Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 132

Episode 132 Team Play(2)

Like the auroras of the North Sea, the portal shimmered.

In front of it, a heavy silence flowed.

Neither Misha nor the dwarf said a word, just cautiously observing each other.

It was that unfamiliar.

The expression that Rotmiller was making right now.

Clench.

The corners of Rottmiller’s tightly closed lips quivered, as if his teeth were trembling.

It felt like seeing his bottom for the first time.

The inferiority complex he must have been hidden in the deepest place by self-control and a strong desire for improvement.

“…It’s not too late now.”

Breaking the silence, Rotmiller spoke.

“Three teams have already passed through. Even if we say the leading team is only about 30 minutes ahead in terms of time, if we hurry, we might be able to overtake them on the second floor.”

At first glance, his words seemed logically sound.

But upon closer examination, they were filled with contradictions.

And the problem was, knowing this, everyone awkwardly nodded in agreement.

“Ah, ah! Then it’s settled. I, I also came here early, so giving up now would feel a bit regrettable.”

“Ha, hahah! Right, right, it wasn’t just me who felt that way?”

“…I, I also agree.”

Such nice guys.

But it’s obvious what they’re thinking.

Rather than openly expressing dislike, they must think it’s better to just go along with it and suffer.

“Bjorn… What about you?”

The gaze turned towards me, the one who had not yet given his opinion.

Ugh, really annoying.

Why do I always have to play this role?

I sighed inwardly but spoke up bluntly.

“Do all of you have a problem in your heads?”

We’re already 30 minutes behind on the first floor.

It means the gap will only widen on the second floor.

And we’re almost out of stamina just getting here.

“To overtake those who passed us in this state? Do you really think that’s possible?”

The trio shut their mouths and averted their gaze.

So, I turned my attention to Rotmiller.

“Braun Rotmiller, this is where your stubbornness ends.”

“…”

“I’d follow you on the first floor. But the second floor is too much for us. Don’t put the team at risk because of your stubbornness.”

Rotmiller clenched his mouth as if angry, and I continued to stare at him without saying more.

It took a while before I got a response.

“I’m sorry. I must have been out of my mind for a moment. Forget what I just said.”

“I’ve already forgotten it.”

After Rotmiller offered his apology, and I coolly let it slide, the trio let out the breath they had been holding.

It seems they think the situation has been resolved without a fight…

‘What a headache.’

The problem was, nothing has ended yet.

Scout.

A position that exists to reduce travel time in the labyrinth where time saving is crucial.

Although their combat power is less compared to other professions…

Their betrayal is always fatal.

After all, it’s the only position that can potentially coordinate with external forces.

‘I’m sure the District Head knows that, so he tried to Bribe Rottmiller first.

Scouts oversee the journey within the labyrinth.

Meaning, they can easily lead us to traps prepared by the District Head while pretending to guide us.

‘…Should I have just rested this round?’

Braun Rotmiller.

I decided to trust him because I knew what he’s usually like.

A personality so stubborn it feels solid.

A diligence that shuns luck and embraces effort.

I thought that no matter what the District Head tried, he wouldn’t fall for it.

But what was Rotmiller like today?

So different, he seemed like another person.

‘It must be because of that bastard, the District Head.’

Of course, I still think the possibility of betrayal is low.

This guy isn’t a fool, and if he really intended to, he would have acted as usual.

However, it was necessary to assume the worst and be cautious.

‘…Let’s just watch for now.’

Amid these worries, the exploration resumed.

Contrary to my concerns, Rotmiller led the group as rationally as usual.

[You have entered the second floor’s rock desert]

He accurately found the way in the desert where the compass was useless, and by the morning of the second day, we found the portal leading to the 3rd floor.

[You have entered the 3rd floor, the Pilgrim’s Path]

There wasn’t much difference upon reaching the 3rd floor earlier than ever before.

We headed straight for the Witch’s Forest, engaging in only the minimal necessary battles, and took breaks for our biological rhythm by 10 PM.

It was the same when the 3rd day started at midnight.

“Hahaha! I don’t know why I never watched this before and just slept through all this time!”

“It’s because there was no one to share it with, wasn’t it?”

“Dwalki, that was pretty smooth just now.”

We briefly woke up and watched as the third floor was bathed in silver light.

Maybe it’s a tradition unique to Team Half-ling?

It wasn’t that someone suggested we do it first, but it became an unspoken promise that we always kept since our first exploration.

“We have entered the 4th floor, the Sky Tower.”

