SGB: Episode 4
Surviving the Game as a Barbar: Episode 4 Tutorial (3)
In terms of [Dungeon and Stone], I am an expert.
I can rattle off where and what monsters appear, their habits, and their weaknesses without even having to think about it.
Based on this, I made my final judgment.
With the body of a barbarian and my knowledge, I can definitely survive in the labyrinth.
At least, that's what I truly believed at the time.
"Ha..."
As soon as I entered the labyrinth, everything went dark.
This is not a metaphor for the future, but literally, I can't see anything. I probably wouldn't even notice if someone put a blindfold on me right now.
It wouldn't make much difference anyway.
"Damn it."
I feel like I've been hit hard on the back of the head.
The barbarians were all only carrying one weapon, so I didn't even suspect this part.
Originally, torches weren't really necessary on the 1st floor.
The crystals embedded in the walls serve as light sources.
Of course, there are dark zones on the 1st floor, but except for the outermost part leading to the 2nd floor, they're only a very small portion—
'Ah, wait, am I in that part right now?'
I quickly form a hypothesis.
The starting location when entering the labyrinth is random.
Of course, it's called random, but you never get thrown into a place like this. Even if you start in the outer area, there are always glowing crystals nearby.
But this isn't just the game world I used to see beyond the monitor.
What if all those things were just a kind of convenience that the developer provided to the players?
What if, in reality, there are shitty cases where you start in a dark zone?
Then it explains my current situation.
No, it has to be that way.
If the entire 1st floor is like this, I don't have the confidence to survive even a day.
"Phew..."
Still, I calm down a bit after organizing my thoughts.
Fortunately, my eyes seem to have adjusted to the darkness, and it's much better than before. Though it's still only to the point where I can barely see outlines.
Well, it's not a situation desperate enough to bite my tongue and die.
Let's start by checking what I need to check.
I'm finally alone now, aren't I?
"Status window, equipment window, character information, stats, inventory. Check log... yeah, fuck that."
As expected, it doesn't work.
Well, I wasn't expecting it anyway.
"Let's go."
With a shield in one hand and the other hand on the wall, I move forward.
My speed is slightly faster than crawling.
Hmm, or is it?
Maybe crawling would be faster, but I can't increase my speed any further.
It's dangerous, so...
"Kyaaaaak!"
Suddenly, a sharp pain shoots up from my ankle.
My nerves go haywire from the pain I've never felt before. But even in the midst of that, I grasp the situation.
What the hell went wrong?
I get the answer without needing a combat log.
「Character has stepped on a goblin trap.」
Damn it, I just stepped on a trap.
__________________________________________
What was the mistake?
The answers come pouring out without even having to think.
The shield gave me a sense of psychological security.
But in return, it blocked a significant portion of my vision.
If I had strapped the shield to my waist and focused only on observation, I might have spotted the trap.
What's the point of a shield when I can't see anyway?
I should have prioritized practicality over mental comfort.
Damn it.
"Keuh... heuh..."
My mind goes blank.
I want to scream right now.
But I desperately hold it back.
Screaming won't make the situation any better.
I'm well aware that it will only make things worse.
Thump thump thump thump thump.
My heart beats like crazy, as if it's malfunctioning.
"Huuuk, huuk, huuk..."
I press my lips together and force myself to regulate my breathing.
What I need to think about right now is not how much pain I'm in or how hard it is.
There's only one type of monster on the 1st floor that uses traps.
Only goblins.
And it's definitely nearby.
"......"
I reflexively raise my shield to cover my head.
Then, I completely hold my breath and focus on my hearing.
There's no sound right now. It's quiet as if time has stopped.
...Maybe it's not there?
I don't know.
Maybe it's possible. It could have just left its spot at that moment or something. Even goblins have to poop.
'Bullshit, as if I really believe that.'
I gently fold up the hope creeping out and throw it away from my mind.
There are two reasons.
One, being positive is different from being optimistic.
Two, what I need right now is a negative way of thinking.
"......"
If I can't be sure, let's just assume the worst.
The goblin heard my scream.
