I close my eyes.
And I ask myself again.
If this were the intro to a very, very unfriendly game, what should I be doing right now?
'First, grasp the situation and gather information.'
Whew, it feels like my mind is coming back a little.
Recalling the first task I set for myself, I slowly opened my eyes and checked my surroundings once more.
Unfortunately, nothing had changed.
That I was in a forest clearing.
That the darkness around me was lit not by an LED streetlight, but by a flickering torch.
And most of all, the fact that no matter where I looked—north, south, east, or west—it was teeming with muscular barbarians…
"Congratulations, young warriors!"
Fuck, so I wasn't seeing things.
I don't know what they're doing all huddled together in the middle of the night, but their expressions are quite solemn.
Is that Old Man in the center something like a Tribe Chief?
Well, that's probably not important.
"From this day forward, you will leave the Holy Land and be reborn as true warriors!"
Letting the Tribe Chief's words go in one ear and out the other, I closed my eyes.
I'm no doctor, but if I were to self-diagnose, I'm currently having symptoms of a blackout.
I don't know why I'm here.
"Now, step forward one by one and choose a weapon that suits you!"
So, let's try.
What was I doing just a moment ago?
Wondering if there was a problem with my brain, I carefully retraced my steps, and soon the memory came back.
I was playing a game.
I was right before the final boss room, and suppressing my excitement, I activated the Portal.
Then suddenly, text saying things like 'Tutorial Complete' and 'Commencing teleportation' appeared, and a bright light erupted.
And then… when I came to my senses, it was now.
Somehow, I've become even more confused than before.
"Karack, third son of Panun, step forward!"
First, I decided to check the condition of my body.
There was no pain, but you never know.
With that thought, I lowered my head and froze.
…What is this?
"A two-handed axe! Excellent!"
The hand I looked down at was brutally large.
And surprisingly, it moved according to my will.
While I was at it, I checked other places, and it was a sight to behold.
Not only was I shirtless, but all sorts of tattoos were drawn on my bulging muscles.
…No wonder my eye level matched everyone else, though they all looked huge.
First, I tried to make sense of the situation.
No, actually, there wasn't much to make sense of.
For some reason, I had become a Barbarian without even realizing it.
"Karack, third son of Panun! With this, you have become a Warrior!"
Kidnapping, hidden camera pranks, psychological experiments, and so on.
I immediately erased similar possibilities from my mind.
Since the situation was so bizarre, it would be foolish to spin a wheel of hope and force the evidence to fit.
It's more productive to accept what must be accepted and move on.
What is happening to me now is something that cannot be explained by science or modern knowledge.
Besides this huge body, the evidence is overwhelming.
"Next!"
First, the language that Barbarian is using is not Korean, English, or Spanish.
A language I've never encountered in any media in my entire life.
The problem is that I can understand that language as naturally as my native tongue.
As if the knowledge had been engraved into my mind.
"Ainar, second daughter of Fenelin, step forward!"
Second, this situation is familiar to me.
You might wonder what that means, but it's true.
At first, everything was unfamiliar, but after I gathered my wits a little, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
"You've chosen a sword! A fitting choice for one as clever as you!"
That young barbarians choose their weapons in turn.
That's the only common point, but…
It reminds me of the introduction of [Dungeon & Stone].
To be precise, when you chose 'Barbarian' among the various races, the game started this way.
But is this really a coincidence?
The game I was playing when the mysterious light swallowed me was [Dungeon & Stone], and even the main character I was playing was a 'Barbarian'?
"Ainar, second daughter of Fenelin! With this, you have become a Warrior. May the blessing of 'Rafdonia' be with you!"
'This is crazy…'
I decided to stop organizing the remaining evidence.
Rafdonia.
Thanks to this one proper noun the Tribe Chief just mentioned, everything became meaningless.
I now know where this is.
The world of the game I have played for nearly ten years.
"Dun, Dungeon & Stone."
Huh, who's this guy? Why is he speaking for me?
Glancing sideways at the Barbarian next to me, I froze.
Even at a glance, he was different from the other barbarians.
"Wh-what is this, why am I here…"
His breath is ragged, and his eyes are full of confusion.
The fact that he knows [Dungeon & Stone] too.
Could he be in the same situation as me?
I felt the need to check, but sadly, I couldn't even make the attempt.
