Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 75

Ghostbusters(4)

There are several bases for this judgment.

“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?”

First of all, I have never revealed my identity to anyone so far.

So, whoever it is, there’s only a suspicion.

There is no evidence to conclude that I am an evil spirit.

Therefore—

“I told you. I came from the U.S. In the end, we are like strangers here, don’t we need to stick together?”

The behavior is distinctly odd.

A fellow player can test me out by suspecting that I am a player.

But to be this overt?

It just doesn’t make sense.

How could he reveal his identity first, not knowing if I’m a local?

‘Being identified as an evil spirit in this city means execution.’

Well, if he was a newbie, maybe.

They can be naive at the beginning.

But didn’t he just say himself?

He’s been in this city for over three years.

Surviving three years with such behavior is nonsensical…

“We’ve created a ‘game’ association, you know? I’d recommend you join it, Jandel.”

Moreover, the way he pronounces the word ‘game’ is incredibly foolish.

Like a Korean character in a foreign movie.

‘If he wasn’t trying to hide his identity, he would have spoken in English.’

Perhaps then, I would have been less suspicious.

But this guy is avoiding the easiest approach, spinning roundabout talk.

Therefore…

I came to a final conclusion based on the evidence given.

“Hey, can you start believing me now?”

This guy is not a player.

He’s pretending to be one while testing me.

And only one reason comes to mind why a local would pretend to be a player in reverse.

‘He came specifically for me’

I had wondered if this would happen someday.

A city where the existence of evil spirits is known to the public.

Though none of the books in the library mentioned it, there must be an organization specializing in dealing with spirits.

‘He’s still in the doubting phase. There can’t be any solid evidence.’

So, what I need to do becomes clear.

I must dispel the suspicion.

Right now, it’s just probing, but eventually, some form of ‘investigation’ might start, maybe using magic or something.

I need to cut off such possibilities before they can even think about it.

‘But how?’

How should I act to convince these guys that I’m not an evil spirit?

The answer to that question was surprisingly simple.

Thud.

I took a big step forward.

“…Why are you suddenly coming closer? Too close…”

“I have one question to ask.”

My question breaks the silence.

The guy, who hesitated for a moment, soon nods with a smile as if pleased.

“Ah, yes, yes, ask me anything.”

“Then I’ll ask directly. Are you an evil spirit?”

“What’s the use of hiding now? Yes, I am. So…”

Okay, I’ve got a clear answer.

“That’s enough. No need to say more.”

“What do you mean—”

“The chief said it. Evil spirits must be killed on sight.

“Y-Yes…?”

Bewilderment was evident on his face.

I shouted, loud enough to echo through the heavens, and charged at him.

“Behel—raaaaaaaaah!!”

A Barbarian will not stand for injustice.
****
My fist strikes cleanly on his temple.

His eyes, flattened like a squashed bread bun, show confusion, doubt, and fear.

But that’s no use.

It’s not like I’m doing this out of personal vendetta…

After all, isn’t this his own doing?

Thump—

He blatantly revealed his identity.

But to feign ignorance and run away here?

That would only raise suspicion.

A properly raised local Barbarian would never do such a thing.

Therefore—

Crash!

I grab the neck of the off-balance guy and throw him to the ground like a combo move.

Then I climb on top of him.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Without rest, I continuously rain down fists as big as watermelons.

His physical resistance stats must be quite high as his skin is quite tough, but even so, he’s useless against me, whose strength stats have increased significantly this time.

“Ah, wait a min—!”

His face turned into a bloody mess after just a few hits.

But I didn’t hesitate and did what needed to be done.

Of course, he kept shouting in protest.

“I’m not! I tell you I’m not!”

Sure, you’re not an evil spirit.

But what can I do?

I need to look out for my own survival.

“Lying on top of it all, you really are an evil spirit.”

“No, that’s not—! Aaah! Agh!!”

I continued to pummel him for a few more moments.

Suddenly, the commotion drew a crowd and even the city guards.

Just as I wanted.

“Hey! What are you doing? Using violence in the middle of the city?”

“Pull him off!”

