Surviving the Game as a Barbarian - Chapter 800: First-Class (2)
The moment we stepped into the portal, my vision blinked once again, and a new space unfolded.
“This is…….”
“What is this place? It’s quiet…….”
Maybe they’d expected it to be crawling with monsters—some of the members tilted their heads at how unexpectedly quiet it was.
Well, that’s fair.
Compared to Skull Island Catacoma, which was packed with bones, and the previous field where the entire island had been erupting in real-time like a bomb, this place was just a bit dark, quiet, and free of any immediate threats.
“This is unusual. Almost looks like a research facility.”
The strangeness and tension of being in an unfamiliar space only lasted a moment. Raven scanned the area and spoke with academic curiosity.
‘So much for that talk about avenging her master—some things don’t change.’
Not that I’m saying that’s a bad thing.
Honestly, I wish she’d forget the whole revenge thing and just live doing what she enjoys.
Then again, that’s not exactly easy… even for me.
‘Thunk, thunk…….’
Every step echoed off the floor, the entire area covered in metal plating.
The walls were lined with metal pipes and hatch handles, and mana conduits as thick as industrial cables.
Felt like we’d stepped into a giant submarine—or maybe a bunker.
“Ooh! I kind of want to turn this lever—.”
“Don’t! Prnelin, don’t touch anything!”
“I-I didn’t touch it! I just thought about it!!”
Whatever Ainard’s frustration, I hurried forward.
Time was still ticking, after all.
‘He should be speaking to us soon…….’
As I slowly walked toward the center, thinking that, right on cue, a voice echoed.
[Who are you? Are you pilgrims?]
A voice laced with noise, like it was coming through a speaker.
“……!”
Most of them raised their weapons and scanned the surroundings the moment they heard the voice.
Understandable.
There were probably only two people here who could understand what was said.
“Ancient tongue……?”
Raven, who had studied long enough to pick up a bit of the ancient language.
And…
[Welcome, Arta.]
Me, who never studied it but could speak it fluently, almost like a native.
[……You have not yet answered my question. Who are you? Are you pilgrims?]
Hearing that question, I smirked.
Arta Island was a fascinating chapter in the game.
Arta is the only NPC you can meet in the Labyrinth.
Well, once you learn the truth, calling him an NPC gets a little murky.
Anyway, the fact that he’s a sentient entity who can communicate and hand out quests makes him a rare case.
The progression style was also very unique……
“Bjorn! Is it an enemy? Just say the word! I’ll smash it!”
“Hold still, Ainard. It’s pointless anyway.”
“Pointless……? W-Wait—is it a ghost?! Don’t worry! I-I can beat ghosts now!”
“Oh yeah? Then try hitting that door with your weapon.”
“…Huh?”
Ainard blinked in confusion at my instruction but followed it obediently.
But……
“Uh……?”
Ainard froze, spear in hand.
As if some unseen force refused to allow such action.
“W-What is this?! I-I can’t move my body……! Help me!”
“Relax. Drop your hostility and it’ll go away.”
Strictly speaking, in-game, it’s not hostility—it’s that the attack button gets disabled.
With the ‘realism patch,’ I guess that’s what it feels like.
Sure enough, as soon as Ainard did what I said, he was fine again.
“Ugh……! What the hell is this?!”
To explain it simply, it’s a field effect.
Among all the hidden pieces, this place is particularly unusual.
「The character has entered a special area.」
「Field Effect – Arta’s Secret Base is in effect.」
「All hostile actions are prohibited within the field.」
No form of combat can take place here.
So ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) to progress, you need something other than brute strength……
[……What are you saying to them? Answer my question. If you do not, I will immediately expel you.]
The answer is conversation.
Even in-game, when speaking with this entity, you had to select dialogue options, and only by choosing the correct ones could you receive the quest.
Ah, assuming you could speak “Ancient Tongue.”
‘It took me over a hundred tries just to get the quest……’
Which also means: with all that experience, getting the quest now should be a walk in the park.
[We are not pilgrims.]
First off, claiming to be pilgrims is the wrong answer.
Choose that option, and you’ll be forced into a series of “proofs,” which no player can complete.
The only problem is……
[…But how do you know my name?]
Ah. The name……
[That is…….]
I hesitated, not sure what excuse to offer.
Tsk. I’d just mentioned his name out of familiarity.
Maybe that was a mistake.
In the game, he only followed preset dialogue paths, and I could only pick from preset options—so I never thought about this part.
But so what?
Unfortunately, I haven’t lived such a peaceful life that something this minor would throw me into panic.
[We are survivors of the fallen Empire.]
A line only possible because I know the story ahead.
The order’s a little off, but… choosing this line is still required to receive the quest, regardless of when it’s said.
[We came here to stop the apocalypse, and of course, we already know of your existence.]
