Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 192

Bifron (2)

Raphdonia.

Once merely a small territory, it has transformed into the last refuge for humanity, the only fortress in the world where survivors from across the continent have gathered following the apocalypse.

This fortress consisted of 14 district cities.

First, District 1, Carnon Royal District.

Home to the royal family, nobility, and the privileged classes. The most distinctive feature is that commoners cannot enter without special permission.

Districts 2-5, Commelby.

Commonly referred to as the free market commercial area.

Located on the outskirts of the royal district, it attracts all the notable craftsmen and high-revenue shops.

Districts 7-13, Lavigion.

Covering the most area in the city, with an astounding 70% of the city’s population residing here.

A common feature is the presence of a dimensional square in each district, where a portal opens every month.

Finally, District 14, Bifron.

Unlike the 6th District, Gnome Tree, which was classified as a special zone from the time the city was planned, Bifron is quite different.

Clank!

The gates open.

To let in one more prisone.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and get inside.”

“…Is that all?”

“You’ve already heard the explanation. As long as you’re not trying to escape, you can do whatever you want.”

The knight who had escorted me here turned away, eager to leave.

Boom!

Soon enough, the gates closed, and I turned around to check my surroundings.

“The prison camp…”

As the nickname suggested, the atmosphere was different from any regular city district.

If District 7, where I lived, was abandoned for a hundred years,it might look something like this.

The buildings were dilapidated and crumbling, their walls covered in filth and graffiti.

The streets were no different, cluttered with debris.

‘I guess I’m spending 20 days here.’

Not wanting to just stand by the gate, I started walking aimlessly.

I could feel wary gazes everywhere.

They were from the residents of this district—thin, skeletal bodies clad in tattered clothes.

Or should I say, from the prisoners?

A smirk crossed my face.

What would Lee Han-soo of the 21st century have done?

He surely would have felt intimidated just by their stares.

Their eyes were full of greed, beyond mere hostility. I would have been scrambling to find a place to hide.

But now…

“What are you looking at?”

Now, I am a barbarian of this era, over 2 meters tall and clad in heavy armor.

These frail creatures would stand no chance against me; I could squash them like melons in minutes.

“Bethel—Raaaaaaaah!!!”

With that confidence, I unleashed [Wild Burst], and the hiding residents scurried away as if they’d seen a ghost.

“It’s okay! I’m not going to eat you!!”

I continued on my way, laughing loudly at their reactions.

“Did that guy just yell out of nowhere?”

“…He must be crazy coming all the way here. Better to stay away.”

I heard their faint whispers from various corners, exactly the reaction I was hoping for.

I’d rather not be bothered by annoying flies.

‘It feels like I’ve stepped into a beginner’s field.’

I had been quite worried about being in a lawless zone.

Well, actually, Misha had been worried.

But now I was certain.

In a lawless zone, the strong dictate the rules, which can sometimes be more comfortable than a society governed by law.

‘I should just think of this as a break.’

My barbarian body, sensitive to the nature of destiny, had already sensed it.

 There wouldn’t be much discomfort for me here.

As I aimlessly wandered, taking in my surroundings, it happened.

“Hey. New guy!”

A bold little kid, about ten years old, blocked my path.

I asked to confirm.

“Did you follow me from the gate?”

“No? I just saw you.”

“But how did you know I’m new?”

“Because I saw you for the first time today, and when someone like you arrives, word gets around.”

The reply made sense, considering the frail figures around.

“State your business.”

I spoke in a subdued voice, aware of my surroundings.

However, the kid seemed quite bold, not avoiding my gaze and speaking confidently.

“If it’s your first day, you haven’t found a place to stay yet, right? I can show you around. I was born and raised here, after all.”

Basically, he was offering to be my guide.

Of course, it wouldn’t be for free.

He wouldn’t have boldly approached a huge barbarian just to volunteer his services.

“What’s the fee?”

“Just 100 stones.”

It was such a small amount, I wondered if he missed a zero.

“Alright. Lead the way.”

I coolly accepted, and the kid led me to what he claimed was the best spot around.

As I followed the kid, I asked him various things.

I had read a few books about Bifron in the library, but assuming I knew everything about this place from that would be arrogant.