"Who was it that just spoke!"
My eardrums rang from the loud voice, and my mind went blank for a moment.
Of course, it wasn't for long.
I don't know when he arrived, but seeing the Tribe Chief looking down at me, my mind cleared instantly.
"Was it you?"
The moment I was asked, I shook my head.
And I naturally looked at the Barbarian next to me.
An action so swift that I myself was impressed.
At this, the Tribe Chief also shifted his gaze to the Barbarian next to me instead of questioning me further.
Sorry, but you were the one, right? Who spoke.
"Was it you?"
"Yes?"
"I asked if you were the one who just muttered."
I'm only now noticing it, but the Tribe Chief's expression is unusual.
No matter how I look at it, it doesn't seem to be just because he was talking…
"Ah, you mean Dungeon & Stone? But… what about it?"
The guy doesn't seem to have noticed the atmosphere yet.
"So it was you…"
For a brief moment, a hint of pity flashed in the eyes of the Tribe Chief, who had clenched his teeth.
Feeling an inexplicable sense of dread, I unconsciously took a step sideways.
Just then, the guy tilted his head and asked.
"This is like an event, right? Ah, maybe it was a problem that I caught on too quick—"
I couldn't even see what passed by.
Something flashed, and then a gruesome sound was heard.
Swish-
That was the entirety of the incident.
A moment that felt like an instant passed, and the head, which fell with a dull thud, rolled on the ground.
A cruel scene that seemed unreal.
My eyes transmitted the information of what I had just seen straight to my brain.
"..."
A person's head was cut off right before my eyes.
I can see the bone and the cross-section of muscle.
Along with blood and flesh, something white splattered on my face.
What's this? Fat?
Hmm, I'm not sure.
It's not as shocking as I thought it would be.
Unlike what I'd seen in movies or comics, I didn't feel nauseous, nor did my mental state break, telling me it was all a dream.
Pshuuuuut!
Even as I watched a fountain of blood spray from the person's neck, my mind was filled with a single question.
Why on earth did the Tribe Chief kill this guy?
"The soul of Orum, son of Kadua, was possessed by an 'Evil Spirit'. Young warriors, erase the words that Evil Spirit just uttered from your memory!"
The moment I heard the Tribe Chief's words, the information naturally combined in my head.
Information 1: I am an Evil Spirit.
Information 2: If this fact is discovered, I will die.
Information 3: I could have ended up like that if I wasn't careful.
After reaching that conclusion, a chill ran down my spine, which had been fine even when the person's head was cut off.
"Bulkan! You are to take the corpse and report this fact to the Temple immediately!"
"What will you do about the Coming of Age Ceremony?"
"We will continue!"
A lot of blood was shed, but the Coming of Age Ceremony continued.
Perhaps such things were common here, as no one so much as batted an eye.
This was the same for the young warriors around me.
But is it because I've played so many unfriendly games?
Even though no one told me, I could clearly perceive what I needed to do now.
—Without letting anyone discover the fact that you are an Evil Spirit, successfully complete the Coming of Age Ceremony.
If this were a friendly game, a message like this would have appeared.
Engraving the updated task into my mind, I forced my body to stop trembling.
And using the attitudes of others as a guideline, I acted out my expression.
No one must feel any sense of strangeness from me.
Because to them, it seems I'm no different from an 'Evil Spirit' that has stolen the body of its owner.
"Next!"
When my thoughts reached that point, my heart sank.
"Serum, fourth son of Kenik, step forward!"
I don't know my name.
This is a grave matter with my life on the line.
Because if my name is called and I'm the only one standing still, I will definitely look suspicious.
"Next!"
I might be able to pass it off as having misheard.
That possibility is surely much higher.
But if you ask whether I can be certain, that's another story entirely.
What if that's not the case? What if the Tribe Chief asks me a question because I seem suspicious?
I won't be able to answer anything.
"Next!"
Did the feeling of anxiety stimulate the hormones in my brain?
Endlessly positive thoughts began to surface.
The weak thought, 'If I'm called last, it doesn't matter if I don't know my name, right?'
"Next!"
I felt pathetic.
Relying on luck?
When I've never once been lucky in my entire life? You can tell just by the fact that I was dragged to a place like this while playing a game.