It's hiding in the darkness, quietly waiting for me to run out of strength.
That's why I can't hear any sound.
Because that's how it was in the game.
If there's a trap, there's always a goblin nearby.
"Phew..."
I slowly exhale the breath I was holding.
Whatever the truth is, since it's such a quiet environment, I should be able to notice its approach as long as I don't let my guard down.
First, let's do what I need to do.
"...Heuuhp!"
I lower my posture and use both hands to pry open the trap and pull out my foot. Then, I tear off a piece of my trouser leg, take off my shoe, and apply pressure to the wound.
I decide to throw away the shoe that's turned into a rag.
Actually, it's hard to even call it a shoe.
What I was wearing was closer to a flip-flop.
Damn barbarians.
If they had at least sent me off with leather boots, I wouldn't be half-crippled like this from just one trap...
'Damn it, what am I even thinking right now?'
I discover my irrational self and my mind cools down.
No matter how much I curse them, the situation I'm facing won't change.
It's my fault for not properly checking the ground.
So stop whining and check my physical condition.
'Phew, this is really bad.'
I already can't feel anything in my right foot.
I can feel the heat, but even that is gradually fading.
"I know you're hiding, so come out."
I quietly mutter.
Still, there's not even a slight movement from beyond the darkness.
So, I slowly move forward.
Thud. Thud.
One leg is broken, but the pain is not as bad as I thought. It's probably thanks to the paralysis poison...
I'm not sure if this is a good thing.
"Come out, you son of a bitch."
I continue to move forward, not hesitating to provoke them.
Because time is not on my side.
If I have to fight, the sooner the better.
The injury is one thing, but I also can't ignore the possibility that it's waiting for its friends.
"Not coming out?"
Of course, this could all be my delusion, and there might not be a goblin at all.
Then I guess I'll just be an idiot who stepped on a trap and made a fuss all by myself.
But so what?
Even so, I want to be an idiot who survives.
"Then just stay there. I'm going."
I pick up the pace.
It's still just slightly faster than crawling, but it feels like I'm sprinting a marathon.
One step, one step.
As I force myself to walk, my right foot starts to throb.
"Hiss, haa, haa..."
It's one of two things.
Either the paralysis poison has worn off, or the pain has become so severe that even the poison can't keep up.
Come to think of it, neither one is bad.
If the poison has worn off, that's good.
And feeling pain means that my nerve cells are still alive.
'Wait, why am I only positive about this kind of stuff?'
Well, I don't want to think about it.
I don't have the mental capacity for that either.
"...Your mother's a goblin."
Words come out of my mouth without any filtering from my brain.
Is it because I've lost so much blood?
My brain feels like it's pickled in alcohol.
"Your father's a goblin too."
Of course, even as I spit out whatever comes to mind, I don't stop walking.
"That's why you're a goblin too."
That's when I hear a sound for the first time.
It was definitely a small sound, but it sounds very loud to my focused ears.
Chak-
The bastard finally reveals itself for the first time.
"Why can't you stand insults about your parents either?"
Of course, I know that's not the reason.
It wasn't even an insult in the first place...
The sound came from behind.
It must have moved because it had no choice but to do so as I got further away.
I increase my speed even more.
And the sound of its footsteps quickens too.
Chak- chak- chak- chak-
The sound of its footsteps, which have become clearer, is peculiar.
It sounds like something sticky is sticking to a smooth surface and coming off with every step.
Even though I know it's supposed to be less than 1 meter tall, I feel the pressure as if a giant monster is chasing me.
To shake off the fear, I keep talking to it.
I'm a barbarian.
If I can just lure it into close combat, there's no way I'll lose to a goblin.
"Don't just follow me, come on. You weakling."
I continue to provoke it, but it just keeps following at a certain distance.
It seems like it has no intention of hiding anymore.
"Grrr, grrr...!"
It's a sound close to a howl, but somehow I can feel it.
"Grrr! Grr!"
It's giggling right now. It's genuinely happy watching its prey bleed to death. It wants me to be afraid of that sound.
...Clever bastard.
Alright, change of plans.
I stop walking. And I stumble and collapse to the ground.
