Wasn't It a Dark Fantasy?
Wasn't It a Dark Fantasy?
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During a spar, Yurik, a northern barbarian warrior who got struck on the head with a weapon, awakened the memories of his past life.
He was actually a modern human who used to live on a planet called Earth, and that this world was actually the world inside a dark fantasy game he had cleared with bloody effort.
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A vast, sprawling snowfield.
Against the background of grand drumbeats, the northern barbarian warriors were lined up in formation.
"Son of Ulan, Yurik, step forward!"
The High Chieftain standing on the altar called out Yurik's name in a loud voice.
With the warriors' shouts boiling up from beneath their Adam's apples, Yurik walked proudly and stood before the altar.
A massive frame reaching nearly two meters, wounds covering his entire body, and clothes made from beasts he had personally hunted and skinned—Yurik's appearance was like the very symbol of a warrior molded by the snowfield itself.
"You are the greatest warrior born of the north. You have every right to be proud!"
As the Great Warrior spoke those words with pride, thunderous cheers echoed around them once more.
'I sure went through hell, though.'
......Though as Yurik took in the scene, thoughts full of heavy sighs were resounding in his head.
Even if his body belonged to a northern barbarian warrior, what resided inside his head was the reasoning of a modern human who had lived on Earth.
In that regard, these past days had truly been like hell.
Not only was surviving the harsh snowfield bare-handed not enough, but he also had to deal with monsters that constantly attacked humans, all while constantly sparring with other warriors in the tribe to hone his martial skills.
And fitting for a culture that considered such toughness its primary value, there was a tradition of according the highest treatment to whoever proved to be the most capable warrior.
Right now, even the Great Warrior standing in front of him looked at him with affection as if gazing upon a biological son he had raised with his own hands.
'......Didn't he throw his actual biological son into the wild because the kid was sickly?'
Fitting for northern barbarians who held survival of the fittest as their supreme value, their customs were truly terrifying.
However, the notable point was that ever since Yurik reincarnated into this world, this was an environment he was more than grateful for rather than one to complain about.
Because according to what he remembered, these northern barbarians were actually one of the pretty decent 'starting points'.
At the very least, didn't this place possess some semblance of civilization?
The empire beyond this north that he remembered was a living hellscape that made even tribes with such brutal behaviors look peaceful.
'This place is a dark fantasy world, after all.'
The popular dark fantasy game series 'Lost Soul'.
When the memories of his past life first flooded in, he had been half-doubting, but after observing over several years, the place he currently inhabited was undoubtedly the world inside that game.
'Ulssen Continent, Valheim Empire, and these northern barbarians...... There's no mistaking it.'
Every single one of them was an element from the game.
To the point where every element constituting this world was screaming that the continent he was treading upon was the world of Lost Soul.
A game focused on exploring a horrific world set against a backdrop where demons invaded and beat the world to absolute shreds.
A world where hellish landscapes drawn with madness by a lunatic painter were scattered everywhere, where humanity suffered eternally as playthings for evil gods fattening themselves on negative emotions from beyond the veil, and where such a future was permanently locked in unless the protagonist killed those evil gods' minions.
The 'Northern Barbarian Warrior' was one of the 'protagonist characters' chosen by players entering such a world.
"......"
And although it wasn't certain.
The problem was that the title of 'protagonist' might be a fate bestowed upon Yurik.
Because he, possessing memories of his past life, might be the only one who could stop the time bombs planted all across the world.
The Ulssen Continent of Lost Soul was grim enough as it was, but there were even 'Seeds of Ruin' planted all over the world by the evil gods.
A result where everyone, including Yurik, would die awaited unless they were cleaned up quickly within the time limit.
......Of all the places to fall into, he just had to land in a world building like this. When there must have been plenty of worlds where he could enjoy life so much more.
That was also why he possessed a 'sense of purpose' beyond simply killing monsters, surviving the snowfield, and becoming a strong warrior like the other barbarians.
He looked around at the scenery of the surrounding snowfield where the warriors stood lined up.
'Becoming the top warrior of the snowfield is just the first step toward survival......'
Being chosen as the greatest warrior of the snowfield and venturing out into the broader world of the empire to prove his worth was the background possessed by the barbarian warrior as a protagonist character.
Exerting double, even triple the effort compared to others to grow into the supreme warrior was all to stand at the very first starting line to save this world.
Since the world might go to shit anyway if he didn't do it, he didn't feel particularly cheated. He had to do whatever it took to survive.
The only problem was...
'......Which installment's timeline is this place in?'
Lost Soul was a work with multiple series entries, proving its massive popularity.
While all sharing the exact same worldview, there were subtle differences in the detailed aspects.
