Chapter 3: Tutorial (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 3: Tutorial (2)
Barbarian.
The first time I ever played a character of this class, the weapon I chose was the Greatsword. The reason? Because it was cool. I had pictured how cool it would be to wield a sword in both hands and spin it around like crazy in the middle of an enemy camp.
The problem is, they die too easily.
Fascinated by barbarians, I started doing my own research. How could I keep a barbarian alive? Despite many attempts, my barbarian characters still died much too easily. No matter how durable they were, they all turned into berserkers. It was like I was walking a tightrope during every battle. This made the barbarians unpredictable characters to play.
Then, at some point, I started to feel skeptical.
Do I really have to use him as a damage dealer?
Barbarians were the most durable of all the classes, and their max strength potential was also high, which meant they could wear adamantium. Although their special skill stats were not as good as a dwarf's, barbarians had the basic skills of a tank. Though, to be honest, I didn't really want to be a barbarian tank. But I also didn't want all that time spent researching barbarians to go to waste, so I tried it out. And after a bit of trial and error, I created my own character build.
What is this broken character?
Without thinking twice, I abandoned the dwarf that I had originally used as a tank. So what if you couldn't fight a flashy fight? I had always valued efficiency and was a gamer who could set aside personal taste in pursuit of strategy. Just like I was deciding to now.
Thud.
When I returned to my place after choosing a weapon, I could feel the other barbarians looking at me.
What, you've never seen a barbarian holding a shield before?
I returned to my spot with a dignified, unflinching expression on my face, just like a true barbarian. There was no need to put on an act this time.
"Next!"
I had no regrets about my decision for three reasons:
One, of the starting weapon options, the shield was the most expensive when resold.
Two, there was a strong possibility that even if I were holding a sword in my hand right now, I would not be able to wield it properly.
Three, I was ultimately pursuing a shield barbarian build.
I had made the most rational decision I could make today.
"With this, you have become a warrior!"
After choosing a weapon and going back to my spot, I was finally given some time to think. While the other barbarians went through their coming-of-age ceremonies, I decided to speculate on how I had gotten into this situation. I should really have thought about this earlier, but... well, what could I do?
I had been too busy saving my own life.
[You have reached the abyss.]
Let's summarize the course of events. I had reached the final boss's lair. That had more than likely been the trigger.
Wait a minute. Then who was the other guy who died earlier? Does that mean he was someone who also reached the final boss's lair?
...Maybe he had. There were a lot of people in the world, and some of them were bound to be weird like me. Let's skip that part for now.
[Tutorial complete.]
I interpreted that particular message to mean the following: I've taught you everything I need to teach you, so use this knowledge to survive. I didn't know who it was who wrote that, but they had to be a vicious bastard. If they had really wanted me to survive, they should have included an explanation of the 'evil spirit' situation.
I had almost been killed on arrival for that. Asshole.
"Ha..."
Maybe it was because I was inside the body of a barbarian, but I was having a hard time controlling my emotions like usual. For that reason, I abandoned that train of thought. Getting excited might lead to trouble, and it wasn't like me to think about the reasons and get stressed out.
What had happened had already happened and there was no turning back. It was more productive to focus my energy on thinking about how to get through this situation.
So... Okay, let's just think about that for now.
How do I survive this?
***
The coming-of-age ceremony had ended, and I was currently walking through the woods. The chieftain was out in front, and the young barbarians were behind him. Everyone seemed to be having fun, almost like they were going on a picnic. But I couldn't laugh with them... because I knew their final destination.
"Halt!"
The place we arrived at after passing through the thick forest was a castle wall that was easily a hundred feet tall.
"Open the door!"
The castle gate opened with the sound of crude gears grinding. The speed was slow enough to make you yawn. But the young barbarians watched the sight like they had forgotten how to breathe. It was in this strange silence that a gray city finally appeared beyond the gates.
"Rafdonia..."
At that moment, at least, the gleam in my eyes probably did not look much different from that of the others. Organized roads and stone buildings, along with a towering spire that could be seen piercing into the sky. I had never dreamed that I would see in real life this image that I had only ever seen in the illustration on the loading screen.
God damn it.
"Warriors!"
As the door opened, the chief of the tribe turned around and shouted at us. I had hoped he would provide some words of wisdom before sending us off, but...