Thud!
My forehead, which hit the rock, hurts like it's about to crack, but I don't make a sound.
From now on, it's a battle of patience.
If it thinks I've collapsed and approaches first, it's my victory.
If I actually collapse before then, it's my defeat.
"Grr?"
I decide to trust the toughness of this body that has walked about 300 meters with a broken foot.
Chak-
The sound of its footsteps slowly gets closer.
It's a speed that's almost yawn-inducingly slow.
Even though its prey has collapsed as it wanted, it's still suspicious.
'Crazy, how can a goblin be so cautious?'
Curses come out involuntarily.
In the game, goblins were the weakest mobs. They used poison and set traps, but apart from that, their combat power was pathetic.
But what about the goblin I'm actually facing?
Chak-
It's not an opponent to underestimate at all. I realize why the village NPCs talked so much about the cunning of goblins.
In terms of intelligence, these guys are several times smarter than those barbarian bastards.
Chak-
It stops walking somewhere between 5 and 10 meters away.
Why?
As I'm wondering why...
I feel a blunt impact on my shoulder.
Thud. Degurururu.
What the, did this fucking bastard just throw a rock at me?
'...It's not going to keep throwing until I'm a bloody mess, right?'
"Grrr! Grr!"
Contrary to my concerns, it lets out a howl of joy.
It seems to think I'm dead since I didn't react to the rock throwing.
Chak- chak- chak- chak-
It quickly approaches me.
I can feel how excited it is from its leaps and bounds.
I suppress my excitement and calmly gauge the distance by sound. And when I judge that it's right next to me...
"You bastard!"
I jump up and reach out towards it.
I decide that reaching out is faster and has a longer effective range than picking up the shield and swinging it.
However, I soon realize that my plan has gone awry.
There are two reasons for this, again.
First, the distance between me and it is about one step too far.
And its movements are much more agile than I expected.
"Grr!"
It bends its waist and leans back.
That's exactly how it feels, even though I can't see it.
I instinctively realize that I've missed.
Damn it, what do I do now? I rack my brain and prepare the next plan.
But at that moment, my body moves on its own.
"......?"
It's a truly strange feeling.
Everything is still pitch black.
But I instinctively know where the goblin has jumped to.
By the time I realize this, my hand is already changing its trajectory and moving towards it.
"Grr?!"
I feel something in my grasp.
Whether it's its wrist, ankle, or neck doesn't matter.
"Uwaaaaaa!"
I let out a roar and slam it to the ground. Kwak! I hear something breaking. But I can't let my guard down, so I immediately straddle its upper body.
"Grr, grr!"
Now the tables have turned.
"I'm on top, and you're below. You little shit!"
I punch its face like a madman.
I'm so worked up that I sometimes hit the ground, but this barbarian body is much stronger than I thought.
Instead of my fists hurting, the stone floor is breaking apart.
"......"
Soon, its movements stop.
And...
Swaaaaaaaaaaa!
Dust scatters.
Strangely, it's glowing dust.
I stop punching.
The goblin's body, which I was sitting on, is gradually breaking apart and scattering into the air.
Man, I'm so speechless.
"Ha, fuck, even this is the same?"
Please, just pick one.
Whether it's a game or a reality that's just similar.
I keep getting confused about which one to follow.
「You have defeated a goblin. EXP +1」
Soon, the goblin's body disappears without a trace.
Feeling an inexplicable emptiness, I pick up a small stone that has fallen on the spot.
「You have acquired a 9th grade magic stone.」
It's not that strong, but it glows faintly.
It's a magic stone, which serves as currency in [Dungeon and Stone].
How much was this again? I soon remember.
"One piece of bread."
The average value of a magic stone dropped by a goblin in the game.
Somehow, a laugh escapes my lips.
"Keuheuheuheu..."
All that struggle for just this?
My complicated mind feels much clearer.
It's like the feeling of laughter bubbling up after a good cry.
"Keuheu, keuheuheuheu."
There's a labyrinth, and there are monsters.
Dead monsters drop items and disappear.
And outside, in the city, various races coexist.
