Tutorial (2)
‘Barbarian’.

When I first played as this race, whose name literally translates to ‘savage brute’, the weapon I chose was the greatsword.

Right, because it’s cool.

As a man, there is a certain romance in wielding a two-handed weapon, and reaping lives by spinning like a dervish while holding your sword in the middle of an enemy camp.

‘The problem was that he died too easily.’

Feeling fascinated by the barbarian character, I started researching. How could I properly raise a barbarian to keep it alive?

But even after many attempts, the barbarian still died too easily. No matter how much I tried to increase his survivability, he would always go berserk in a fight.

There was no stability, because each battle was like walking a tightrope.

Then, at some point, I began to doubt myself.

‘Should I just use him as a tank?’

Barbarians have the highest vitality among the selectable races, and their average strength is also high, so they can even wear Adamantium equipment.

Although not as good as a dwarf with its cheaty special ability, a barbarian has the basic skills of a tank.

Well, to tell the truth, I didn’t really want to play as a barbarian tank, but…

All the research I’d done by then would go to waste otherwise, so I decided to give it a try.

And after a few trials and errors, I was able to make a nurturing strategy.

‘Isn’t this a scam?’

Without any regrets, I threw away the dwarf that was my original tank.

So what if your fights weren’t as exciting?

I’d always valued efficiency, and I was a human being who could throw away his preferred playstyle if it helped him win.

Just like the decision I was making now.

Step.

When I returned to my seat after choosing my ‘weapon’, I could feel the other barbarians staring at me.

What, your first time seeing a barbaegis (Barbarian Shielder)[1]?

As a proud barbarian, I came back to my seat with a dignified, unflinching look.

There was no need to act this time.

“Next!”

I had no regrets about my decision.

There were three reasons.

First, among the starting weapons, the shield is the most expensive when resold.

Two, there is a strong possibility that even if I hold a bladed weapon right now, I will not be able to use it properly.

Third, the barbaegis is my ultimate pursuit.

Today I made the most rational decision I could make.

“With this you have become a warrior!”

After choosing my weapon and returning to my seat, there was some free time.

While the coming-of-age ceremony continued for the rest, I decided to speculate on the cause behind the situation. In fact, I should have guessed it earlier, but…

Well, what would you do?

When I thought about it, I was at a loss.

“You have reached the abyss.”

Let’s summarize now.

I reached the final boss room.

Most likely, that was the trigger.

‘Wait a minute, then what about the guy who died just now? Does that mean he also reached the final boss room?’

… Maybe so.

There were a lot of people in the world, and some of them might have been as weird as me. Let’s skip this part for now.

「Tutorial complete. 」

I interpreted this message like this –

I’ve told you everything I need to tell you, so use this knowledge to survive.

I don’t know who he is, but that’s one vicious bastard.

If you really wanted me to survive, you should have included a setting about whether I was an ‘evil spirit’ or not.

As soon as I arrived, my head was almost blown away. You son of a bitch.

“Whew…”

Was it because I entered the body of a barbarian? Unusually for me, I was having trouble controlling my emotions.

So I stopped my ruminations at this point.

If I get excited for nothing, I might start making mistakes, and in the first place, stressing out thinking about the past is not my habit.

What has happened has happened, and there is no changing the past.

It’s more productive to think about how to get through this crisis.

So…

Okay, let’s just think about that for now.

‘How to survive.’

The coming-of-age ceremony was over.

And now I was walking in the woods.

The chieftain in the front and the young barbarians in the back.

Everyone seemed to be having fun as if they were going on a picnic.

But I couldn’t join in that simple-minded laughter.

Because I knew their final destination.

“Stop!”

The place we arrived after passing through the thick forest was about 30m in front of a fairly-sized wall.

“Open the gates!”

The gates opened with the crude rattling sounds of a mechanism.

Slow enough to make you yawn.

But the young barbarians watched in wonder as if they had forgotten to breathe. In that strange silence, a gray city finally appeared beyond the gates.

“Rafdonia… “

Perhaps just during this moment, my eyes were not much different than them.

Roads in good condition, and stone structures.

And visible through them, a spire towering high in the sky.

I’d never dreamed that the day would come when I would actually see the place illustrated on the game loading window.

Shit.

“Warriors!”

When the door opened, the chief turned around and shouted.

Before he let us go, I wondered if he wanted to say something nice…

“Leave! Your destiny awaits!”

The barbarians did not need boring speeches.

“Wooo!”

The barbarians, who had just reached adulthood, ran into the city shouting. I didn’t like it, but I too screamed and followed after them.

There may be people who are sleeping soundly in the dimly lit buildings, but who cares about them?

I am a barbarian!

Kuung –!

The gates closed behind us with a groan.

Of course, none of these savages cared about that.

The over-excited primitives ran for a long time before finally calming down and slowing their pace, and only then was I able to calmly continue my thoughts.

Right now, I have conflicting emotions.

