Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

I’m once again walking through the ruins of District 7.

Wearing the slightly “special” outfit that Amelia gave me.

Trudge, trudge.

As I walk down this uneven path that can hardly even be called a street, I spot soldiers busily moving about, but none of them show any particular interest in me.

No—more accurately, they glance over once with a look like, “Did I see that wrong?” and go right back to what they were doing.

All thanks to what I’m wearing today.

“Crimson Formalwear.”

An equipment-type item you can get from within a rift, like the “Golden Mask” I once obtained from the Blood Fortress.

It has no bonus stats or combat effects.

Its only function is to let the wearer alter their body shape however they want.

Even so, this formalwear is extremely rare.

It’s only obtainable from the 9th-floor rift.

“And the hidden piece condition was so bizarre, it’s not something you can just go out and farm.”

Thinking it might come in handy someday, I kept checking the auction house regularly and asked around, but ever since I woke up in this body, not once has this item ever appeared on the market.

And then Amelia shows up out of nowhere, tosses it to me, and walks off—how could I not be shocked?

“Seriously, where did you even get this?”

I couldn’t contain my curiosity and kept asking the same question over and over. Amelia’s facial muscles twitched slightly.

At first, I wondered if she was annoyed by the repetition, but I quickly realized it was the opposite.

“Hmm…”

She just wanted to keep watching my fascinated reaction a bit longer.

“It’s nothing that important. Why are you so curious?”

“You show up with something I’ve spent forever trying to find, and you think I wouldn’t be curious?”

Apparently satisfied with my reaction, Amelia finally told me where the Crimson Formalwear came from.

“I asked Astarotta Berun. Asked if I could borrow it for a while if she had it.”

“Ah…”

Well, I guess if it’s the royal family, they might have one lying around.

The answer was more anticlimactic than I expected, but my chest still felt a little warm inside.

She went out of her way to meet with that girl just for me.

“Thanks.”

“…Don’t mention it.”

“But, uh… if I lost it and said ‘too bad,’ that wouldn’t fly, right?”

As soon as she mentioned it was borrowed, I felt a bit disappointed and tried hinting. Amelia gave me a look like I was pathetic.

“Do you think someone like her would let that slide?”

Hmm. Well… she does give off pushover vibes sometimes…

Still, you never know.

“…Fine. I’ll make sure to return it properly later.”

“Good. Better not give her an excuse. The royal family’s way is: you give one thing, they take two.”

After that, we crossed through District 7 while chatting about this and that.

That alone was enough to lift my spirits.

Just being reduced to average height was enough that no one recognized me.

‘Nice…’

At the same time, I felt a strange sense of liberation—but also a slight heaviness in my chest as I looked around.

District 7, which now feels like home, has been smashed to pieces once again.

Even worse than during the first invasion.

The eastern region was completely burned to ash, and two strikes of Urae hit the center of the district.

‘Still… I guess it’s better off than District 8, which was completely incinerated…?’

Anyway, several districts were devastated by this war, and District 4 even fell into the enemy’s hands, so this already cramped city became even tighter.

In fact, the remaining districts alone aren’t enough to house all the displaced residents, so apparently the royal family is even considering temporarily opening up Gnomtree.

‘And in the middle of all that… a festival, huh.’

I can’t help but wonder.

Just what exactly is this festival supposed to celebrate?

The refugees who lost their homes surely aren’t in any position to enjoy it.

The ones who didn’t lose anything… no, the ones who lost less—is it a festival for them?

I don’t know.

Honestly, screw the festival—I’d rather get back to doing what needs to be done.

But well… there’s someone who said ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) she’d leave the clan if I didn’t go with her.

‘…Can’t be helped, I guess.’

That’s what I was thinking as I crossed this city now reduced to ashes and rubble.

Trudge, trudge…

Even if it all seems destroyed, eventually, it will be filled again.

“……”

Just like it always has been.

***

District 5 was just as festive as I expected.

To be honest, I thought there’d be some lingering gloom from the war, but sure enough, the streets were packed, and the voices of merchants and passersby were full of energy.

And that sight felt a little out of place.

District 5, aside from District 4, was the only area that actually turned into a battlefield.

Naturally, the restoration work wasn’t even close to finished.

“Watch your step! There’s a big hole up ahead!”

On the outskirts of District 5, broken roads and collapsed buildings were still easy to spot, yet for some reason this festival had people out smiling since morning.

Still, I chose to think of it as positively as possible.

‘It’s not like they’re truly happy either.’

These people probably just came out to forget reality for a little while.

Or maybe they’re here to fill their stomachs with the free booze and food the royal family is handing out in bulk.

“Yandel, what are you doing? Hurry up and follow me.”

“Ah… yeah, I’m coming.”

Even after entering District 5, I let Amelia take the lead. Knowing her, she probably had the day’s itinerary already—

‘…Huh?’

Suddenly, I felt a firm tug on my arm, freezing my body in place.

“Don’t pull back. Just come along. If we get separated, it’ll be hard to find you in this crowd. You’re short now, remember…”

“Ah… uh… r-right.”

It made perfect sense—if we got separated, I’d be hard to spot at this size. Convinced by the logic, I gave up resisting and let Amelia pull me through the crowd.

And then—

“Amelia… where exactly are we going right now?”

“Just wherever our feet take us.”

“Wait… don’t tell me you don’t actually have a plan?”

“…Sometimes that’s fine too, isn’t it?”

Seriously? I thought she had something in mind.