Anyway, the exploration went on without any major issues, and by the evening of the 7th day, we had reached the 4th floor.

This allowed me to relax.

It meant that I no longer needed to be suspicious of Rotmiller and be on guard.

“It was really just my unnecessary worry.”

The 4th floor is an independent level.

Once you enter and about 5 minutes pass, it becomes a space where no other explorer can enter.

I kept an eye out for anyone entering during the battle, but no other explorers entered until we had cleared the first floor of the Sky Tower.

“Bjorn! What are you thinking so hard about, Nyah?”

“Let’s move on.”

So, I completely let go of my worries and focused on the exploration.

Well, maybe not completely?

It’s just my personality, so it can’t be helped.

I believe there’s nothing 100% in this world. Especially during an exploration where anything can happen.

[You have chosen the Stairs of Wisdom]

[You have chosen the Stairs of Courage]

[You have chosen the Stairs of Wisdom]

Anyway, after entering the fourth floor, we focused on climbing the levels by alternately choosing the stairs of wisdom and courage.

Well, there was a situation where all the stairs were of Patience, which was quite a hassle but…

[You have chosen the stairs of patience]

It went more smoothly than expected.

It was a trial of hallucinations, but I managed to endure it reasonably well.

No matter who appeared or what they said, you just had to filter it out through the other ear.

To be honest, what came after the trial ended was more troublesome.

“Uwaaaaah, Bjorn…!!”

“Stop crying. Isn’t it all over now?”

“If even you abandon me, I’ll really be alone, Nyah!!”

I don’t know what exactly they saw or heard, but Misha burst into tears as soon as we passed the level.

The dwarf was kneeling on the ground in despair.

“My crafted swords are worse than scrap metal…”

By the way, Dwalki was staring blankly into space like someone who had lost their mind, and Rotmiller was silently clenching his fist…

Both seemed somewhat angry.

“…That’s, concerning.”

While they were regaining their senses, I checked the box placed in the center of the level.

It was a reward that could only be obtained by choosing the trial of Patience.

If you’re lucky, you could get a Numbered item or a random essence of level 6 or lower, but…

Of course, that was wishful thinking.

As expected, it contained about a dozen level 7 magic stones.

“If everyone’s rested, let’s get going again.”

After nearly half an hour to collect themselves, the exploration resumed.

And from then on, there were no significant incidents.

We continued to defeat monsters and climb floors, reaching the 100th floor on the 12th day of our exploration.

“It seems it’s our first time making it this far.”

From the 100th floor, the difficulty of the trials is locked at the highest, and level 6 monsters appear more frequently.

However, even here, there wasn’t much danger.

Thanks to our two main damage dealers who had grown significantly.

[Leor Wuerv Dwalki casts Grade 7 offensive magic [Cold Tempest]

[Misha Karlstein casts [Ice Shatter]

Dwalki had spent his hard-earned money to learn not only support magic, but also a level 7 area-of-effect cold spell.

With Misha joining in, we hardly had any trouble against most Level 6 monsters.

With two tanks and additional damage support, our stability greatly increased.

Hmm… It would be a different story if a Level 5 monster like a troll popped out like last time.

‘But, we’ve prepared various things with the team’s funds, so it should be much better than last time’

In fact, it’s funny to worry about Level 5 monsters on the 4th floor.

It’s not like we ran into Hans on our way here.

‘Rotmiller seems to have fully regained his senses now.’

Unlike the uneasy beginning, this exploration continued smoothly.

And the 19th day began.

****

[06:32]

Checking the clock, I looked around.

All four of us were sleeping comfortably in our chosen spots.

“Being awake alone feels like being on night watch.”

I burrowed back into my sleeping bag and closed my eyes, but with increased vitality, sleep was slow to come.

Or, is it because there are only 4 days left until the labyrinth closes?

‘Something feels off.’

In the past few days, I’ve noticed that our teamwork has significantly improved.

It feels like we’re finally in sync.

Even without my orders, everyone takes the best action, and we’ve started to communicate through eye contact and gestures to some extent.

Despite everything, we are gradually becoming a proper team.

‘It’s a huge change compared to when we first started.’

The change in Dwalki is especially stark.

He hardly seems like a beginner anymore, and his combat sense is improving day by day.

However…

Even as I feel a complex mix of emotions about this fact, there’s also a hint of sadness because I know that there isn’t much time left with them.

‘Don’t get swept up in emotions and think rationally.’

This is the first regular team I formed after finding myself in this strange world.

I’d made up my mind not to be too attached to the people here, but as a human, it’s not always under your control.