Clearly, this is that kind of world.
But...
I won't get confused again.
In terms of [Dungeon and Stone], I am an expert.
I can rattle off where and what monsters appear, their habits, and their weaknesses without even having to think about it.
Based on this, I made my final judgment.
With the body of a barbarian and my knowledge, I can definitely survive in the labyrinth.
At least, that's what I truly believed at the time.
"Ha..."
As soon as I entered the labyrinth, everything went dark.
This is not a metaphor for the future, but literally, I can't see anything. I probably wouldn't even notice if someone put a blindfold on me right now.
It wouldn't make much difference anyway.
"Damn it."
I feel like I've been hit hard on the back of the head.
The barbarians were all only carrying one weapon, so I didn't even suspect this part.
Originally, torches weren't really necessary on the 1st floor.
The crystals embedded in the walls serve as light sources.
Of course, there are dark zones on the 1st floor, but except for the outermost part leading to the 2nd floor, they're only a very small portion—
'Ah, wait, am I in that part right now?'
I quickly form a hypothesis.
The starting location when entering the labyrinth is random.
Of course, it's called random, but you never get thrown into a place like this. Even if you start in the outer area, there are always glowing crystals nearby.
But this isn't just the game world I used to see beyond the monitor.
What if all those things were just a kind of convenience that the developer provided to the players?
What if, in reality, there are shitty cases where you start in a dark zone?
Then it explains my current situation.
No, it has to be that way.
If the entire 1st floor is like this, I don't have the confidence to survive even a day.
"Phew..."
Still, I calm down a bit after organizing my thoughts.
Fortunately, my eyes seem to have adjusted to the darkness, and it's much better than before. Though it's still only to the point where I can barely see outlines.
Well, it's not a situation desperate enough to bite my tongue and die.
Let's start by checking what I need to check.
I'm finally alone now, aren't I?
"Status window, equipment window, character information, stats, inventory. Check log... yeah, fuck that."
As expected, it doesn't work.
Well, I wasn't expecting it anyway.
"Let's go."
With a shield in one hand and the other hand on the wall, I move forward.
My speed is slightly faster than crawling.
Hmm, or is it?
Maybe crawling would be faster, but I can't increase my speed any further.
It's dangerous, so...
"Kyaaaaak!"
Suddenly, a sharp pain shoots up from my ankle.
My nerves go haywire from the pain I've never felt before. But even in the midst of that, I grasp the situation.
What the hell went wrong?
I get the answer without needing a combat log.
「Character has stepped on a goblin trap.」
Damn it, I just stepped on a trap.
__________________________________________
What was the mistake?
The answers come pouring out without even having to think.
The shield gave me a sense of psychological security.
But in return, it blocked a significant portion of my vision.
If I had strapped the shield to my waist and focused only on observation, I might have spotted the trap.
What's the point of a shield when I can't see anyway?
I should have prioritized practicality over mental comfort.
Damn it.
"Keuh... heuh..."
My mind goes blank.
I want to scream right now.
But I desperately hold it back.
Screaming won't make the situation any better.
I'm well aware that it will only make things worse.
Thump thump thump thump thump.
My heart beats like crazy, as if it's malfunctioning.
"Huuuk, huuk, huuk..."
I press my lips together and force myself to regulate my breathing.
What I need to think about right now is not how much pain I'm in or how hard it is.
There's only one type of monster on the 1st floor that uses traps.
Only goblins.
And it's definitely nearby.
"......"
I reflexively raise my shield to cover my head.
Then, I completely hold my breath and focus on my hearing.
There's no sound right now. It's quiet as if time has stopped.
...Maybe it's not there?
I don't know.
Maybe it's possible. It could have just left its spot at that moment or something. Even goblins have to poop.
'Bullshit, as if I really believe that.'
I gently fold up the hope creeping out and throw it away from my mind.
There are two reasons.
One, being positive is different from being optimistic.
Two, what I need right now is a negative way of thinking.
"......"
If I can't be sure, let's just assume the worst.
The goblin heard my scream.
It's hiding in the darkness, quietly waiting for me to run out of strength.
