Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 814

The question itself was nothing out of the ordinary. After all, the existence of evil spirits was common knowledge in Raphdonia.

But this was someone from the past asking about them…

As I hesitated, Arta’s eyes narrowed sharply.

[An answer that takes that much thought is bound to be full of lies.]

He didn’t say it outright, but it definitely sounded like he was warning me that he could end this conversation whenever he wanted.

I decided to stop dragging it out.

[I was only surprised for a moment. I had no intention of lying.]

[Answer me first. We don’t have much time.]

Since time was limited, I couldn’t afford to think it over for too long either.

[You’re right. They do exist,] I admitted, then immediately moved on to my second question. [How did you know about them?]

I wanted to ask if evil spirits had existed in the past as well, but I held myself back. From experience, I knew that questions that could be answered with a simple yes or no were best avoided in exchanges like this.

[Is that your question?]

[Yeah, it is.]

[I didn’t know. I merely had a theory about them. If I had known for certain, I wouldn’t have needed to ask you.]

[I don’t like how vague that answer is.]

Once I had made my complaint clear, he seemed to acknowledge it to some extent and quickly provided an explanation.

[While carrying out the labyrinth project, we encountered several unexpected variables. We discovered unidentified life forms inside the labyrinth that we had not created ourselves. Their appearances were completely different from ours, but they possessed intelligence. After a long period of research, our team reached one conclusion: those “unidentified life forms” were beings that had crossed over from another dimension.]

[I see what you’re getting at. Then do—]

[I believe that is a sufficient answer to your question.]

Well, he had given me a fairly detailed explanation. I couldn’t afford to get greedy here.

[Then may I ask my question now?] Arta asked.

[Go ahead.]

[Please describe the world outside the labyrinth as you know it.]

Well, that wasn’t a difficult request.

If I went into detail, there would be no end to it, but the general structure itself was quite simple.

The Palace, Noark, the labyrinth and mana stones, explorers, the Witch—those points were enough to give him a basic picture of the world. And since I had already explained the events that took place inside the labyrinth last time, the answer itself didn’t take long.

[Hmm. So, explorers are people who explore the labyrinth in order to secure resources for the enclosed city.]

[That’s right. Then it’s my turn.] Taking Arta’s nod as permission, I asked my next question. [What is the Power of Origin?]

In a way, that was the real core of everything. From what I could tell, that power was what kept the labyrinth running.

It is a power that exists in every dimension, one in each. Our empire discovered the Origin by chance, and after extensive research, we found a way to harness the power leaking from it.

[That’s vague. Explain a little more.]

[By using the Power of Origin, it is possible to create new artificial dimensions. However, it is not infinite. The more it is used, the more its power diminishes.]

[What happens if it’s all used up?]

I tossed the question out casually, half hoping for a free answer, but surprisingly, Arta answered readily.

[Can you not tell just by looking?]

[…?]

[The end of a dimension would come. Just like now.]

…I feel like I’m starting to understand something.

***

Arta continued asking questions about the world I lived in, while I asked him about the world of his time.

[I think I’ve waited long enough. Tell me. Why is today the “Final Day”?]

[You are in quite a hurry. Before I answer that question, may I ask just one more thing?]

[…Go ahead.]

The order had been broken, but this much was fine.

[Have you ever met or heard of a creature… no, an intelligent being who defines or refers to himself as “Arta”?]

How did he know about that?

I briefly looked around, wondering if one of my companions had accidentally let something slip.

[Judging by your reaction, it seems I don’t need an answer. Still, would you give me one?]

[…I have.]

[As I thought.]

Arta’s expression turned grave, and he sank into thought.

In the end, I couldn’t hold back and asked him, [How did you know about that?]

It was essentially the same kind of question I had asked earlier. Throughout this entire conversation, I had felt like I was being pushed onto the defensive. The more I spoke with him, the more the questions I needed to ask kept shifting.

Thankfully, this time, he answered right away.

[The reason I know of this other “Arta” is simple. It is because, in the present, I am devising a plan concerning him. However, judging from what you have told me, it seems that plan ultimately failed.]

[Are you saying you and that other Arta are the same person?]

[I cannot say we are truly the same in the strictest sense. But perhaps yes, in a way just beneath that. Would it be possible for me to meet him?]

[I’ll count this as your next question, but that’s impossible. From here, it would take hours to reach him by boat.]

[I see. Then I have received all the answers I wanted. The timing matches as well.]

[…What?]

I had gone out of my way to answer several of his questions in a row, and now he was thinking of leaving?

Feeling like I had been cheated, I was just about to reach for my hammer when he continued.

