Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Novel 2026 - Chapter 552
Chapter 552: Deja Vu (1)
It was the hundred and third day since entering the labyrinth. The days we had spent here had already crossed the three-digit mark, and it came time for us to stop our farming at the library. At this point, we needed to return to Stone Island to greet the newcomers.
I hope a few good ones come down so we can aim for the books higher up.
At this point, whenever we used a summoning book, we had to fight against four rank three monsters at once, and rank 2 monsters were sometimes mixed in with them. If the matchup was decent enough, I figured we would be able to defeat them, but it was impossible to grind through monsters like a well-oiled machine anymore. I acted as the tank to buy the others time during the battle, meaning I then needed to rest for a while to recover my spent resources.
We nearly had a death last time too…
In any case, those were the reasons that bolstering our numbers wasn’t a choice, but a necessity.
After cleaning up our camp and preparing to leave, I felt a gaze on me. I turned to see what it was, then found Hamsick staring at me from a ways away.
“(Are you leaving…?)” it asked, looking down as I approached. Although our first meeting wasn’t particularly nice, we ended up becoming friends in the end, and after I’d spoken with it while hunting in the library, it seemed to have grown close to me.
“(Ah, don’t worry. We’ll be back soon. And I’m leaving the golden book here too.)”
“(But you’re taking my fountain pen…!)”
“(Haha, friends don’t think twice about small things like that. Okay?)” When it didn’t respond, I added, “(Either way, I’ll come back soon, so don’t worry about it.)”
“(Wh-who’s worrying? Don’t come back at all! It’s much better without people like you here!
Much more quiet!)”
Haha, look at this hamster. I ignored Hamsick’s empty words as a barbarian would.
“Lord Baron, everyone is ready to leave!”
“Really? Got it.”
We were ready to leave the library now, but for some reason, I couldn’t get myself to move. I turned to the now-quiet hamster and said, “(Hey, Hamsick.)”
“(…What?)”
“(Clean up the books while I’m gone. And even if you’re not hungry, eat the jerky I gave you regularly. And if weird people come in, don’t show your face to them, and hide behind the bookshelves until I return—)”
“(I’m not some kid! Don’t say things like that, and just leave if you’re going to leave!)”
No, but still…
I sighed. Why was I getting so worried? Was it actually me who’d grown close to it during all that time instead? “(Well. Then, I’m off. Hamsick…)”
“(Yeah…?)”
“(I’ll be back soon.)”
“(… Yeah.)”
With that, I turned my back toward Hamsick and forced my legs to move, walking past the members who had been looking at us from a distance. The members parted, shuffling aside so I could move to the front. As I stepped onto the stairs first, the other adventurers moved behind me in formation as we began to head out where we boarded the summoned boats.
A few hours of travel later, we arrived on Stone Island.
“There aren’t any traces of anyone new here.”
We came early just in case, but as expected, there weren’t any adventurers who had come down to Basement Floor 1 before we arrived on the island. With only three days having passed since the labyrinth opened, it would be physically impossible for the adventurers to farm the third floor and come down this one during that time.
Noticing something in my expression, Erwen asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“It’s just, I’m worried about Hamsick.”
“I’m really curious what you were seeing, Mister… No matter how I looked at it, I really couldn’t approach it because of how it looked…”
“What did you say it looked like?”
“…A wizard. It looked more fearsome than a Lich with its sunken face, and it had a staff with a skull on it. It also made these horrific noises.”
Ah, that was right. I had heard as much and just let it slide back then, but now, I had to rethink.
A wicked wizard holding a skull staff… Wasn’t that the exact definition of a monster created in the imagination of body collectors and doom scholars?
Needless to say, I didn’t say that out loud.
“Um… Lord Baron. Could I take my members and go to the beach?”
“The beach?”
“It’s just… There are quite a few things floating around in the ocean. We felt that maybe we could spend the remaining time picking those up…”
“Do as you wish. We won’t be doing much other than waiting for a while.”
A few adventurers who were bored of waiting stood, and a handful of the other members joined them over on the beach to pick up the debris. The equipment made from rank 3 material we picked up during our sailing in the past had apparently become a great motivator. From that moment on, a saying started to circulate among us.