Surely, I will think of this team often later on—

Thud.

Just as I was lost in thought, I suddenly sensed someone’s presence.

Glancing over, I saw it was Rothmiller.

“Did I wake you?”

“No, I woke up a bit earlier.”

“Then, that’s a relief. I thought I woke you up again.”

‘Again’…

Was there a hint of meaning in his words, or was it just my imagination?

Well, probably not.

Rotmiller is quite perceptive.

He must have realized that I’ve been keeping an eye on him all this time, even if I pretended not to.

“How about we talk for a bit since you’re awake?”

“…Alright.”

I got out of my sleeping bag and sat down against the wall with Rotmiller.

Then, an awkward silence followed.

Ah, this is the first time we’ve talked one-on-one since that day, isn’t it?

Feeling somewhat suffocated, I took out some jerky from my pocket and started chewing on it.

Chew, chew, chew.

Chewing on the jerky brought some relief as the sound filled the silence.

It was only after finishing a piece of jerky that Rotmiller finally spoke up.

“…I’m thinking of leaving the team after this exploration.”

“Leaving the team?”

While unexpected, it wasn’t completely unforeseen. I had considered such a possibility.

With a heavy heart, I finally voiced the nagging thought, “It’s because of me, isn’t it?”

Huh?

“What do you mean by that?”

“…Hand me one of those, will you?”

After handing over a piece of jerky, Rotmiller chewed it thoughtfully before continuing.

“I can’t say that the district head’s offer had nothing to do with my decision. Who wouldn’t be tempted? He’s offering to create a position for me as a scout in a large clan.”

“Knowing it might be a lie, my heart still raced. That’s when I first realized it was time to leave this team.”

“Ah, don’t feel too burdened by it. To be honest, it’s something I’m accustomed to. Beings from different races… no, those with talent, often quickly rise to the top.”

“I’ve been part of many teams over the past 8 years, and there have been plenty of times when I couldn’t keep up and was left behind. Sometimes I was expelled, and sometimes I left on my own before things got worse.”

“That’s how I’ve survived as an explorer.”

“But this time, it wasn’t easy.”

“Why so?”

For the first time, I asked a question, and Rotmiller answered with a slight smile.

“Because I care about you all.”

“…?”

“Even though I knew it was time to go, I didn’t want to accept it. That’s why I hid what happened with the District Head and insisted on joining this exploration. I wished for this journey to continue a little longer. But…”

Rotmiller slowly swallowed the piece of jerky he had been chewing.

“Everything comes to an end eventually.”

I was at a loss for words at his statement.

Rotmiller, as if waiting for a response, looked straight ahead, saying nothing more.

Then, the alarm went off, and our teammates began to stir.

“It’s time for everyone to get up. I’ll be on my way, so you should get ready to leave as well.”

Rotmiller left to pack up his sleeping bag.

I pulled out a watch from my pocket.

[08:00]

Before I knew it, it was time to start the 19th day of our journey.

Rotmiller and I are alike in many ways.

We both tried not to get emotionally attached to others, yet we couldn’t help but care, and still, we made rational decisions despite our feelings.

The difference is…

“I was only looking out for myself, whereas this man was thinking of us.”

I wasn’t without my own altruistic calculations.

If I and Misha went to the upper floors with them, I thought the exploration game would end with someone dying.

So, I intended to end it with my own hands before that happened.

“Bjorn!”

Honestly, I was taken aback.

I never imagined Rotmiller was harboring such thoughts.

What did I look like in his eyes?

What was he thinking as he felt my scrutinizing gaze?

As these endless questions swirled in my head, I was brought back to reality.

“Bjorn! Where on earth is your mind, Nyah?”

Misha shook my shoulder, waking me from my reverie.

“Stop dawdling and start packing.”

“…Alright.”

I came to my senses and joined in packing up the campsite.

Afterward, we all gathered for a quick meal and then ascended the stairs.

‘Let’s talk about it when we return to the city. Since it’s just the two of us leaving, there’s no need to rush…’

Despite the complexity of my thoughts, I decided to focus solely on the exploration for now.

Aren’t there still four days left?

We could easily defeat Level 6 monsters by now, but the Sky Tower’s difficulty could skyrocket depending on the combination of monsters.

It’s crucial not to let our guard down until we return to the city—

[You have completed the trial]

After finishing the trial, I froze

No, it wasn’t just me.

“…All three are the Stairs of Destiny?”

“What shall we do? Didn’t you say it could be dangerous?”

Wow, this really happens.