That’s why I cleared out my usual schedule to come along…

‘Well… it’s not bad, I guess…’

It was a little anticlimactic, but wandering around without a plan wasn’t the worst thing.

We strolled, watched people, ate anything that looked tasty, popped into weapon shops just to window-shop, and even got shocked at how much prices had inflated…

“…A transforming doll with three forms? It goes from goblin to orc to ogre?”

We stopped by Alminus Central Exchange and joined a limited-time auction event for the festival. I ended up getting smacked in the back by Amelia for wasting money on something stupid.

Even without a plan, we kept finding little things to do, and time passed quickly.

Lastly, we stopped by a pub to fill our stomachs…

“You fool, of course it’s Bjorn Yandel!!”

No sooner had we entered than I saw a drunk shouting my name while arguing with his group.

Coincidentally, their table was nearby, and since they were literally saying my name, I couldn’t help but overhear. The content was actually kind of interesting.

“Tell me, which explorer out there has accomplished more than Bjorn Yandel? The only reason we’re even able to laugh and drink right now is because he cut off that damned traitor’s head!”

“I’ll admit his achievements are great. But even so, I find it hard to believe Bjorn Yandel is the strongest. Take the great navigator Peakma—he left behind incredible feats, but his actual combat ability was said to be lacking.”

“…Peakma? You’re seriously comparing Bjorn Yandel to some navigator?”

“I didn’t mean it that way, I was just saying—”

The drunks were arguing about who the strongest person was.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a ‘Greatest of All Time’ debate that compared people from all eras, just a talk about who’s currently the best—‘Strongest Under Heaven.’

“Come on, Bjorn Yandel is more than qualified to be called the strongest.”

“Right? We all thought he was only good at group fights before, but this proved otherwise.”

“He took down that Evil Eye guy in one blow, didn’t he?”

“I heard he even took out the Corpse Collector…”

“And survived multiple strikes from Urae…”

Other drunkards nearby started chiming in, and the debate ended quickly.

“You were really focused on eavesdropping, huh?”

“Ah, sorry. It was just kind of fascinating.”

Hearing them talk made it hit home—public opinion had shifted.

Before, people praised my leadership, my courage, my spirit of sacrifice, and my achievements as an explorer. Now, they were acknowledging my raw combat power too.

‘Well, I guess I haven’t really had a one-on-one match like that with someone of such renown until now.’

The Goblin Forest battle that made me famous, the Ice Rock expedition—none of that was anything close to a one-on-one fight.

But this time, I beat someone as well-known as the Evil Eye—and I did it in front of everyone. The proof was undeniable.

“This topic’s actually pretty interesting. So, what do you think?”

“Hm?”

“Do you agree with their assessment?”

Tch. Why’s she asking me something like that out of nowhere?

I gave a short laugh and replied casually.

“Well… they’re not wrong.”

At this point, I can’t think of anyone I’d lose to.

***

The outing with Amelia started in the morning and wrapped up around early evening. Well, it was late evening by the time we returned to the Sanctuary.

Trudge, trudge.

After coming back, I quickly washed up and changed clothes, then stepped out for a walk. I didn’t have a destination in mind.

I just wandered around, letting the wind hit my face—and before I knew it, I arrived somewhere.

Coincidentally, someone else had gotten there first.

“Hikurod?”

“…Ah, Yandel. It’s you?”

“You said you were going out today too. When did you get back?”

“Just a little while ago. Thought I’d try to clear my head, but it didn’t work as well as I hoped. How about you?”

“…I think it helped, in its own way.”

“Haha, that’s good to hear.”

For some reason, the dwarf’s back looked even smaller than usual today. I sighed deeply and sat beside him.

“You’ve got another bottle, right? Hand it over.”

“A cup?”

“You actually carry cups around with you?”

“Haha, you really are something else…”

He passed me a bottle, and we drank quietly together for a while—until the dwarf opened his mouth again.

“Do you remember? That day on the third floor, the first time we all saw that sight together…”

“You mean the day Dwalke got scared out of his mind?”

“He was a pure soul. That was the first time he got attacked by raiders and realized how different ideals and reality really are.”

“Every explorer has to face that at some point… anyway, wasn’t that the night Rotmiller woke everyone up trying to comfort him?”

“I think he just wanted us to know—there are sad and painful things in the Labyrinth, yes, but there are also good things.”

“……”

“I still can’t believe how many years have passed since then.”

“…Me neither.”

The conversation trailed off, and for a long while we just drank in silence.

Then, once again, the dwarf spoke first.

“I’m getting a bit chilly with the buzz. I’ll head in first.”

He stumbled off unsteadily. I stood there for a moment longer before returning to my quarters in the Sanctuary.

But for some reason, there was someone waiting out front.

“Misha? What brings you here this late?”

Misha Kalstein.

One of the three remaining original Team Half-and-Half members—and my first love that never came to be…

‘Well, strictly speaking, maybe not really my first love?’

Sigh. Is it because I had a drink late at night?

Getting all sentimental and—

“Make time for me tomorrow… there’s somewhere I want to go too…”

“…Huh?”

“If you don’t come, I—I’ll leave the clan too!!”

…What kind of situation is this now?

Stunned, I stood there in disbelief, and Misha vanished before I could even reply.

“Haa…”

Seriously, what are these people even doing, taking turns like this…

Do they have some kind of secret group chat?

“At least tell me what time to meet…”

Well, I’ll just wake up early. That should do it.