For someone like me to overcome this crisis, a plan with a much higher probability of success is needed.
"Next!"
For that reason, I continued to observe my surroundings.
With my chin facing forward, my eyes scanned and scanned the expressions, movements, and habits of others.
As I did so, one method came to mind.
"Next!"
Of course, this method doesn't guarantee 100% success either.
But the time I had was short, and I finally made my judgment.
This was the path with the highest chance of survival.
"Next!"
"Next!"
"Next!"
After that, the calling of names continued.
Each time, I silently counted about two seconds.
It was when I had repeated this act eight times.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel, step forward!"
The moment I had been waiting for finally arrived.
Two seconds have passed since the name was called, yet not a single person has moved.
The moment I recognized this fact, I stepped forward.
And with my shoulders squared confidently, I walked toward the Tribe Chief.
Thud.
It's not that I'm not afraid.
Even at this moment as I take a step, I'm not certain that is my name.
Thud.
If my judgment is wrong, that crazy Tribe Chief will suddenly call me out for being suspicious.
And he'll ask, who is your mother? I won't be able to answer.
But.
Thud.
I did not hesitate.
Even as my heart pounded, I evened my breath and continued to step forward.
The reason is simple.
Because I judged this to have the highest probability.
"Young warrior, choose the weapon you desire!"
In the end, my choice was correct.
In the Tribe Chief's gaze as he looked at me, there was no trace of suspicion.
The same gentle eyes as when he dealt with the other young warriors.
I suppressed a strange excitement and caught my breath.
I survived.
***
Not even ten minutes have passed since I opened my eyes.
But I accepted the reality I was now facing just as it was.
To some, I might seem strange for this… but there's no point in denying it.
This is not some dream.
'Bjorn Yandel.'
From now on, I must live by this name.
No, not just the name; I must become this Barbarian completely.
I don't know for how long.
I don't know if it's even possible to return home, and if it is, what I must do…
I still don't know anything.
Well, I wonder if I can return if I meet the game's clear conditions.
But it's too early to conclude that either.
Honestly, I hope not.
No, I haven't even beaten the 2D version yet, how am I supposed to beat this in reality?
I might have to live here for the rest of my life.
"..."
In that sense, the choice of weapon was important.
I thought that dragging it out might arouse suspicion, but I carefully examined the weapons one by one.
One-Handed Sword, Greatsword, Mace, iron club, spear, harpoon, two-handed axe, flail, large hammer, and so on.
There were no bows or staffs at all.
To these Barbarian bastards, easy-mode classes like Healer, Mage, or Archer were of no concern.
Though it's a given, considering their racial characteristics.
"Bjorn son of Yandel! Hurry and choose your weapon!"
As the time for choosing grew long, the Tribe Chief also began to urge me on.
I organized my thoughts one last time.
Barbarians are born with no talent for magic, but they possess powerful physical abilities.
For that reason, when I raised a Barbarian, I always played by giving them a melee weapon and placing them in the vanguard.
Out of curiosity, I tried raising a Bow Barbarian, but it wasn't very good.
Their true value was always displayed in close-quarters combat.
And among them…
'This one.'
After much deliberation, I chose my weapon.
"Hmm."
The Tribe Chief, who had always added admiration and praise whenever a choice was made, showed a strange reaction for the first time.
I could fully understand how he felt.
"Bjorn son of Yandel! With this, you have become a Warrior!"
I chose a weapon that no one else had picked.
***
At that moment, in a dark room where the flash had subsided.
「Synchronization complete.」
「Character information and logs will be recorded and sent to the administrator.」
The fan of the turned-off computer tower began to spin, and the light leaking from the monitor illuminated the empty room.
However, it did not boot up normally.
Beep-beep-beep, beep-beep, beep—
It stopped on a black DOS screen, with typing sounds that inputted in time with the beeps, as if there was an error.
「Successfully completed the Coming of Age Ceremony.」
「New equipment has been equipped.」
「Total Item Level increased by +12....」
「....」
As if someone were writing it down in real time at this very moment, only those sounds echoed quietly in the ownerless room.
Endlessly, continuously.
「Bjorn Yandel」
Level: 1
Physical: 25 / Mind: 35 / Supernatural Ability: 1
Item Level: 24 (New +24)
Overall Combat Index: 67 (New+6)