Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Schrödinger’s cat.

It’s a well-known experiment from quantum mechanics, but to be honest, I don’t actually know the details.

As someone who came from the liberal arts, there’s only one thing I know.

Before you open the box, there are two possible futures, but the moment you observe it, one becomes fixed.

I still don’t really understand why that’s scientifically important, but this experiment at least taught me one lesson.

Sometimes, not knowing is a form of mercy.

Just like right now.

“…….”

I barely manage to swallow down the question rising in my throat.

A common name.

Could it be Hans?

If I ask, I’ll get an answer—and with it, the future will be set.

A quantum-choice gacha.

It’s nothing new, but I don’t trust my luck.

Yeah, so…….

‘This is far enough.’

It’s better not to know.

At least that way, there’s still the chance it’s not him.

Thump—!

I forcibly ignore the pounding in my chest and scan my surroundings.

「The character has entered a special area.」

All the bones that had been scattered across the floor, ceiling, and walls were gone, but the cave’s structure was exactly the same as before we took the portal.

“Let’s get out of here first.”

Passing by the tunnel where I’d caught that rat earlier and retracing the path in my memory, we exited the cave—and were greeted by a completely transformed new field.

A sky as red as blood.

Cracked, splintered earth.

And lava flowing through the fissures.

KWAHHHH—!

A field perfectly designed to fit the concept of “the apocalypse.”

Ah, and this place has a unique field effect too.

「Field Effect – Apocalypse is in effect.」

「Status Effect [Eternal Scorch] has been applied.」

「The character takes continuous flame damage, and that damage increases over time.」

Constant damage isn’t anything new, so whatever.

「Status Effect [Terminal Countdown] has been applied.」

「The character will die in 24 hours.」

Any character who enters the special field ‘Memory of the End’ dies in 24 hours.

Of course, there’s a way to stop it.

Honestly, you could just leave through the portal you came in from and the effect would disappear.

‘But once you leave, you can’t come back in.’

So the proper strategy is to explore this field and use the items you find to reset the timer…….

“This is the island……?”

“I’ve never seen something so terrifying in my life.”

As the team stared blankly at an island that looked like it was exploding like a bomb, they all wore dazed expressions.

Honestly, I felt the same.

There’s a big difference between 2D graphics and live action, after all.

“Don’t stray too far from me, all of you.”

Before we started the real exploration, I activated the Fire Orb to counter the [Eternal Scorch] field effect.

「Fire Orb has been activated.」

「Within a 15m radius, all continuous flame-based damage is reduced by 50%.」

The Fire Orb was one of the most reliable utility items in ‘Memory of the End.’

Sure, with enough time, even this won’t be enough……

‘But having it is basically the same as doubling our survival time.’

Ah, of course, that only applies if we deal with [Terminal Countdown] properly.

“All right, let’s go. As I said before—stand by. First, we’re leaving this island.”

“Huh? Leave the island?”

“You’ll see.”

I led the whole team toward the beach where we’d first landed by boat.

The shoreline had also changed drastically.

“Nothing but skeletons or seas of fire… This island really goes all out.”

It was like the whole island had turned into an active volcano. Lava flowed out, hardening into black rock as it hit the sea.

The smoke created from lava and seawater colliding made it hard to see anything.

With [Terminal Countdown] hanging over them, any ordinary explorer wouldn’t even think about heading farther out……

But seasoned players think differently.

Huh? You can summon the boat and actually leave the island?

Then obviously, there must be something hidden out there.

And that assumption turned out to be right.

Though it took hundreds of trial runs and hundreds of characters being wiped to figure it out.

Anyway.

“Then… I’ll set sail……!”

We all boarded the summoned boat on the beach. Its hull was caked in flame resistance, ready for this exact moment, and it pushed through the black smoke toward the ocean.

Swooooooshhh—!

The area of zero visibility caused by the smoke didn’t last long.

After moving in a straight line for a few minutes, the smoke started to lift, and when I looked back, I could see the island bursting apart.

“Where are we going now?”

“Oh? You didn’t hear?”

“You said we were going to find something, but you never said how we’d find it.”

Ah, right. I only told Auyen.

“We’re heading to Arta Island now.”

“…Arta Island?”

Raven tilted her head, then seemed to remember something and continued.

“Oh! That island! One of the Seven Mysteries of the Labyrinth! The little island with those three weird pillars standing there!”

“That’s the one.”

Arta Island had been well-known among explorers and mages for a long time.

I mean, come on.

No monsters, just a bunch of strange structures? Of course people thought something was hidden there……

“Wow! Then we’re going to uncover the secrets hidden on that island? Can I write a paper on it?”

“No.”

“But it’s one of the Seven Mysteries……”

“You can write it after I die. I won’t stop you then.”

“Hey, don’t say things like that… Even as a joke.”

Hmm, maybe I went too far with that one?

When Raven frowned seriously, I felt a little awkward too.