If we got lucky, we could hit a jackpot. We might even pick up the equipment used by the ancient heroes if luck allowed it.
Well, if I got really lucky, I guess those things could potentially happen…
To be honest, though, I was a bit skeptical. We had explored quite a bit while down there, yet the most expensive thing we’d found was that rank three armor we picked up.
I’d bet when Basement Floor 1 officially opens in the future, there will be some people whose only job is to pick through the debris.
Hmm, that was personally a little inefficient for me, but I could see those types of people appearing. On top of that, Stone Island also didn’t have any monsters on it. If they could manage to successfully avoid the rainy season, farming on this island could also become a stable source of money.
Doesn’t change that time is moving really slowly…
It didn’t take long for me to get bored out of my mind, just sitting around at the starting point and doing nothing. Soon enough, I was joining the other members on the beach to pick up the debris with them.
One day, two days, three days…
The hundred-and-seventh day came around. In other words, it was only a few hours until the first floor would shut down.
…There’s no way people still aren’t here. Did those people from the palace do something? Are they stopping adventurers from coming down?
The worries started to take root in my heart. I had spread so much tempting, juicy information that I was looking forward to more experienced and powerful adventurers coming down.
But if they still aren’t here…then something must have gone wrong above. Tsk, do I have to keep clearing this area without any new blood?
The thought churned in my mind as I stared down at my watch.
Vwoong!
“Portal! The portals opened!”
But then, dozens of portals soon opened as the newcomers walked through.
How should I cook the newbies this time?
I didn’t have to think about it for very long. I just needed to take them around Basement Floor 1 under the guise of teaching them about the floor, and then after instilling in them that this place was quite dangerous, I could put a slave contract on them.
Then, I sighed.
And I was wondering why there was no one until the last day.
I had no choice but to accept that this plan of mine wouldn’t work as soon as I saw the newbies who arrived.
“Take your formation!”
“Formation!”
I sighed as I looked at the group that assumed formation as soon as they landed on Basement Floor 1.
This is the worst-case scenario.
Far too many priests to be a regular clan, a magic troop with a uniform, and even a knight order with smooth, platemail equipment. The classes could be separated into three distinct categories, but they all had one thing in common.
“Nia Rafdonia…!”
They had the mark of the palace on their chest.
After they set up their formations, the man who looked to be their commander glanced at me before walking over and giving his greetings. “This is truly an honor to meet you like this, Baron Yandel! I could have never imagined that I would be able to meet you immediately like this, but it’s truly a relief to see you alive!”
“Who…are you?”
“Ah, it seems I haven’t given my introduction. I am a member of the First Knight Order of the Palace, Zylan Ebost.”
“Any relation to Baron Ebost?”
“He is my older brother.”
Oh, so the silver lining was that the commander’s status wasn’t that high. He wasn’t even the baron, but the younger brother of one. If I could use my position as baron well enough, I could probably maneuver this guy as I saw fit.
“Ah, and I am the deputy commander of this expedition group.”
My hope was shattered the moment he said that. “Deputy commander…?”
“Yes. Could we step back a little? The second expedition group will soon enter.”
I stepped back in a daze at his request.
Vwoong!
The sky lit up once more as dozens more portals opened and dozens more adventurers entered the underground floor. Another round of portals opened after that as well.
Since sixty people came in three times…
That meant 180 people. Forget expedition group, an expedition “force” would fit their numbers better.
However, the real problem lay elsewhere.
“Nia Rafdonia! The 180 members ordered by the palace have safely arrived at the destination, commander!”
The commander received his report as soon as he entered.
“We don’t detect any dangerous entities currently in the vicinity, and our highest priority target, Baron Bjorn Yandel, has been found. He has a total of thirty-eight members, and excluding the seven of his Anabada Clan, the remaining members seem to be from the Hektz Clan and the Armin Adventurer Group who entered during the first and second waves!”
“I see.”
The commander with his ghastly white skin approached me while his golden hair waved behind him. It was the face of a man I was all too familiar with. Though compared to back then when he was full of youth, he had aged about twenty years.