“…”

Of course, fear of the upcoming situation.

But also, some kind of anticipation since I’ve become a part of the world in the game I enjoyed the most.

It’s a little funny.

It hasn’t been long since I decided to only think about how to survive, but so quickly these kinds of feelings have started to bloom within me.

… I don’t think I’m normal, either.

But that’s still nothing compared to these barbarian bastards.

“Stop!”

The leader of the barbarian group who’d been running at the forefront stopped his steps, turned around and shouted proudly –

“I must have lost my way!”

The savages shouted back at that shocking confession.

“Farun’s third son, Karak, has led us astray!”

“He has no qualification to be our leader!”

“You have to take responsibility!”

Fuck. You guys who were so happy to be followers have the guts to say that?

Is this the barbarian society? So dirty.

“Stop. I get it. I admit that I am not worthy of the leader’s position and will step aside.”

Karak, Fanun’s second son or something, bowed his head deeply and returned to the group.

Next, it was a female barbarian who was appointed as the leader of the next generation.

“Penelin’s second daughter, Einar!”

“Wise Einar who will lead us on the right path!”

The female barbarian started leading the group with a happy face at those words of laudative anticipation.

However, it didn’t take long for her to follow the previous leader’s footsteps.

“… I must have lost my way.”

Surprisingly, the two of them even said the exact same words.

“It can’t be! We must get to the labyrinth within the set time!”

“Einar has no qualification to be our leader!”

“Right!”

Confused, the savages began to seriously discuss who they would nominate as the third leader.

“I think the second son of Tetran would be good.”

“No, I do not think so. Rather…”

Are these cubs completely brainless?

Have they still not realized that no matter who takes the lead, they aren’t going to be able to reach their destination this way?

Maybe even my turn will come.

“…”

I quietly fell back and approached the second leader.

A little less than two meters tall, the giant woman stood slightly away from the group with a discouraged expression on her face.

“Bjorn son of Yandel? Did you come to blame me too?”

No way.

To me, they all looked equally to blame.

As I shook my head, the female barbarian tilted her head.

“Then why? I don’t need consolation.”

“No. I have come to show you how to find your way.”

“… Really? How?”

I pointed to a place with my hand.

“You just have to follow them.”

“Can I just follow them?”

She looked like she couldn’t believe it.

I was patient and explained step by step, logically.

A city at midnight. All the buildings along the road have the lights turned off. However, even at night time, there are quite a few people walking on the street.

They are all dressed in armour, not everyday clothes.

Where could they possibly be going?

“Surely. Now that I see it, I agree. I will give it a try.”

The female barbarian returned to the group and shouted, ‘I found a way!’, and the barbarians also stopped trying to choose the third leader and began to cheer.

“It’s Einar after all!”

“The wise female warrior!”

Anyway, the group started moving again.

Were we going the right way? As time went on, more and more armed people were around us.

At some point, I started to see a bunch of lights spreading out in all directions from afar.

If you’ve come this far, at least you won’t lose your way anymore.

“It’s the labyrinth! I see the labyrinth!”

“The Dimension of Sacred Battles!”

I continued my interrupted thoughts again.

One of my biggest concerns right now is whether entering the labyrinth is the correct decision.

“I feel it! The labyrinth is calling my soul!”

The savages lost in the crucible of excitement won’t notice if I sneak out of the pack.

Then I won’t have to enter the labyrinth.

I won’t have to fight and bleed against monsters.

However, even though I know what lies ahead better than anyone else, I still haven’t been able to decide.

‘Because I know that running away isn’t the solution.’

[Dungeon and Stone] has a tax system.

From the age of 20, all city dwellers are required to pay taxes, and failure to pay taxes is punishable by death.

Hearing this alone makes me wonder what kind of manga is this, but if you look at the worldview, the reason becomes clear to some extent.

I don’t think it’s something to worry about right now.

“Einar! Let’s speed up!”

“Wooooooooo!”

Anyway, you have to make money.

Of course, entering the labyrinth to fight monsters isn’t necessarily the only method.

Even if you work at a tavern, you won’t have any problems making both ends meet.

… Unless you’re a barbarian.

Barbarians are the only ones given a weapon at the start of the game.

For a very simple reason.

[Barbarian? I’m sorry. I just got a guy.]

[Aren’t you going to leave? There’s nothing I can do for a barbarian! You’re just going to break something again!]

Barbarians can’t do normal work.

Due to the game settings, there is no way to earn a living other than fighting monsters in the labyrinth.

Well, I’m not sure how it will be in reality.

You may find a job easier than you think.

But it’s one thing to believe that, another to break away from the group with just that bit of hope.

“Ten minutes left till it closes. Come on in!”

The labyrinth was opened once a month in game time.

In other words, if I can’t enter this time, I have to stay in this city for a month.

But what if you can’t find a job?

What if no one hires you because you are a barbarian?

Well, the future is bleak.