"Leave! Your destiny is out there!"
There was no need for boring speeches when it came to barbarians.
"Ahh!"
The barbarians who had just entered adulthood ran into the city shouting. I didn't want to, but I shouted and followed after them. There were probably people sleeping soundly inside those dimly lit buildings, but what did that matter?
I was a barbarian.
Boom!
The sound of the gate closing could be heard behind us. Of course, none of the barbarians cared. The overly excited group ran for a long time before finally calming and slowing down. Only then was I able to pick up my train of thought.
I felt conflicting emotions.
I felt fear of the situation I had found myself in, but also a kind of anticipation at becoming a part of the world of my favorite game. It was a little ridiculous. It was just a little while ago that I decided to focus solely on surviving, yet these emotions still bloomed. I definitely couldn't be normal. Although I was nothing compared to these savage bastards.
"Halt!" The leader-type barbarian running at the forefront of the group stopped, turned around, and proudly shouted, "I think I have lost my way!"
The barbarians murmured amongst themselves at the shocking confession.
I had almost been killed on arrival for that. Asshole.
"Ha..."
Maybe it was because I was inside the body of a barbarian, but I was having a hard time controlling my emotions like usual. For that reason, I abandoned that train of thought. Getting excited might lead to trouble, and it wasn't like me to think about the reasons and get stressed out.
What had happened had already happened and there was no turning back. It was more productive to focus my energy on thinking about how to get through this situation.
So... Okay, let's just think about that for now.
How do I survive this?
***
The coming-of-age ceremony had ended, and I was currently walking through the woods. The chieftain was out in front, and the young barbarians were behind him. Everyone seemed to be having fun, almost like they were going on a picnic. But I couldn't laugh with them... because I knew their final destination.
"Halt!"
The place we arrived at after passing through the thick forest was a castle wall that was easily a hundred feet tall.
"Open the door!"
The castle gate opened with the sound of crude gears grinding. The speed was slow enough to make you yawn. But the young barbarians watched the sight like they had forgotten how to breathe. It was in this strange silence that a gray city finally appeared beyond the gates.
"Rafdonia..."
At that moment, at least, the gleam in my eyes probably did not look much different from that of the others. Organized roads and stone buildings, along with a towering spire that could be seen piercing into the sky. I had never dreamed that I would see in real life this image that I had only ever seen in the illustration on the loading screen.
God damn it.
"Warriors!"
As the door opened, the chief of the tribe turned around and shouted at us. I had hoped he would provide some words of wisdom before sending us off, but...
"Leave! Your destiny is out there!"
There was no need for boring speeches when it came to barbarians.
"Ahh!"
The barbarians who had just entered adulthood ran into the city shouting. I didn't want to, but I shouted and followed after them. There were probably people sleeping soundly inside those dimly lit buildings, but what did that matter?
I was a barbarian.
Boom!
The sound of the gate closing could be heard behind us. Of course, none of the barbarians cared. The overly excited group ran for a long time before finally calming and slowing down. Only then was I able to pick up my train of thought.
I felt conflicting emotions.
I felt fear of the situation I had found myself in, but also a kind of anticipation at becoming a part of the world of my favorite game. It was a little ridiculous. It was just a little while ago that I decided to focus solely on surviving, yet these emotions still bloomed. I definitely couldn't be normal. Although I was nothing compared to these savage bastards.
"Halt!" The leader-type barbarian running at the forefront of the group stopped, turned around, and proudly shouted, "I think I have lost my way!"
The barbarians murmured amongst themselves at the shocking confession.
"Fanun's third son, Karak, has led us astray!"
"He is not qualified to be a leader!"
"You have to take responsibility!"
Bullshit. You guys all followed him willingly. Was this what barbarian society looked like? Cold-hearted.
"I understand. Stop. I will admit that I am not worthy and will step down as the leader."
Karak, Fanun's second or third son, bowed his head deeply and returned to the group. A female barbarian was appointed as the next leader.
"Ainar, the second daughter of Fenelin!"
"Wise Ainar will lead us down the right path!"
The female barbarian took the lead and smiled at the encouraging words. However, it didn't take long for her to follow in the footsteps of the previous leader.
"...I think I have lost my way."
Their words were shockingly identical.