[I see… survivors of the fallen Empire. Well, you wouldn’t want this world to be destroyed either.]
[Of course not. Is there anything we can do to help?]
[Hmm… I doubt there’s anything you can do. I respect your will to save the world, but if you truly want that, then leave. I’m trying to resolve it through my own methods.]
Uh… what?
Why’s he just telling us to go?
Did I mess up the intro?
Then again, this isn’t the first time reality has deviated from the game.
‘Guess I’ll have to go freestyle from here.’
With that in mind, I spoke again.
[Arta, we know how to kill the Beast.]
The line that—according to the storyline—he can’t just ignore.
[…Haha, you?]
But strangely, he returned a genuine laugh of disbelief.
Another realism patch?
This bastard wasn’t this annoying in the game.
In fact, once he confirmed our identity, he’d analyze our capabilities and—if we were useful—give us the quest without hesitation.
‘Sheesh… messed up the first step.’
Still, I know the whole story, so it won’t be a problem.
[We know how to kill the Beast.]
[……The Beast is not something that can be killed. Even I can only seal it.]
His voice dripped with disbelief, like: How could scum like you manage that?
[I’m not here to convince you with words. I’m going to kill that serpent.]
[……You even know about that?]
[Is that important? What matters to you is whether we can solve your problem or not.]
[You’re not wrong. However—]
[We also know it’s a First-Class monster. And that once it’s killed, the Divine Device below must be activated. Don’t worry.]
[…….]
Arta stopped asking how I knew all this.
But his tone shifted—because I knew those top-secret details so casually.
He’d become far more serious than before.
[…Very well. I will trust you. Survivors of the fallen Empire.]
As he finished speaking, a hiss of escaping gas echoed, and a hidden hatch in the floor opened.
Well, I might’ve skipped half the story, but……
Chi-i-i-i-i-iik—!
As long as we get to Seoul, who cares which road we take?
***
We’re descending.
Climbing endlessly down a ladder that feels like it leads to an abyss.
“What were you talking about up there? I heard something about an Empire and a trial or whatever.”
“Nothing important.”
“Wait, but how did you even know about this island in the first place?”
I just grinned in response to Raven’s question.
She knows I’m originally a player.
Not that the others don’t have questions—but no one’s said anything directly.
“You are a Baron, after all. It makes sense that someone like the Captain would know things the average explorer doesn’t! Right, Parab?”
“Haha, yes… That’s true.”
“Still, doesn’t this mean the royal family already knew the secret of Arta Island……?”
I quietly listened as the others murmured behind me.
I let out a slightly awkward laugh.
“Don’t think too hard about it. It’s not something we should be discussing out loud.”
“Of course. I understand that better than anyone. I’m just curious why the royal family kept Arta Island a mystery in the first place.”
Must be his royal roots.
Kaislan always suspects the royal family and assumes they’re behind every conspiracy.
…Not that he’s entirely wrong.
“Focus, everyone. I explained the monster back in the city, right?”
“Ah… wait, this is the place? Where that thing shows up? The End Serpent, Sniktura?”
“That’s right.”
“…This is nerve-wracking. Even Kashan was a monster back there.”
Kaislan’s voice trembled, probably remembering Kashan, the beast we fought on Basement Level 1.
I couldn’t blame him.
Back then, even with hundreds of elite fighters, we took massive losses.
There aren’t many explorers who’ve faced First-Class monsters, so few truly understand how dangerous they are…
But those who have—never forget.
A First-Class monster is a natural disaster.
It’s not just a monster or a human—it’s something entirely different.
“Don’t worry too much. Like I said in the city, this one’s not like Kashan. Given all the conditions, the actual battle difficulty is more like an upper-tier Second-Class.”
“Uh… isn’t a Second-Class monster still a total nightmare?”
Hmm… well, that’s not wrong.
There are plenty of rumors about high-tier clans getting wiped by a single Second-Class monster.
But from the perspective of a fully cracked-out K-gamer, it’s a whole different story.
You’re telling me I can kill a First-Class monster at Second-Class difficulty?
If I don’t do it, I’m a sucker—
‘Thunk.’
Lost in thought, I kept climbing down the ladder until finally, my feet hit solid ground.
And at the same time—
「The character has entered a special area.」
「Field Effect – Destroyed Nuclear Laboratory is in effect.」
「The land’s source absorbs all power.」
「All resources possessed by the character are fixed at 0.」
My MP got completely drained, and I entered a state where I couldn’t use any skills at all.
“So… we’re supposed to fight a First-Class monster in this condition?”
With her mana completely drained, Raven, now weaker than an average person, grumbled.
I just shrugged.
“Don’t worry. Same goes for the enemy.”
That’s the whole concept here—fighting barehanded, without powers.