“I remember seeing you at your ceremony from a distance, but I wasn’t able to converse with you.”
The commander of the First Knight Order of the Palace. The executive of the palace had the title of Knight of Light.
“This is our first time meeting, Baron Yandel. I am Jerome Saintred.”
It was the guy who I met while active in Noark twenty years ago while wearing the iron mask.
“Y-yes,” I stuttered, “it is the first time we’ve met! Hello! I-I am Bjorn, son of Baron Yandel!”
He probably wouldn’t recognize me. Right?
There was a certain concept called the spotlight effect, where one thought they were being noticed more than they actually were.
Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump!
Even though I was sure that he wouldn’t recognize me, my heart began to race.
“…Son of Baron Yandel? Your introduction is quite peculiar.”
Alright, it seemed that he didn’t notice anything yet.
I huffed to myself. I’d ended up saying whatever because I was so caught off guard. “I hear that quite a lot,” I said, calmly giving an answer that befitted a barbarian, then quickly assessed the situation.
Jerome Saintred. About twenty years ago, he had gone down to Noark with an aim to acquire the Fragment of Records Stone and fought against me.
Even ignoring the fact that I was nervous because he might recognize me, the situation was close to being the worst possible. This guy held the position of count, meaning my strategy of using my position to bully people was off the table.
I didn’t expect them to send someone big like this into a place where people don’t even know how to escape yet.
No matter how I looked at it, it was out of character for the palace to do this. I had expected them to take the back foot and act more cautiously like they usually did.
Regardless, I tried to laugh it off. “Haha, in any case, it is great to meet someone from my home in a place like this! Is the city okay?”
“The city? The city naturally is safe under the protection of the palace…”
“That’s good! We’ll leave now, then,” I called naturally in farewell, already moving in the opposite direction. “You guys have your adventure as well! Stay safe! What are you all doing?
Get ready to leave!”
However, he appeared right in front of me as if he had teleported. It was the same rank 3 movement ability Light Gateway I had seen before. “Your Lordship, where are you going?”
“Oh…I’m a bit hungry…”
“Please forgive me for my rudeness. Your rations must have been depleted. But do not worry anymore, we have plenty of supplies.”
Okay, so you were going to chain me to you like this?
I stopped my comical act and lowered my voice. “Count Saintred, get out of my way,” I demanded, donning a cold attitude that clearly distinguished between public and private matters.
This guy didn’t seem to care about my actions, though, as he continued, saying, “That won’t do.
You’re the first adventurer to enter the unknown floor, and one of the goals of our expedition group is to rescue you, Your Lordship.”
“You sound as if someone requested to save me.”
“You are that much of a precious treasure for our kingdom, Your Lordship. Please understand just how big of a loss it would be if we were to lose you.”
“So? What are you planning to do now?” I asked directly. “I am currently the leader of a clan, and you’re going to privately conscript me into your expedition group by force? On whose authority?”
Despite the hint of sarcasm in my voice, he didn’t get upset at all but instead smiled. “To start from the conclusion, I have no authority to forcibly conscript you into our army. There is a law that we can draft adventurers in times of disaster, but this won’t be able to be applied to a noble of the kingdom—a baron such as yourself. However…”
He took out a scroll from his belongings as if he had expected me to resist. I could tell what the object entailed as soon as I saw it.
“This is a royal decree.”
To put it simply, if I didn’t follow whatever was written on that piece of paper, I would be branded as a traitor.
“Hear this, Bjorn Yandel, Baron of Rafdonia.” He opened the scroll and read it with a stern voice. “These are chaotic days where wicked traitors act with abandon. The light of the palace will always protect this beautiful city and its citizens without fail, but false rumors have caused individuals to fall to greed, and it is a great loss to the city for them to disappear in vain.”
Since the palace was the highest point of etiquette, the document was quite long.
“As such, I as the monarch have concluded that these circumstances cannot be allowed to stand and, as such, have sent this expedition group…”
But to summarize the whole thing, it was this.
“Baron Bjorn Yandel will join the First Expedition Group and will act ‘under’ Commander Jerome Saintred to chart all the unknown areas and will find a way to return to the city.”
Aha, wow. This is fucked.
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