"Unbelievable! We must get to the labyrinth within the set time!"
"Ainar is not qualified to be a leader!"
"That's right!"
Distressed, the barbarians began to urgently discuss who they should nominate as the third leader.
"I think the second son of Tetran would be a good choice."
"No. I don't think so. Instead..."
Were these kids brainless? Did they really not realize that no matter who took the lead, they wouldn't reach their destination like this?
At this rate, it might end up being my turn.
I quietly fell back from the group and approached the second leader. Standing at around six feet tall, she stood slightly away from the group with a disheartened look on her face.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel? Did you come to blame me, too?"
No way. To me, they were all the same. As I shook my head, the female barbarian cocked hers.
"Then why? I don't need comforting."
"No. I have come to show you how to find the way."
"...Is that true? How?"
I lifted my hand and pointed in a direction.
"You just have to follow them."
"Just follow them?"
She looked like she didn't believe me. Exercising my patience, I explained it logically, step by step. This was a city in the middle of the night. All the lights on the streets were turned off. However, despite it being late at night, there were quite a few people on the streets. The people were all dressed in armor rather than everyday clothes. Where could they be heading?
"Certainly... That makes sense. I will give it a try."
The female barbarian returned to the group and shouted, "I have found a way!" The barbarians stopped the voting process for the third leader and cheered.
"Yes, Ainar!"
"Wise warrior!"
Anyway, the group started moving again. It seemed we were going the right way, as more and more armed people appeared in the area as time went on. At some point, I started to see a bunch of lights in the distance, shining in all directions. If we'd come this far, at least we wouldn't lose our way.
"It's the labyrinth! I see the labyrinth!"
"The Dimension of Divine Battle!"
One of my biggest concerns right now was whether entering the labyrinth was the right decision.
"Fanun's third son, Karak, has led us astray!"
"He is not qualified to be a leader!"
"You have to take responsibility!"
Bullshit. You guys all followed him willingly. Was this what barbarian society looked like? Cold-hearted.
"I understand. Stop. I will admit that I am not worthy and will step down as the leader."
Karak, Fanun's second or third son, bowed his head deeply and returned to the group. A female barbarian was appointed as the next leader.
"Ainar, the second daughter of Fenelin!"
"Wise Ainar will lead us down the right path!"
The female barbarian took the lead and smiled at the encouraging words. However, it didn't take long for her to follow in the footsteps of the previous leader.
"...I think I have lost my way."
Their words were shockingly identical.
"Unbelievable! We must get to the labyrinth within the set time!"
"Ainar is not qualified to be a leader!"
"That's right!"
Distressed, the barbarians began to urgently discuss who they should nominate as the third leader.
"I think the second son of Tetran would be a good choice."
"No. I don't think so. Instead..."
Were these kids brainless? Did they really not realize that no matter who took the lead, they wouldn't reach their destination like this?
At this rate, it might end up being my turn.
I quietly fell back from the group and approached the second leader. Standing at around six feet tall, she stood slightly away from the group with a disheartened look on her face.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel? Did you come to blame me, too?"
No way. To me, they were all the same. As I shook my head, the female barbarian cocked hers.
"Then why? I don't need comforting."
"No. I have come to show you how to find the way."
"...Is that true? How?"
I lifted my hand and pointed in a direction.
"You just have to follow them."
"Just follow them?"
She looked like she didn't believe me. Exercising my patience, I explained it logically, step by step. This was a city in the middle of the night. All the lights on the streets were turned off. However, despite it being late at night, there were quite a few people on the streets. The people were all dressed in armor rather than everyday clothes. Where could they be heading?
"Certainly... That makes sense. I will give it a try."
The female barbarian returned to the group and shouted, "I have found a way!" The barbarians stopped the voting process for the third leader and cheered.
"Yes, Ainar!"
"Wise warrior!"
Anyway, the group started moving again. It seemed we were going the right way, as more and more armed people appeared in the area as time went on. At some point, I started to see a bunch of lights in the distance, shining in all directions. If we'd come this far, at least we wouldn't lose our way.
"It's the labyrinth! I see the labyrinth!"
"The Dimension of Divine Battle!"
One of my biggest concerns right now was whether entering the labyrinth was the right decision.
"I feel it! The labyrinth is calling my soul!"
