Surviving the Game as a Barbarian - Chapter 795: Skull Island (2)
The hidden piece of Skull Island is absurdly simple.
As you continue wandering around the map and hunting, there’s a very small chance you’ll encounter a monster called the “Key Keeper.”
It’s basically a kind of mini-boss, though not particularly strong.
Officially, it’s rated as a Grade-4 monster, but it’s right on the edge—combat-wise, it’s closer to high-end Grade-5.
Anyway, once you cast a [Distortion] spell on it and ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ kill it, you obtain a “Key” that can open the central cave on the island.
And then…
‘If you clear everything and push through to the end, you reach the boss room.’
The creature known as the boss of Skull Island has a fairly high difficulty rating.
It’s only a Grade-3 monster, but only one team can enter the boss room at a time.
Large-scale raids are impossible.
And its patterns are tricky too.
Back in the early days, Ghost Busters sold information about Skull Island, and that information? It was exactly how to clear the boss fight.
‘I wonder if that woman pulled it off…?’
Now that I think about it, I never saw her username again after that—either on the forum or in the Q&A board, even up until Ghost Busters shut down…
Well, not something I should be focusing on right now.
“Yandel, are you sure about this?”
“Hm? Sure about what?”
“This situation. You were so confident we’d enter the cave first… but we haven’t even seen the Key Keeper yet.”
Ah, that.
Sure, it’s a little disappointing that not a single one has shown up in two days.
But still…
“Just wait. We’ll be the first ones in.”
I never intended to go about this the regular way.
Come on—what were the chances of twelve people beating ninety to the key by just wandering around the island?
The source of my confidence came from somewhere else.
This island has a guaranteed way to get the key—
“Whew, finally found it.”
Unbelievable luck, huh.
It took two days of nearly clearing the whole map before it showed up.
It was so late I was actually starting to get nervous.
Thankfully, the other side didn’t seem to have much better luck. They still hadn’t opened the cave either.
Crunch, crunch.
I stepped forward, my feet grinding against the shards of bone that made up the ground.
A defining trait of Skull Island.
Here, the surface is littered with every kind of bone—human, monster, doesn’t matter.
And the important thing is…
‘There’s one special skull hidden among them.’
Like this one.
I finally approached the skull I’d been searching for and stared down at it.
More boulder than skull, really.
But that size wasn’t anything unusual on this island, so it didn’t stand out.
‘Two horns and a square jaw.’
After confirming the features, I raised my hammer—when Raven spoke up.
“This skull… I think it’s the Key Keeper.”
“Hm? Doesn’t look like it.”
“No, it does. I’ve actually got an anatomical diagram on me…”
“Why the hell do you have that?”
“I did some research when I heard we might be heading to Skull Island. Here, look! Don’t you see the resemblance?”
“…Yeah, it’s an exact match.”
Not just similar—identical.
“Maybe some other explorers used [Distortion] and killed it, then left the corpse behind? The Ocean isn’t like other floors—the Labyrinth doesn’t reset each time.”
Hmm… maybe.
The 6th floor doesn’t reset, so it’s possible.
But then shouldn’t there be multiple of these skulls lying around?
Why is there always just one?
A spark of genuine curiosity stirred in me—explorer instincts kicking in.
But…
“Not my problem.”
I brushed it off with the mindset of a player.
I mean, come on.
Gamers don’t try to understand mechanics.
They just exploit them.
Just like I’m doing now.
The only thing that matters to me is one thing:
Smash—!
That destroying a particular skull near the island’s center gives you the key.
“Beleg. Lead the way back to the cave.”
Once we had the key, we quickly moved toward the island’s center.
As we walked, I couldn’t stop grinning. Raven eventually asked:
“What’s with the smirk?”
“Nothing.”
I was just wondering what kind of face that “Gold Ghost” bastard would make when I showed up with the key.
***
When we arrived at the cave entrance, it was empty except for one team who looked like they were standing guard.
They tilted their heads when they spotted us but quickly grew visibly flustered as we approached.
“D-Did you… perhaps obtain the key?”
“And what if I did?”
“…”
“Move.”
“W-Wait! Could you wait just a moment, please?”
The moment I looked like I was about to open the cave and head inside, they desperately tried to stop me.
I had expected as much—but still scowled as if I didn’t understand.
“Why should I wait? Looks to me like you don’t have the key, but I do. So that gives us the right to enter first. That was the agreement, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, you’re absolutely right. You’re completely right. But… please, just a moment! Just a moment of your time—would you speak with our clan leader?”
“Hmm… I’ll give you ten minutes.”
