who must have reached that place after years of effort.

Smirk.

I don't have the slightest doubt that I can't get there.
_______________________________

The black DOS screen.

After a short loading time, the player's log, filled with beeps, fills the monitor.

Beep, beep beep, beep-

The log's rules are simple.

Only actions are recorded here.

That's why...

「The coming-of-age ceremony has been successfully completed.」

「New equipment has been equipped.」

Choosing a shield at the coming-of-age ceremony.

「Character has stepped on a goblin trap.」

Falling into danger as soon as entering the labyrinth.

Stepping on a goblin trap and crawling on the ground for several hours while bleeding.

Killing a person for the first time.

Becoming companions with a fairy encountered by chance.

And starting with nothing but bare hands, reaching the 2nd floor on the first entry.

"He's a crazy bastard."

The more the old man reads the log, the more dumbfounded he becomes. It's even more so because it's a log that only records actions.

There's a reason for every action.

The old man, who has seen the logs of many players, can clearly see the reasons behind this player's judgments in each moment.

Because that's what he had to do.

Because that was the right choice.

So this man took action.

As if he were really playing a game.

It's truly astonishing.

How many players have made irrational choices, caught between the gap between the game and reality?

"...How many people have reached the 2nd floor on their first entry?"

"As far as I know, 117."

117 people.

It's quite a large number to be considered few.

But the old man is certain.

That among the 117 players, there was no one who faced such adverse conditions.

'He's a strange one.'

As the old man continues scrolling down and reading the log, he freezes at one point.

「Killed Vampire Duke Cambormier. EXP +5」

「Higher Variant Kill Bonus. EXP +1」

「Guardian Kill Bonus. EXP +3」

「The essence of [Vampire-Guardian] seeps into the characte…….」

The log on the screen has now reached recent events.

「Bjorn Yandel」

Level: 3 (New +1)

Physical: 155(New +75) / Mental: 90(New +44) / Ability: 115(New +85)

Item Level: 98 (New -104)

Total Combat Index: 381.5 (New +204)

Acquired Essences: Corpse Golem - Rank 7, Vampire(Guardian) - Rank 5 (New)

Character information that would be hard to believe even for someone who's been playing for years.

It's something he achieved in just two months after waking up in an unfamiliar body.

Of course, luck must have also played a part.

But…

‘If it were something achievable solely through luck, there would have been at least one similar case.’

The old man raises the player's monitoring level to the maximum.

That's what statistics are about.

The more samples and data you accumulate, the fewer possibilities there are, and uncertain information becomes clearer facts. And the ‘probability’ derived through that process is surprisingly accurate, regardless of how many samples you add.

In other words, ‘luck’ is a negligible variable in statistics.

However, there are occasional cases like this.

The first.

Something that was impossible becomes possible.

Simply put, 0 becomes 1.

An irregular that deviates from statistics, where the cause can't even be determined because there are no comparable samples.

Click, click.

「Abnormal growth rate detected.」

「The administrator will monitor this character.」

Suddenly, he also remembers…

The words he left behind when everyone called it a failure…

[I simply made a rational judgment. Even if it’s just one person, if I can send them off properly, that has a higher chance of success.]

Maybe, he was right.

Trial

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

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