I stopped punching cleanly and stood up.

Maybe it’s the tier 2 material armor I’m wearing?

Unlike when I was falsely accused and taken away by the guild, the guards approached me cautiously, keeping their guard up.

Well, they don’t need to be that cautious.

Thud!

I picked up the unconscious guy’s body and threw it towards the guards. Then, I shouted loudly enough for everyone around to hear.

“This guy is an evil spirit! He admitted it himself and tried to do something strange to me!”

“What? An evil spirit?”

The guards, who were approaching the unconscious guy thinking he was the victim, flinched at my words.

The onlookers also murmured among themselves.

Of course, most of them sounded skeptical.

“An evil spirit? Maybe that Barbarian is mistaken?”

“…Even if it was a mistake, to beat someone up like that, he’s going to pay a lot of money. That guy.”

Sure, a Barbarian’s outcry might not be credible.

But what about this?

“My name is Bjorn, son of Jandel! I swear on a warrior’s honor, I do not lie!”

The Little Balkan.

Bjorn, son of Jandel.

Though it feels odd saying it myself, it’s one of the hottest names in the city right now.

“The Little Balkan?”

“…Come to think of it, he’s said to wear a Lighthium breastplate.”

“Then could he really be…?”

“If that’s true, it’s believable…”

“A famous explorer like him wouldn’t just make up stories and beat up an innocent person.”

The murmuring continues, swaying public opinion.

The guards, realizing my identity, wear expressions of uncertainty about what to do next.

Then, a man who appears to be the captain of the guards approaches.

“May we see your identification badge?”

A question I couldn’t have imagined being asked so politely in the past.

After I hand over my identification badge, the captain looks at me with a peculiar expression.

“You really are that person. I must thank you. My brother returned alive from the labyrinth thanks to you.”

“Was your brother affiliated with the Dzarwi clan?”

“No way, my brother was one of the few who paid protection fees to join you.”

Huh, I didn’t expect anyone from that group to have survived.

What a coincidence.

But that’s beside the point.

“So, when are we going to kill that spirit guy? Keeping him alive is unsettling.”

“That will be decided after the investigation is completed. For now, it seems you must accompany us to the administrative office. Is that okay?”

“Hmm, I’m hungry…”

“We’ll provide a meal, of course. If what you say is true, you might be credited with a great deed.”

“A great deed, huh…”

I pondered more carefully than usual.

What would a Barbarian respond?

As always, my deliberation wasn’t long.

“What does that mean?”

A quintessential Barbarian response, impossible without being one with the Barbarian mindset.

The captain chuckled and replied.

“It means you’ve done something remarkable.”

“A remarkable deed? So, will there be meat dishes?”

Maybe that was too much, even for a Barbarian?

But looking at the captain’s eyes, it didn’t seem so.

“…I’ll ensure you’re well treated, even if it costs me personally. Please come with us.”

“Then let’s go.”

I followed the captain, leaving the central square.

But somehow…

“The Little Balkan defeated an evil spirit!”

“Just telling this story should cover my drink tonight.”

Voices like these kept reaching me as I walked away.

「Your character’s fame score has increased by +1.」
「Your character’s fame score has increased by +1…」
「…」

It was almost like a spur-of-the-moment plan, so there was some underlying anxiety.

But the situation unfolded smoothly afterward.

When the law enforcement officers searched the unconscious man’s belongings, they found a badge.

“Oh, this is a spirit hunter’s badge?”

There was initial chaos in the law enforcement office.

Understandably, it was shocking to find a spirit hunter’s badge on someone suspected of being a spirit.

So, the law enforcement contacted their organization, and soon someone who seemed to be the man’s superior arrived.

And then…

“Oh, so, this man is… indeed one of our people…”

He looked dumbfounded at first, but when he understood the situation, he answered the question in a horrified voice.

“He admitted he was an evil spirit. How did that happen?”

“That’s… typically a measure taken against individuals who quickly gain fame or demonstrate exceptional actions…”

“Stop, if you speak too complicatedly, I won’t understand.”

“Our side suspected Mr. Bjorn.”