First, I indulged my personal curiosity.

“Were you born here?”

“Yes.”

“Your parents?”

“They’re dead.”

“That’s not what I meant. Were your parents also born here like you?”

The kid seemed reluctant to answer but eventually gave in before the money.

“I’ll give you another 100 stones.”

“…Only my mother. I heard my father came from outside.”

“For what crime?”

“…Possession and distribution of seditious literature. I should tell you upfront, it was a book questioning the fairness of the taxes paid to the royal family.”

“An intellectual, then.”

It wasn’t a surprising fact.

The nickname ‘prison camp’ attached to Bifron came about because it was a place to banish those who spread dissent against the royal family.

You are dissatisfied?

Then try living in a place where the royal family’s grace doesn’t reach.

It was an expulsion, but from the royal family’s perspective, it was a clever move.

By banishing the dissenters, they could prove their legitimacy more definitively than anything else.

It was much more beneficial than execution.

“How old are you?”

“Eleven.”

“You’ll be able to leave in three years then.”

“If I pass the qualification proof.”

I was puzzled.

“Qualification proof? I heard you could leave when you turn fourteen?”

“You only heard half right. Relief is only available to a very few who show potential in any field. Though I said any field, most aim to become explorers. It’s much easier, and they recruit more….”

“Are you aiming to be an explorer too?”

“No. I am a scholar.”

A scholar…

No wonder his speech was so coherent, he hadn’t let go of his studies even in these conditions.

“You’re an explorer, aren’t you? How did you end up here?”

The kid then asked me a question.

It seemed he felt it unfair to be the only one answering.

“Tell you what, discount me 100 stones, and I’ll tell you.”

“It’s not that much money…”

“Even a small amount is worth saving for an explorer.”

“Oh, so you are an explorer then?”

A playfully cunning trap by the kid.

However, it seemed the kid realized too late that he might be making a mistake, so he quickly continued.

“Alright. I’ll take less. So, tell me, why are you here?”

“I made a minor mistake in the city. They told me to spend just 20 days here and then I can go back.”

“20 days…”

For someone who had grown up here all his life, maybe that was an incredibly short period?

The kid chewed his lip and fell silent for a moment before asking another question.

“What rank were you?”

A piece of personal information I wasn’t keen on sharing.

“That’s not what you asked for. Forget the 100 stones. Just answer what I ask next.”

I firmly changed the subject like any cunning adult would, steering the conversation to topics like Bifron’s economy and social structure—subjects that are difficult to fully grasp just from books.

The kid, true to his local roots, easily answered everything I asked. Among his responses, one particularly caught my attention.

“The royal family distributes food every month?”

“Yes, but the powerful ones take it all and use it like a form of power.”

I wasn’t particularly concerned about the gangs he mentioned.

In any human society, a hierarchy is inevitable.

What intrigued me was something else.

“The more I think about it, the more contradictory this place seems.”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

Somehow, my interest in Bifron grew a bit more.

Was there a more intriguing backstory to why one of the stable city districts in the game had turned out like this?

“We’ve arrived.”

After some more conversation, we arrived at the inn the kid had mentioned.

A typical layout with a pub on the first floor and accommodation on the second, a common sight in the city.

Usually they’re run by a gang of thugs, right?

‘So this is the best place, huh.’

I smirked and entered the inn, which seemed like it could be crawling with bugs.

Creeeak.

Surprisingly, the place was fairly crowded.

Well-built men and women in raggedy clothes, drinking alcohol.

Ding.

The rusted bell rattled with a dull thud, and all eyes in the room turned to me.

The emotions in their gazes were varied.

Wariness, confusion, curiosity, greed.

I ignored them all and approached the counter.

“How much for one night?”

“50 stones.”

As expected, it sounded like a zero was missing in the price.

“And for a meal?”

“250 stones.”

“250 stones…”

From my perspective, both amounts were trivial, but when I actually experienced it, I realized the difference from the outside world.

Food costs five times more than lodging.

In Raphdonia, where housing crises are severe, these prices are unimaginable.

“I’ll stay for the day.”

“What about food?”

“Serve it now.”