Though if we’re being honest, it wasn’t entirely a joke.

“Anyway, by clan rules, everything we discover on expeditions is confidential. If you want to write something, just take notes for now, and after we all retire, then you can write it. Got it?”

“Got it, got it…… I was just saying. But is that island nearby?”

The one who answered wasn’t me but Auyen, who was steering.

“Arta Island is the closest island to Catacoma, Lady Raven.”

“Really? Then why didn’t we see it on the way here?”

“Charting the most efficient route—that’s a navigator’s job.”

That’s exactly why I brought Auyen this far, even though he’s practically useless in combat.

We’d need a boat here.

I mean, even without a navigator, we could find Arta Island, but……

With [Terminal Countdown], saving even a little time is worth it.

Just like this.

「Auyen Rockrove has cast [Tailwind].」

「The ship’s movement speed increases by 50%, and all onboard characters’ soul energy recovers rapidly.」

「Auyen Rockrove has cast [Trade Route].」

「While the helm is fixed, the ship’s movement speed increases by 300%.」

「Auyen Rockrove has cast [Ghost Ship]……」

The ship was infused with powers, and our speed spiked.

Raven looked a bit surprised.

“…[Trade Route]? Wow, you really are a skilled navigator. That’s a rare Essence.”

“Haha… I just got that ability recently.”

“Huh? But the Labyrinth hasn’t opened. How’d you get it?”

“I used the marketplace. I spent all the money I had saved… but I had to do something to avoid dragging everyone down, right? Haha……”

“……You’ve been through a lot. Ending up in a place like this.”

“It’s all right. I’m happy to be here.”

Raven seemed to take a liking to Auyen and chatted with him for a while. I quietly stepped away, and Ainard came over.

“Bjorn! I’ve got a question!”

“Go ahead.”

“Where do you get those abilities from?”

Normally, I’d tell her to ask Raven, but since she was busy talking to Auyen, I answered instead.

“Some monsters sail ships.”

“Huh? I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“That’s because they appear in areas most people avoid.”

A good example is the Pirate Archipelago in the southwest sea, where orcs and goblins pilot ships and ambush explorers.

There’s also Ghost Island, where ghost ships roam the waters.

Ah, for reference, neither place lies on the route to the seventh floor, so we’ve never had a reason to pass through them before.

‘…Getting [Airship] would be impossible, right?’

For a second, I thought of the navigator’s final-tier Essence, which you can get on the 10th floor—but I quickly let it go.

If I could just get it, we’d be able to sail across every floor, not just the sixth, and future expeditions would take half the time……

But the monster that drops it only appears if you’re lucky.

And I’m not strong enough to kill it yet anyway.

“Captain! We’re within visual range!”

Snapped out of my thoughts by Auyen’s shout, I looked toward the bow.

In the distance was a small island.

No—more accurately, I saw three pillars.

“Oh… that’s one of the Labyrinth’s mysteries!”

A strange little island where the pillars felt bigger than the island itself.

“But… don’t they look kind of different from before?”

As Kaislan muttered, I noticed it too—there was a subtle change in the pillars on Arta Island.

Not a major one.

“Were those pillars… blue before?”

“No, they were black.”

The «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» once-black pillars had turned blue.

Not that appearance matters that much.

“Dock the ship.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Once the ship was pulled up to the island, everyone disembarked.

And the time it took to get here……

‘4 hours and 40 minutes.’

Assuming it takes just as long to return, that’s 9 hours and 20 minutes round trip.

With [Terminal Countdown] giving us 24 hours……

‘We should finish this within 10 hours to be safe.’

It might take longer to return, and we’ll need at least two hours of buffer time to reset the countdown once we get back.

Tap.

I dismissed the summoned boat and stepped into the island’s center.

And then……

“So, what do we do now?”

“Wait.”

At the center of the triangle formed by the three pillars was a small altar.

And on that altar, we needed to spill some blood……

“Parab, you do it.”

“Eh?”

“My knife doesn’t cut well.”

“Oh……”

At my command, Parab sliced his palm with a blade. Blood trickled down and dripped onto the altar.

And then—

FWOOOOOSH—!

Light burst from within the pillars, and incomprehensible symbols—not even ancient script—began glowing on the surface.

Zzzt, zzzt—!

Unstable magic sparked like a short-circuit and slowly took form at the center, as if the energy was being drawn together.

“…Another portal?”

“That’s how the Labyrinth always is.”

Even as I said it, I let out a dry laugh.

Bit too much, isn’t it?

Honestly, ‘Memory of the End’ was already a hidden piece—and now there’s another hidden piece inside it……

‘Whoever made the Labyrinth really loves secrets.’

Not that I mind, as long as the rewards are worth it.

“So, are we going in now?”

“Wait—just need to do one thing first.”

Saying that, I set a ten-hour timer.

Tick, tick—

We must be out before then.

If I want to lose no one.