[Then listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. It will be of great help to you.]

[Make it quick.]

[First, after I leave, speak with the other Arta about what I have told you and gather as much information as you can. He will understand the course of history far better than I do.]

[And after that?]

[Second, if you manage to return to Raphdonia alive, go to the spatial coordinates I am about to give you. I will hide something useful there for you.]

Hide something in Raphdonia?

Was that even possible?

I could not understand it at all.

Was he an NPC, or was he real?

If that really was possible, then I could no longer dismiss this situation as a simple hidden piece inside the labyrinth…

…Enough. I had the coordinates now, so I could confirm it for myself later.

Yeah, so…

Instead of letting my thoughts spiral in circles, I decided to ask about something that had been bothering me.

[What do you mean, “if I manage to return alive”?]

[Ah, I haven’t explained that part yet. While we were carrying out the Labyrinth Project, we faced quite a number of difficulties. However, the greatest of them was this.]

Arta continued speaking without much emotion, but I couldn’t remain nearly as calm.

[The thing that threatened us the most was not beings from other dimensions, nor was it terrorism from hostile forces opposed to the Labyrinth Project. It was simply a phenomenon.]

[A phenomenon…?]

[We have yet to identify its cause, but during our work, there were multiple occasions when the dimension itself distorted and killed every member of the research expedition.]

Uh…

Was he talking about dimensional collapse?

[You asked how I knew today was the Final Day, correct? This is the answer.]

I was left completely speechless.

Wait. Was he saying that today was the day the dimensional collapse would happen?

I stood frozen, my mind going blank.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The alarm in Arta’s pocket rang again, its beeps growing faster and faster. Arta noticed the sound at the same time I did and hurried toward me.

[Third, changing the future is by no means impossible.]

[What? Give me a proper answer before you leave—] Did he not even have time to listen to me?

[Now, this is the last thing. Remember it well. An ordinary dimension cannot be entered by beings from another dimension.]

Arta grabbed my forearm and continued speaking rapidly.

And then…

[The only place beings from another dimension can enter is—]

Flash!

That was the end of our conversation.

A burst of light swallowed my vision.
***

Not much had changed after the flash.

The lightning bolts and meteors brought about by Amelia’s Final Day were still raining down, and even after we had slain the Beast, the island continued to spew scorching lava as if it were on the verge of eruption.

However, one thing had changed.

Please, just finish what you’re saying before disappearing…

Before the flash, I had been speaking with Arta. After it, he was gone.

The others had fallen silent once I started speaking in the ancient language. Now, they simply looked at me, unable to grasp the full weight of what had just happened.

In that awkward silence, I took a moment to sort through my thoughts.

Changing the future. Beings from other dimensions. A hidden treasure in the city.

All of it felt strangely distant right now. If I put those things aside for the moment and focused only on what mattered most, then one fact stood above everything else.

A dimensional collapse was about to happen.

It was only a hunch, but I felt there were probably two conditions required to encounter Arta from the past: Final Day had to be used on this island, and it had to happen on the day of a dimensional collapse.

Of course, that was nothing more than a theory.

I had no way of testing it.

Anyway.

If this assumption is correct… then the moment [Final Day] ends, dimensional collapse will begin…

There was still time left until then.

Well, not exactly a generous amount, but still.

There’s definitely no time to go down to the fifth floor.

If Arta’s words were true, today, we would experience our first dimensional collapse on the sixth floor.

Therefore, there was only one thing we had to do right now.

“Auyen, how long would it take to go from here back to Arta Island?”

“We cannot go as quickly as we did when we came. Since I pushed myself too hard earlier…”

“Just answer this. Is a round trip possible within nine hours?”

“…With the existing ship, it is impossible. We used up most of the mana stones on the way here. Besides, medium-sized ships consume far more soul power than small ships…”

“…I see.”

“Actually… I do have one small ship I prepared before. With that, I think we might be able to make it in time if I use my ability to the fullest, but…”

“But?”

“The problem is, it can only carry three people at most.”

“Then that settles it. Everyone except me and Auyen will wait here.”

As soon as I made the decision, Amelia raised an objection.

“Wait. There’s still one seat left. Why are only the two of you going?”

“We’re not going there to fight anyway. And if a fight does break out, there won’t be much difference between two people and three.”

“But still…”

“We don’t have time, so this discussion ends here. Emily, stay here and prepare.”

“…Prepare for what?”

At that question, I gave a bitter smile.

Now that I had actually said it, even I did not know how we were supposed to prepare.

Maybe…

This might end up being the hardest expedition yet.

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