The barbarians, who were at the crux of excitement, wouldn't notice if I snuck out of the pack. That way, I wouldn't have to enter the labyrinth or fight monsters to the death. However, even though I knew that better than anyone, I knew doing that would not resolve my dilemma.
Because I know running away isn't the solution.
Dungeon and Stone had a tax system. From the age of twenty onward, all city dwellers were required to pay taxes, and failure to pay taxes was punishable by death. Hearing that would probably make you think this was a stupid game, but when you learned about the universe of the game, you realized that the system was quite justified.
I don't think it's something to worry about right now, but...
"Ainar! Let's speed up!"
"Ohh!!"
Anyway, I had to make money. Of course, my method of doing so didn't necessarily have to be entering the labyrinth and fighting monsters. If I found work at a tavern, I wouldn't have any issues finding a place to eat and sleep... unless, of course, I was a barbarian.
Barbarians were the only characters who were given a weapon from the very beginning of the game. This was for a very simple reason...
"Barbarian? I'm sorry. I already found someone."
"Go away! There's nothing for a barbarian here! What are you going to break this time?"
Barbarians could not have ordinary jobs. Due to the way the game was set up, there was no way for barbarians to earn a living other than fighting monsters in labyrinths. Well, I wasn't sure how things would play out in real life, though. I could possibly find a job more easily than I thought I could. But breaking away from the group on just that hunch was not sitting right with me.
"Ten minutes left until closing. Hurry inside!"
The labyrinth in the game only opened once a month. In other words, if I didn't enter this time, I would have to survive in this city for a month. But what if I couldn't find a job at that time? What if no one was willing to hire a barbarian?
The future was bleak. Even if I survived a week on the food provided by the chieftain, I would have to survive the remainder of the time on food scraps and trash. I might even starve to death before then.
One thing was certain. Even if I survived that, it would change my body completely from its current state.
"I will be the first to go in!"
"No! I'm first!"
Hunger, the cold, and sleeping in unsanitary conditions... I knew better than anyone how devastating these things were to the human body. So, if I was going to have to go in anyway, the most logical thing to do was to enter now while I was in top condition.
The problem is that it might just be cutting my life even shorter.
I was deep in thought when someone grabbed my shoulder.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
When I looked, it was that female barbarian. Her name was...
"Ainar, third daughter of Fenelin."
"Second daughter."
Anyway, what did she want from me?
"All the other warriors have already entered the labyrinth. The only ones who haven't entered yet are you and I."
"Ah."
No wonder it was suddenly quiet. Looking around, there were not many people left in the square, let alone other barbarians. Ainar, as the second leader of the group, seemed to have come to check in with me because I was standing there unmoving.
"I feel it! The labyrinth is calling my soul!"
The barbarians, who were at the crux of excitement, wouldn't notice if I snuck out of the pack. That way, I wouldn't have to enter the labyrinth or fight monsters to the death. However, even though I knew that better than anyone, I knew doing that would not resolve my dilemma.
Because I know running away isn't the solution.
Dungeon and Stone had a tax system. From the age of twenty onward, all city dwellers were required to pay taxes, and failure to pay taxes was punishable by death. Hearing that would probably make you think this was a stupid game, but when you learned about the universe of the game, you realized that the system was quite justified.
I don't think it's something to worry about right now, but...
"Ainar! Let's speed up!"
"Ohh!!"
Anyway, I had to make money. Of course, my method of doing so didn't necessarily have to be entering the labyrinth and fighting monsters. If I found work at a tavern, I wouldn't have any issues finding a place to eat and sleep... unless, of course, I was a barbarian.
Barbarians were the only characters who were given a weapon from the very beginning of the game. This was for a very simple reason...
"Barbarian? I'm sorry. I already found someone."
"Go away! There's nothing for a barbarian here! What are you going to break this time?"
Barbarians could not have ordinary jobs. Due to the way the game was set up, there was no way for barbarians to earn a living other than fighting monsters in labyrinths. Well, I wasn't sure how things would play out in real life, though. I could possibly find a job more easily than I thought I could. But breaking away from the group on just that hunch was not sitting right with me.
"Ten minutes left until closing. Hurry inside!"