That's why I can't hear any sound.
Because that's how it was in the game.
If there's a trap, there's always a goblin nearby.
"Phew..."
I slowly exhale the breath I was holding.
Whatever the truth is, since it's such a quiet environment, I should be able to notice its approach as long as I don't let my guard down.
First, let's do what I need to do.
"...Heuuhp!"
I lower my posture and use both hands to pry open the trap and pull out my foot. Then, I tear off a piece of my trouser leg, take off my shoe, and apply pressure to the wound.
I decide to throw away the shoe that's turned into a rag.
Actually, it's hard to even call it a shoe.
What I was wearing was closer to a flip-flop.
Damn barbarians.
If they had at least sent me off with leather boots, I wouldn't be half-crippled like this from just one trap...
'Damn it, what am I even thinking right now?'
I discover my irrational self and my mind cools down.
No matter how much I curse them, the situation I'm facing won't change.
It's my fault for not properly checking the ground.
So stop whining and check my physical condition.
'Phew, this is really bad.'
I already can't feel anything in my right foot.
I can feel the heat, but even that is gradually fading.
"I know you're hiding, so come out."
I quietly mutter.
Still, there's not even a slight movement from beyond the darkness.
So, I slowly move forward.
Thud. Thud.
One leg is broken, but the pain is not as bad as I thought. It's probably thanks to the paralysis poison...
I'm not sure if this is a good thing.
"Come out, you son of a bitch."
I continue to move forward, not hesitating to provoke them.
Because time is not on my side.
If I have to fight, the sooner the better.
The injury is one thing, but I also can't ignore the possibility that it's waiting for its friends.
"Not coming out?"
Of course, this could all be my delusion, and there might not be a goblin at all.
Then I guess I'll just be an idiot who stepped on a trap and made a fuss all by myself.
But so what?
Even so, I want to be an idiot who survives.
"Then just stay there. I'm going."
I pick up the pace.
It's still just slightly faster than crawling, but it feels like I'm sprinting a marathon.
One step, one step.
As I force myself to walk, my right foot starts to throb.
"Hiss, haa, haa..."
It's one of two things.
Either the paralysis poison has worn off, or the pain has become so severe that even the poison can't keep up.
Come to think of it, neither one is bad.
If the poison has worn off, that's good.
And feeling pain means that my nerve cells are still alive.
'Wait, why am I only positive about this kind of stuff?'
Well, I don't want to think about it.
I don't have the mental capacity for that either.
"...Your mother's a goblin."
Words come out of my mouth without any filtering from my brain.
Is it because I've lost so much blood?
My brain feels like it's pickled in alcohol.
"Your father's a goblin too."
Of course, even as I spit out whatever comes to mind, I don't stop walking.
"That's why you're a goblin too."
That's when I hear a sound for the first time.
It was definitely a small sound, but it sounds very loud to my focused ears.
Chak-
The bastard finally reveals itself for the first time.
"Why can't you stand insults about your parents either?"
Of course, I know that's not the reason.
It wasn't even an insult in the first place...
The sound came from behind.
It must have moved because it had no choice but to do so as I got further away.
I increase my speed even more.
And the sound of its footsteps quickens too.
Chak- chak- chak- chak-
The sound of its footsteps, which have become clearer, is peculiar.
It sounds like something sticky is sticking to a smooth surface and coming off with every step.
Even though I know it's supposed to be less than 1 meter tall, I feel the pressure as if a giant monster is chasing me.
To shake off the fear, I keep talking to it.
I'm a barbarian.
If I can just lure it into close combat, there's no way I'll lose to a goblin.
"Don't just follow me, come on. You weakling."
I continue to provoke it, but it just keeps following at a certain distance.
It seems like it has no intention of hiding anymore.
"Grrr, grrr...!"
It's a sound close to a howl, but somehow I can feel it.
"Grrr! Grr!"
It's giggling right now. It's genuinely happy watching its prey bleed to death. It wants me to be afraid of that sound.
...Clever bastard.
Alright, change of plans.
I stop walking. And I stumble and collapse to the ground.
Thud!