“Payment first.”

I paid 300 stones for both room and board and took a seat.

“I should go now, mister.”

“You haven’t taken your money yet, have you?”

“Oh, right!”

The kid made an oops face, and I handed him a thousand stones.

“I don’t have change to give back…”

“Keep the change, just sit and keep me company until the meal arrives.”

“Me?”

“Keep me company while I eat.”

The kid looked at me with a strange expression but settled down after a moment of thought, answering the questions I asked.

As time passed…

“Here’s your order.”

The awaited food arrived.

A meal of bread and a pale broth, no meat in sight.

“I should really go now…”

I stopped the kid as he tried to rise from his seat.

“Sit down.”

“But you said only until the food arrived…”

Do I look like a complete fool?

I repeated myself more sternly, with a hint of menace.

“Sit down.”

The kid sensed the change in the air and clamped his mouth shut, reluctantly sitting back down.

He might pretend otherwise, but I could feel him trembling even from a distance.

I scooped up a large spoonful of the soup.

And then…

“Eat.”

“Me?”

“Eat.”

“I’m really not hungry, but thank you…”

Is that how it’s going to be?

“Eat, and I’ll give you 10,000 stones.”

I made the kid an offer he couldn’t refuse.

What choice would he make now?

His answer was simple.

“…Please, spare me.”

Quick-witted as one would expect from a kid raised in such a harsh environment.

***

There were two reasons why I was able to see through the kid’s trick.

“Did you follow me from the gate?”

[No? I just saw you.]

First, the kid casually lied in response to a question asked just to confirm.

Well, it was a well-concealed lie…

But I’m somewhat confident in my memory.

The kid had been lurking around since the gate first opened.

“Just 100 stones.”

Secondly, he asked for money too earnestly.

That’s quite strange.

Normally you’d expect to be overcharged in tourist areas, full of people trying to make a buck. But this boy, and even the innkeeper, hadn’t tried to rip me off.

Of course, it could just be a coincidence…

“…Please, spare me.”

Instead of eating, the kid knelt down.

I wasn’t surprised, because I had expected it.

Aren’t the tricks of the people here lacking in novelty?

‘If you’re going to stab someone in the back, at least make it less obvious.’

I got up, throwing down my uneaten meal.

Originally, I had intended to press him to find out who his accomplices were…

But that seemed unnecessary now.

“Stop right there.”

I spoke as I watched several figures stealthily moving towards the exit.

I tried my best to make friendly conversation.

Unfortunately, the four men and women, including the owner, were too busy picking up the pace and fleeing.

“Shit!”

“Run!!”

I clicked my tongue bitterly as I watched their backs.

Really, did they think that would work?

“Aaaah!”

I picked up the kid with one hand.

Then, I quickly stepped outside and naturally activated [Gigantification], leaping high into the air with a powerful kick off the ground.

Boom!

My body plummeted to the ground, covering dozens of meters in an instant. The recoil effect sent the men and women into the air.

“Bethel—Raaaaaaaah!!!”

With [Wild Burst] unleashed, the four people couldn’t even think of getting up to run.

Crunch.

I made sure they couldn’t escape by crushing one foot of each.

Broad daylight.

And right in the middle of the street, but what does it matter? This place is a lawless zone after all.

There’s no guard coming to respond just because I used some abilities.

“Ah, ahhh!!!”

Did they finally come to their senses?

One of the men, who had a rat-like face, began shouting as if on a loop.

“We, we are members of the Western Alliance!”

The Western Alliance was one of the four gangs that had divided up Bifron.

Was their boss an explorer or something?

So his rank would be…

“Hey, if you quietly let us go, we won’t seek revenge for this—”

What?

Crunch.

He was making too much noise, so I crushed the other foot too.

Did that make them even more desperate?

“Our boss is a Rank 6 explorer!”

Despite the agonizing screams, he kept shouting loudly.

I couldn’t help but tilt my head.

“Our boss? What does that mean?”

When I questioned him, this time he tilted his head.

Like he couldn’t understand what the hell I was talking about. I smiled kindly and bent down to pat him on the head.

“From now on, I’m your boss.”

I did want a subordinate at some point, after all.