The labyrinth in the game only opened once a month. In other words, if I didn't enter this time, I would have to survive in this city for a month. But what if I couldn't find a job at that time? What if no one was willing to hire a barbarian?
The future was bleak. Even if I survived a week on the food provided by the chieftain, I would have to survive the remainder of the time on food scraps and trash. I might even starve to death before then.
One thing was certain. Even if I survived that, it would change my body completely from its current state.
"I will be the first to go in!"
"No! I'm first!"
Hunger, the cold, and sleeping in unsanitary conditions... I knew better than anyone how devastating these things were to the human body. So, if I was going to have to go in anyway, the most logical thing to do was to enter now while I was in top condition.
The problem is that it might just be cutting my life even shorter.
I was deep in thought when someone grabbed my shoulder.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
When I looked, it was that female barbarian. Her name was...
"Ainar, third daughter of Fenelin."
"Second daughter."
Anyway, what did she want from me?
"All the other warriors have already entered the labyrinth. The only ones who haven't entered yet are you and I."
"Ah."
No wonder it was suddenly quiet. Looking around, there were not many people left in the square, let alone other barbarians. Ainar, as the second leader of the group, seemed to have come to check in with me because I was standing there unmoving.
"We need to hurry. Since we arrived late, there is not much time."
At that, I raised my head and looked straight ahead. The portal, which previously emitted an intense light even from a distance, had noticeably decreased in size. Just then, the guide informed us of the remaining time once more.
"Five minutes until closing!"
Five minutes... it was tighter than I had thought. I was going to have to make a decision soon.
"Head inside first. I will follow behind you."
"Okay."
Ainar nodded and headed toward the portal, which just compounded my troubles.
So, what should I do now?
As someone who thoroughly favored efficiency, I preferred to do things quickly, but it was not easy to decide in this particular instance. Unlike a game, my actual life depended on this.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
I was about to take an involuntary step backward when Ainar, who had been walking forward, suddenly turned around.
"Thank you for earlier."
"...There's nothing to thank me for."
"And there is one thing I want to ask you."
Anything other than my mother's name, sure. I nodded, and Ainar asked in a completely sincere voice, "How can I be wise like you? I've never seen a barbarian as smart as you in my life. I want to be like you."
How to be smart? That was a really difficult question to answer. To be honest, I wondered if the quickest method for them would be to be reborn... No, wait, why was I even thinking about this? Just throw her a vague answer and send her on her way.
"You have to always think before you act."
"Hmm, I see!"
I had said it without much thought, but Ainar took in my words with a serious expression on her face. And then she said something a little unexpected.
"Thank you for your advice. If I return from the labyrinth, I will repay you."
What do you mean if? I wondered.
That sounded far too strange coming out of a barbarian's mouth. So, despite my usual efficient personality, I asked her an unnecessary question.
"...Are you afraid of dying?"
"Isn't it obvious? Of course, I'm afraid to die. The other warriors probably are as well, even if they don't show it."
Is that right? To be honest, her words didn't make sense to me. The barbarians in the game couldn't feel fear, and they didn't seem much different in reality either. When I fell silent, Ainar added, "We were born warriors. If we don't fight, we die."
Her tone was clumsy and rigid, but somehow I could completely understand what she was trying to say.
"I see."
Because they were born barbarians, they didn't have a choice. Just like me.
If they didn't kill the monsters in the labyrinth, they wouldn't be able to survive in this city, which was why they learned how to overcome their fears from an early age. Yes, that was all. That was why they took the form of savages.
"I hope to see you alive, Bjorn, son of Yandel."
Ainar soon entered the portal.
"One minute left until closing!" said the guide.
Now, nothing was holding me back. Just my decision. Just like the line that had appeared onscreen when I was about to enter the final boss's lair, I had two options.
[Yes/No]
My jumbled-up thoughts cleared up.
Yeah, I'd rather think of it as playing a game.
Whenever I played games, I always played with an emphasis on efficiency for the sake of a goal. Before moving, I always weighed the odds first and always moved forward with the next step in mind. If I judged that my actions would eventually result in a loss, even if there was an immediate benefit, I would choose "No." Otherwise, I would choose "Yes." So, there was never really a question of what I would do.
"The gate will be closed soon! Stand back!"