“What? You suspected me to be an evil spirit? Who is it! Who dared suspect me as a spirit! Could it be you?!”

Feeling insulted, I blew up in anger, causing the superior officer to sweat profusely in discomfort.

“They said it’s a standard procedure, as I mentioned earlier…”

“Speak plainly! Are you making fun of me?”

“It’s clear now that there will be no more such incidents! Please, lower your voice…”

Somehow, I realized why Barbarians prefer to live this way.

It’s comfortable.

Watching their troubled reactions is quite entertaining.

“Hmm, so what happens to me now? If that guy isn’t a spirit, should I be punished?”

“No, no, that won’t be the case.”

“That’s good to hear. I’m sleepy, so I’ll be going now.”

“Wh-What? Oh, yes… of course…”

As soon as I saw an opportunity to leave, I immediately exited the building and returned to my lodgings.

Although I left the scene brazenly…

Internally, I was eager to escape.

‘Damn…’

To be honest, it’s exhausting.

As much as when I was chased by the Layer Lord.

‘I didn’t expect them to know so much about this side.’

America, Europe, games, and even the way they talked was so natural it seemed like they were from Earth.

Well, their English pronunciation was terrible enough to give them away…

But still.

What kind of absurd difficulty level is this?

‘So, not all of them here are idiots…’

It’s no wonder Tarikan Lien ended up on the guillotine.

[USA? Taiwan? Europe? Where are you from?]

[Wow, almost got me. You act well. Weren’t you a 3-month newbie?]

[Ah, don’t be guarded. I’m from the USA. I should never have touched that damned game.]

In a strange city with no one to rely on.

Normally, one would be tempted if someone approached with such words.

‘Damn it…’

The more I think about it, the more absurd this world seems.

Dragged here suddenly, treated as an evil spirit, and now, one slip-up and these guys come throwing bait?

Monsters are straightforward; you just kill them. But these people are worse because you can’t just do that.

“Phew…”

I let out a long-held sigh of relief.

‘But for now, I’ve managed to get through this.’

Of course, I can’t be sure that those spirit hunters, or whatever they are, have really dropped their suspicions about me.

But I’ve done all I can for now.

All that’s left is to be careful and wait.

‘From now on, I need to act even more like a Barbarian.’

As I reevaluate my future actions, I enter my room at the inn and lie down on the bed in my clothes.

But what’s this?

“…”

There’s an envelope on the bed.

I open it and find a letter and a pill the size of a thumbnail.

‘What’s this? Did Misha write a letter? No, she wouldn’t have had the time—’

As I read through the letter, I freeze.

[This letter is randomly sent to explorers presumed to be players. If you can read this…]

A letter written in English.

I almost threw it away in shock, but after ensuring no one was around, I got under the blankets and cautiously read on.

The letter roughly translated to:

[This letter is randomly sent to explorers presumed to be players. Do not reveal to anyone that you are a player.]

[And don’t interpret this letter to any spirit hunter if captured.]

[Anyway, my point is this.]

[We have a community with guaranteed anonymity, and consuming the enclosed pill will grant you access to our community.]

[If you don’t wish to join, please dispose of the pill, and I sincerely wish you survival.]

The more I read, the more confused I get.

Could this be another trick by those guys?

‘Damn, it’s too convincing…’

Simple words used, considering non-English speaking players?

Considering it was an English-only game, it makes sense.

Anyone could read this.

‘If I were recruiting players, I would have written it this way too.’

Different from the pretentious spirit hunters.

This letter is entirely written from a player’s perspective.

[GHOSTBUSTERS]

Even the community name at the top suggests wit, unlike something hastily written by a condemned spirit in an interrogation room.

‘But they wrote this?’

It could be a delayed tactic.

Acting weak and then striking when I let my guard down.

So, I hope the sender of this letter is indeed a player.

I don’t particularly need the community…

But if this is from the spirit hunters, I’m not confident of surviving in this city.

And there’s a reason for that.

[P.S. Raphdonia’s king, Mother fucker]

How do you beat people who are so serious about hunting spirits?

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