My forehead, which hit the rock, hurts like it's about to crack, but I don't make a sound.
From now on, it's a battle of patience.
If it thinks I've collapsed and approaches first, it's my victory.
If I actually collapse before then, it's my defeat.
"Grr?"
I decide to trust the toughness of this body that has walked about 300 meters with a broken foot.
Chak-
The sound of its footsteps slowly gets closer.
It's a speed that's almost yawn-inducingly slow.
Even though its prey has collapsed as it wanted, it's still suspicious.
'Crazy, how can a goblin be so cautious?'
Curses come out involuntarily.
In the game, goblins were the weakest mobs. They used poison and set traps, but apart from that, their combat power was pathetic.
But what about the goblin I'm actually facing?
Chak-
It's not an opponent to underestimate at all. I realize why the village NPCs talked so much about the cunning of goblins.
In terms of intelligence, these guys are several times smarter than those barbarian bastards.
Chak-
It stops walking somewhere between 5 and 10 meters away.
Why?
As I'm wondering why...
I feel a blunt impact on my shoulder.
Thud. Degurururu.
What the, did this fucking bastard just throw a rock at me?
'...It's not going to keep throwing until I'm a bloody mess, right?'
"Grrr! Grr!"
Contrary to my concerns, it lets out a howl of joy.
It seems to think I'm dead since I didn't react to the rock throwing.
Chak- chak- chak- chak-
It quickly approaches me.
I can feel how excited it is from its leaps and bounds.
I suppress my excitement and calmly gauge the distance by sound. And when I judge that it's right next to me...
"You bastard!"
I jump up and reach out towards it.
I decide that reaching out is faster and has a longer effective range than picking up the shield and swinging it.
However, I soon realize that my plan has gone awry.
There are two reasons for this, again.
First, the distance between me and it is about one step too far.
And its movements are much more agile than I expected.
"Grr!"
It bends its waist and leans back.
That's exactly how it feels, even though I can't see it.
I instinctively realize that I've missed.
Damn it, what do I do now? I rack my brain and prepare the next plan.
But at that moment, my body moves on its own.
"......?"
It's a truly strange feeling.
Everything is still pitch black.
But I instinctively know where the goblin has jumped to.
By the time I realize this, my hand is already changing its trajectory and moving towards it.
"Grr?!"
I feel something in my grasp.
Whether it's its wrist, ankle, or neck doesn't matter.
"Uwaaaaaa!"
I let out a roar and slam it to the ground. Kwak! I hear something breaking. But I can't let my guard down, so I immediately straddle its upper body.
"Grr, grr!"
Now the tables have turned.
"I'm on top, and you're below. You little shit!"
I punch its face like a madman.
I'm so worked up that I sometimes hit the ground, but this barbarian body is much stronger than I thought.
Instead of my fists hurting, the stone floor is breaking apart.
"......"
Soon, its movements stop.
And...
Swaaaaaaaaaaa!
Dust scatters.
Strangely, it's glowing dust.
I stop punching.
The goblin's body, which I was sitting on, is gradually breaking apart and scattering into the air.
Man, I'm so speechless.
"Ha, fuck, even this is the same?"
Please, just pick one.
Whether it's a game or a reality that's just similar.
I keep getting confused about which one to follow.
「You have defeated a goblin. EXP +1」
Soon, the goblin's body disappears without a trace.
Feeling an inexplicable emptiness, I pick up a small stone that has fallen on the spot.
「You have acquired a 9th grade magic stone.」
It's not that strong, but it glows faintly.
It's a magic stone, which serves as currency in [Dungeon and Stone].
How much was this again? I soon remember.
"One piece of bread."
The average value of a magic stone dropped by a goblin in the game.
Somehow, a laugh escapes my lips.
"Keuheuheuheu..."
All that struggle for just this?
My complicated mind feels much clearer.
It's like the feeling of laughter bubbling up after a good cry.
"Keuheu, keuheuheuheu."
There's a labyrinth, and there are monsters.
Dead monsters drop items and disappear.
And outside, in the city, various races coexist.
Clearly, this is that kind of world.
But...
I won't get confused again.
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