I ran forward. Deep down, fear was boiling over inside of me just like when the chieftain had called my name. Needless to say, after being sickly for my entire life, I did not have even the slightest bit of fighting experience. And to face off against monsters? My knees were already shaking.
"Wait, it's dangerous!"
However, now I had a chance. Right now, I had the body of a ridiculously strong barbarian, and the knowledge gained from leveling thousands of characters. Above all else, I had the ultimate goal of surviving this. So, I had no choice.
Even though I knew better than anyone that this was a decision that could lead to terrible consequences and one that no sane person would choose, I had made up my mind—
[You have entered the first floor of the crystal cave.]
—that this was the most logical thing to do.
"We need to hurry. Since we arrived late, there is not much time."
At that, I raised my head and looked straight ahead. The portal, which previously emitted an intense light even from a distance, had noticeably decreased in size. Just then, the guide informed us of the remaining time once more.
"Five minutes until closing!"
Five minutes... it was tighter than I had thought. I was going to have to make a decision soon.
"Head inside first. I will follow behind you."
"Okay."
Ainar nodded and headed toward the portal, which just compounded my troubles.
So, what should I do now?
As someone who thoroughly favored efficiency, I preferred to do things quickly, but it was not easy to decide in this particular instance. Unlike a game, my actual life depended on this.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
I was about to take an involuntary step backward when Ainar, who had been walking forward, suddenly turned around.
"Thank you for earlier."
"...There's nothing to thank me for."
"And there is one thing I want to ask you."
Anything other than my mother's name, sure. I nodded, and Ainar asked in a completely sincere voice, "How can I be wise like you? I've never seen a barbarian as smart as you in my life. I want to be like you."
How to be smart? That was a really difficult question to answer. To be honest, I wondered if the quickest method for them would be to be reborn... No, wait, why was I even thinking about this? Just throw her a vague answer and send her on her way.
"You have to always think before you act."
"Hmm, I see!"
I had said it without much thought, but Ainar took in my words with a serious expression on her face. And then she said something a little unexpected.
"Thank you for your advice. If I return from the labyrinth, I will repay you."
What do you mean if? I wondered.
That sounded far too strange coming out of a barbarian's mouth. So, despite my usual efficient personality, I asked her an unnecessary question.
"...Are you afraid of dying?"
"Isn't it obvious? Of course, I'm afraid to die. The other warriors probably are as well, even if they don't show it."
Is that right? To be honest, her words didn't make sense to me. The barbarians in the game couldn't feel fear, and they didn't seem much different in reality either. When I fell silent, Ainar added, "We were born warriors. If we don't fight, we die."
Her tone was clumsy and rigid, but somehow I could completely understand what she was trying to say.
"I see."
Because they were born barbarians, they didn't have a choice. Just like me.
If they didn't kill the monsters in the labyrinth, they wouldn't be able to survive in this city, which was why they learned how to overcome their fears from an early age. Yes, that was all. That was why they took the form of savages.
"I hope to see you alive, Bjorn, son of Yandel."
Ainar soon entered the portal.
"One minute left until closing!" said the guide.
Now, nothing was holding me back. Just my decision. Just like the line that had appeared onscreen when I was about to enter the final boss's lair, I had two options.
[Yes/No]
My jumbled-up thoughts cleared up.
Yeah, I'd rather think of it as playing a game.
Whenever I played games, I always played with an emphasis on efficiency for the sake of a goal. Before moving, I always weighed the odds first and always moved forward with the next step in mind. If I judged that my actions would eventually result in a loss, even if there was an immediate benefit, I would choose "No." Otherwise, I would choose "Yes." So, there was never really a question of what I would do.
"The gate will be closed soon! Stand back!"
I ran forward. Deep down, fear was boiling over inside of me just like when the chieftain had called my name. Needless to say, after being sickly for my entire life, I did not have even the slightest bit of fighting experience. And to face off against monsters? My knees were already shaking.
"Wait, it's dangerous!"
However, now I had a chance. Right now, I had the body of a ridiculously strong barbarian, and the knowledge gained from leveling thousands of characters. Above all else, I had the ultimate goal of surviving this. So, I had no choice.
Even though I knew better than anyone that this was a decision that could lead to terrible consequences and one that no sane person would choose, I had made up my mind—
[You have entered the first floor of the crystal cave.]
—that this was the most logical thing to do.