“Uh…? Ten minutes, you say?”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, no! Of course not! Thank you for the opportunity!”
The moment our talk ended, the quickest-looking member of the team bolted off somewhere—and before long, the “Gold Ghost” arrived.
Total time elapsed: about eight minutes.
‘So he wasn’t hunting at all. Just hanging around nearby managing people, huh.’
Not my place to judge leadership styles.
But personally, I prefer leading from the front.
“Whew… I’ve been filled in. Thank you for waiting. I heard you obtained the key?”
“And what if I did? You planning to stop me?”
My tone was sharp, almost accusatory—but the Gold Ghost just waved his hands and shook his head.
“Of course not. I just wanted to make you a proposal. I’m already grateful that you’d even hear me out.”
What a clown.
I hadn’t even agreed to listen yet, and he was already thanking me.
“Fine. Spit it out. Time is ticking. And as you know, time is money in the Labyrinth.”
“Yes. Since you’re being direct, I’ll get to the point as well. Name your price.”
“…You’re trying to buy the key?”
“No, we obtained our own about thirty minutes ago. We don’t need the key—just the right to challenge first. Naturally, if we fail, you’ll be next.”
Is it because they call him the “Gold Ghost”?
The moment things don’t go his way, he pulls out his wallet.
“But you and I both know how this works. Whoever goes in first is going to succeed.”
“Which is why I’m asking. Name your price.”
“Why do you keep telling me to name a price?”
“You need to—”
“If I say 10 billion Stones, would you pay it?”
“……”
See? Speechless.
“Let’s cut the crap. Just tell me the maximum amount you’re actually willing to pay. I’m not here to haggle. I hate tedious bullshit.”
“…How about 400 million Stones?”
“You could sell the boss’s Essence alone for 500 million.”
“But there’s no guarantee we’ll get the Essence.”
Hmm, true.
Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn’t pay that much to go in first either.
If the Essence doesn’t drop, it’s a loss.
‘Still… it really does feel like he offered his absolute max.’
While we talked, word must have spread. Teams from all over the island started converging on our location.
“So what’s your answer?”
“Hmm…”
I pretended to consider it, then replied:
“I’ll accept the offer.”
“Oh, a wise—”
“On one condition. Hand over Avman Urikfrit to us.”
“…?”
The Gold Ghost’s expression immediately shifted.
From his ever-smiling poker face to the look of a hunter who just spotted prey.
“So you two are closer than I thought.”
“People you can trust in the Labyrinth are rare.”
“Haha. You’re not wrong.”
“So? Your answer?”
“I decline. As you said—people you can trust are rare in the Labyrinth.”
Trust?
This guy?
The same guy who stood by while Bear Guy got treated like trash in his clan?
I wanted to clock that smug face, but I held back. I’m a civilized modern man, after all.
He wasn’t done talking.
“And a man like Urikfrit, willing to sacrifice himself for the group, is even rarer.”
You bastard…
That was a threat, wasn’t it?
He plans to keep pushing Bear Guy into dangerous missions and treating him like dirt.
“Hah…”
With superhuman patience, I held back one more time and said:
“Fine. Forget the money—just hand over Avman, and we’ll give up the cave—”
“Sorry, but that’s not possible either.”
“…What?”
“Given the amount he owes, that would cost more than 400 million. The tail’s bigger than the body, you see.”
“What…?”
How much did he borrow, for it to outweigh a 400 million Stone deal?
I had no idea—but the negotiations ended there.
“Then we’ll pay the difference—”
“No. We’re not breaking our contract with Urikfrit.”
“……”
“Well then, please. Go on in, Viscount.”
He turned his back on me, no hesitation, like he was even pleased.
[Open the cave before the Golden Tree Clan.]
The main quest was a success.
But…
[Extract Bear Guy from that scumbag clan.]
…the subquest was a failure.
***
The entrance to the cave was made from massive bones.
Felt like something you’d see at a Jurassic Park–themed amusement park.
You walk straight into a gaping skull, where a single iron door awaits—complete with a keyhole.
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!
As I inserted the key and turned it clockwise, an eerie, overpowering roar echoed across the island.
“What are you doing? Get in already!”
As I looked into the open cave, I glanced back—just enough to catch sight of that Gold Ghost bastard watching from outside.
‘…Was he smiling?’
Seriously, what a piece of work.
I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“Yandel?”
Sigh… Right. Focus on the main quest first.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m going.”
Suppressing the vague sense of unease building in my gut, I stepped into the cave.
And then—
Boom—!
The entrance slammed shut behind me.