Although the 'game knowledge' inside his head encompassed all those series as one, unfortunately, the 'Northern Barbarian Warrior' he belonged to had the exact same starting line across every single series. There wasn't even a clue to deduce it from.
Depending on which installment he was inside, his course of action was bound to change drastically.
Would it be Part 1, where the world was slightly ruined; Part 2, where it began to go to shit in earnest; or Part 3, after it was completely destroyed......
'Please let it be Part 1, please Part 1, please Part 1......'
The hardship I've suffered so far rolling around among these bastards here in the north is more than enough.
I'll figure out surviving on my own somehow, so please assign me an easy difficulty.
Let me coast through smoothly. Let me suffer less.
"......Your eyes are overflowing with murderous intent, Yurik Bator. Were you planning to kill something in the meantime?"
"......"
This damn sinister mug of his easily invited such misunderstandings all the time, even when his mind was filled with pathetic, piteous thoughts.
Judging by past experience, the moment he opened his mouth to make an excuse, the situation was bound to get worse. It was better to stay still.
Seeing him not denying anything, the Great Warrior nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Seeing that spirit, your worth will be more than sufficient even when venturing into the wider world."
The Great Warrior then stepped closer to him and placed his hands on both of his shoulders.
Yurik tensed up completely.
Depending on 'where' this guy sent him right now, it would instantly decide which series he had dropped into.
"The snowfields resolve to send you to the Imperial Academy!"
"......?"
Although he didn't let it show on his expression, Yurik's head immediately filled with question marks upon hearing those words.
'Academy......?'
The Ulssen Continent was supposed to be smashed to absolute pieces by the descent of evil gods around this timeline.
Every single faction resembling a proper kingdom should be engulfed in such total chaos that they'd be turned to mush, making it normal for him to be thrown straight into war as soon as he crossed over to the continent—yet an academy?
'......Was there ever a start like this across any of the past series?'
He didn't think there was one in his memory.
However, Yurik set such questions aside for a moment, proudly raised his head, and looked at the Great Warrior.
"Glory to the tribe."
It was do or die.
Either way, if he didn't do something, the world had a high probability of going down the drain.
Now that he had come this far, there was no turning back. If there were suspicious points, he'd just have to face them head-on and figure them out.
'Because there's no doubt it's a horrific continent.'
Most likely, the Ulssen Continent would be exactly as he remembered it.
Just on the path heading from the north to the empire, a bloody journey packed with bandits, man-eating monsters, and insane criminals would be waiting.
He would have to brace himself thoroughly.
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Right.
......It clearly should have been like that.
"Welcome to the Valheim Empire, warrior of the north!"
"......"
"Make yourself comfortable and enjoy your stay!"
"............"
Yurik stared blankly at the coachman who greeted him cheerily.
He was an affable-looking, middle-aged coachman.
In the Ulssen Continent he remembered, it should have been normal for someone to charge at him with a rusty dagger demanding travel money before even uttering a greeting like this.
"............?"
Even weirder was the appearance of the Valheim Empire he had arrived at.
On the street bathed in warm sunshine, carriages loaded with flowers and the sweet scent of a bakery drifted gently.
Countless people walked through the streets, their faces filled with nothing but relaxed peacefulness.
The conversation shared by noble ladies passing near Yurik, tilting their lace parasols, lazily brushed past his ears.
"Oh my goodness, that young master stepped on the hem of my dress three whole times yesterday!"
"My, wasn't that an excuse to strike up a conversation rather than a mistake?"
The giggling laughter of the noble ladies echoed across the peaceful cobblestone street like clear bells.
No matter who looked at it.
It was a terribly peaceful sight.
".............................."
Something.
......Something was wrong.
'......Wasn't this a dark fantasy game?'
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[ Game · Industry Category ]
[ Front Page Article ]
'Lost Soul' Sold Off After Developer Embezzlement Scandal... Reborn from Dark Fantasy into Romance Fantasy
F Software CEO Incurs Massive Losses Investing in Stocks with Company Funds
F Software CEO Incurs Massive Losses Investing in Stocks with Company Funds
A Games, Having Acquired Core IP: "Developing New Title Reinterpreting Original Worldview"
'Lost Soul', once rated as a representative domestic dark fantasy game, is being reborn as a romance fantasy game following the bankruptcy of its original developer and the sale of its intellectual property.
According to the gaming industry, A Games, which specialized in developing otome games, recently acquired the trademark rights, copyrights, and intellectual property rights related to characters and the worldview of the 'Lost Soul' franchise previously held by F Software. The acquisition amount was not disclosed in accordance with a non-disclosure agreement between the two companies.
A Games stated that they would build a world that existing fans of 'Lost Soul' could also enjoy without any sense of dissonance, but intense backlash centered around the existing fandom is......
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