Even if the food the chief provided lasts you for a week, you will have to live by picking up food waste afterwards.

Maybe I’ll starve to death before then.

One thing is certain, even if I endure till that time, my body will be completely different from what it is now.

“I will be the first to go in!”

“No! I come first!”

Hunger, cold, sleeping in unsanitary conditions.

I know better than anyone how devastating these things are to the human body.

So, if you are going in anyway, it is reasonable to enter now when you are in the best condition.

‘The problem is that it can only shorten my lifespan.’

It was a time of crisis.

“Bjorn son of Yandel!”

Someone grabbed my shoulder.

When I checked, it was that barbarian woman.

Obviously, her name was…

“Einar, the third daughter of Penelin.”

“I’m the second daughter.”

Anyway, so what do you need with me?

“All the other warriors have already entered the labyrinth. The only ones who haven’t entered yet are you and me.”

“Ah.”

Somehow the place had become quiet.

When I checked, there were not many people left in the square, let alone other barbarians. Einar, as the second generation leader, seemed to come to take care of me since I was still here.

“You must hurry. We’re late, so we don’t have much time.”

At that, I raised my head and looked straight ahead.

The portal, which previously emitted intense light even from afar, had noticeably decreased in size.

“5 minutes left until closing!”

Just then, the guide informed me of the remaining time once more.

It’s 5 minutes, so it’s tighter than I thought.

I’m going to have to make a decision soon…

“Go in first. I will follow you right away.”

“I get it.”

Einar nodded and headed towards the portal, which deepened my troubles.

So, what should I do now?

As an extremely efficient person, I prefer to do things quickly, but it is not easy to make a decision this time around.

Unlike games, my real life depends on it.

“Bjorn son of Yandel!”

I involuntarily took a step backwards.

Einar, who had been walking away, had suddenly turned around.

“Thank you for that.”

“… There’s nothing to be thankful for.”

“And there is one thing I want to ask you.”

Anything other than your mother’s name, please.

As I nodded, Einar asked with a 100% 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 too.”

That’s a really difficult question to answer. How can you become smart? To be honest, I wonder if it would be quicker to just be reborn…

No, why am I thinking about this?

Just give a rough answer and send her away.

“You always have to think and act.”

“Hmm, that’s right!”

I just said something without giving it much thought, but Einar pondered my words with a serious expression.

And she said something a little odd.

“Thank you for your advice. If I come back alive from the labyrinth, I will repay you.”

If you come back alive?

It sounds too strange coming out of a barbarian’s mouth.

So, I had to put an unnecessary question in my mouth.

“… Are you afraid of dying?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Of course, I’m afraid to die. Perhaps other warriors do as well. I wouldn’t say it out loud, though.”

Is that so?

To be honest, it doesn’t make sense to me if you say that.

The barbarians in the game were unaware of fear.

Actually, it didn’t look much different now either.

While I was speechless, Einar added a further explanation.

“We were born warriors. If you don’t fight, you die.”

Her tone was clumsy and rigid, but somehow, I could fully understand what she was trying to say.

“Right.”

Like me, they just didn’t have a choice.

Because they were born as barbarians.

If you don’t catch and kill the monsters in the labyrinth, you won’t be able to survive in this city.

That is why they learned how to overcome their fears and move forward from an early age.

Yes, it was just that.

What made them look like savage barbarians.

“See you alive. Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

Einar soon entered the portal.

“One minute left until closing!”

Now there’s nothing holding me back.

Only my choice is left.

Like the phrase while entering the final boss room that comes to mind, there are two options.

「Yes / No」

That thought clears up my mind, which had somehow become jumbled and complicated.

When I was playing games, I always played with an emphasis on efficiency for the sake of a goal.

Before acting, I considered the possibility first, and I always moved with the next step in mind.

Even if there is an immediate benefit, if the final result is a net loss, say ‘No’.

Otherwise, choose ‘Yes’.

So, there was never any ‘choice’ to speak of.

“The gate will be closed soon! Back off!”

I ran forward.

Deep down, fear was boiling over, same as when the chieftain had called my name.

Needless to say, I have never even experienced a common fistfight, having been sickly for most of my life.

And on top of that, what if the opponent is a monster?

I’m so terrified it’s as if my body is slowly turning to stone.

“It’s dangerous!”

However, that doesn’t mean I have no chance at all.

Right now, I have the body of a barbarian, strong enough to be ignore common sense.

I have my knowledge, gained from nurturing characters thousands of times.

Above all else, I have a grand goal – to survive.

So, I have no choice but to do this.

Even though I know better than anyone the horror and grotesqueness hiding behind this choice.

Still, this is the most reasonable choice –

「You entered the crystal cave on the first floor. 」

– that’s what I thought.

Editor’s Notes:

[1] Honestly, in last chapter we managed to work out the portmanteau barbarcher, somehow, but how do you translate a 방패바바 (Shield + Barba)? We went with Barba(rian) + Aegis. Suggestions welcome.