Barbarian.
When I first played this race, whose name literally means 'savage,' the weapon I chose was a greatsword.
Because it was cool, of course.
Every man has the urge to hold a sword in both hands, spin like a madman in the heart of the enemy lines, and swing it around.
'The problem was, they died way too easily.'
Fascinated by the Barbarian Class, I began my research.
How could I build a Barbarian to ensure its survival?
I tried various things, but the Barbarian still died too easily.
No matter how much I focused on survival, it would only become something like a Berserker.
It lacked stability, forcing me to walk a tightrope in every battle.
Then, at some point, I began to have doubts.
'Do I really have to use him as a damage dealer?'
Among the playable races, the Barbarian had the highest HP, and with its high potential for Strength, it could even wear Adamantium equipment.
While not as ridiculously powerful as a Dwarf with its special abilities, it had the basic qualifications of a Tank.
Well, regardless, I didn't particularly want to play a Barbarian as a Tank...
But it felt like a waste of all my research, so I decided to give it a try.
And after creating a Training Method through some trial and error.
'What is this broken character.'
Without a second thought, I abandoned the Dwarf I had been using as my Tank.
So what if I couldn't have flashy fights?
I always prioritized efficiency, and I was the kind of person who could toss aside my gamer preferences if it helped with the Strategy Guide.
Just like the decision I was making now.
Thump.
As I finished choosing my weapon and returned to my spot, I could feel the other Barbarians staring at me.
What are you looking at? Never seen a Shield Barbarian before?
Like a true Barbarian, I walked back to my spot and stood tall, completely undaunted.
This time, I didn't even have to act.
"Next!"
I have no regrets about my decision.
There are three reasons.
One, among the Starting Weapons, the Shield sells for the most.
Two, it's highly likely that even if I picked up a Blade Weapon right now, I wouldn't be able to use it properly.
Three, my ultimate goal is to be a Shield Barbarian.
Today, I made the most rational decision I could.
"With this, you have become a Warrior!"
After choosing my weapon and returning to my place, I finally had some time.
While the other Barbarians went through their Coming of Age Ceremony, I decided to try and figure out the cause of this whole situation.
It was something I should have dealt with long ago, but...
Well, what could I do?
If I had been thinking about that, I would have been dead.
「You have reached the Abyss.」
Let's get things straight now.
I reached the final boss room.
That was likely the trigger.
'Wait, then what about that guy who died earlier? Does that mean he also made it to the final boss room?'
...
Maybe.
The world is full of people, and some might be as strange as me.
Let's move on from that for now.
「Tutorial complete.」
I interpreted this message as follows.
It told me everything it was going to, so now I have to use that knowledge to survive.
Whoever it is, they're a vicious bastard.
If they really wanted me to survive, they should have included some lore about that 'Evil Spirit' thing.
I almost died the moment I got here, you son of a bitch.
"Hoo…"
Is it because I'm in a Barbarian's body? Unlike usual, I can't control my emotions.
For that reason, I stopped my train of thought there.
Getting worked up could ruin things, and besides, it's not like me to stress over dwelling on the cause.
What's done is done, and I can't turn back.
It's more productive to spend this time thinking about how to move forward.
So…
Right, for now, let's just think about that.
'Surviving.'
***
The Coming of Age Ceremony was over.
And now I'm walking on a forest path.
The Tribe Chief is in front of me, and young Barbarians are behind me.
Everyone looks happy, as if on a picnic.
But I can't smile genuinely like them.
Because I know their final destination.
"Halt!"
After passing through dense thickets, we arrived in front of a Fortress Wall that seemed to be at least 30 meters high.
"Open the gate!"
The Castle Gate opens with the sound of crude machinery.
It was so slow it made me want to yawn.
But the young Barbarians watched as if they had forgotten to breathe.
In a strange silence, a gray city finally revealed itself beyond the Castle Gate.
"Rafdonia…"
At this moment, my gaze was probably not much different from theirs.
Paved roads and stone buildings.
A towering spire piercing the sky between them.
I never dreamed the day would come when I would see in person what I had only seen in the loading screen illustrations.
Dammit.
"Warriors!"
As the gate opened, the Tribe Chief turned and shouted.
I wondered if he was going to say some nice words before sending them off, but…
"Go! Your destiny lies there!"
Barbarians didn't need boring speeches.
"Waaaaaah!"
The newly adult Barbarians roared and ran into the city.
I didn't feel like it, but I shouted and followed them.
There were probably people sleeping soundly inside those dark buildings, but what did that matter?
I'm a Barbarian.
Kooooong—!
I heard the sound of the Castle Gate closing behind me.
Of course, not a single Barbarian paid it any mind.
The excited Barbarians ran for a while longer before finally calming down and slowing their pace, and only then could I calmly continue my thoughts.
Right now, conflicting emotions coexist within me.
"…"
Fear of the situation I found myself in.
And a certain sense of anticipation at becoming a part of the game world I had enjoyed playing the most.
It's a little funny.
I just resolved to think only of survival, and now this kind of feeling is blooming.
...
I guess I'm not normal after all.
Though I'm nothing compared to these Barbarian bastards.
"Halt!"
The Barbarian who had been leading the charge stopped, turned around, and shouted confidently.
"I think we're lost!"
At the shocking confession, the Barbarians began to murmur.
"Karack, third son of Panun, has led us astray!"
"He is not qualified to be a leader!"
"He must take responsibility!"
Bullshit.
They were the ones who happily followed him.
Is this Barbarian society? It's ruthless.
"I understand. Stop. I admit I am not qualified and will step down as leader."
Following the sustained outcry, Karack, third son of Panun, bowed his head deeply and returned to the group.
The one chosen as the next leader was a Female Barbarian.
"Ainar, second daughter of Fenelin!"
"The wise Ainar can lead us on the right path!"
At the many expectant words, the Female Barbarian led the group from the front with a happy face.
However, it didn't take long for her to follow the same path as the previous leader.
"…I think we're lost."
Surprisingly, their words were identical, not a single syllable different.
"How can this be! We have to get to the Labyrinth within the allotted time!"
"Ainar is not qualified to be a leader!"
"That's right!"
The confused Barbarians began to seriously discuss who to choose as their third leader.
"I think Jin, second son of Tetran, would be good."
"No. I don't think so. Rather…"
Do these bastards not have brains?
Do they really not realize that no matter who leads, they won't reach the destination?
At this rate, my turn might even come.
"…"
I quietly slipped to the back and approached the second leader.
Possessing a large frame just under two meters tall, she stood slightly apart from the group with a dejected expression.
"Bjorn son of Yandel? Are you here to blame me too?"
Of course not.
In my eyes, they were all the same.
When I shook my head, the Female Barbarian tilted hers.
"Then why? If it's comfort, I don't need it."
"No. I came to tell you how to find the way."
"…Is that true? How?"
I pointed with my hand.
"We just have to follow them."
"Just follow them?"
Her expression was one of complete disbelief.
I exercised my patience and explained it step-by-step, following a logical progression.
A city in the middle of the night.
The lights are out in all the buildings on the Main Road.
But for such a late hour, there are quite a lot of people walking the streets.
They are all armed, not in everyday clothes.
Where else would such people be going?
"Indeed. Now that I see it, that seems to be the case. I'll give it a try."
The Female Barbarian returned to the group and shouted, 'I found the way!' At this, the Barbarians stopped trying to pick a third leader and cheered.
"As expected of Ainar!"
"A wise Warrior!"
Anyway, the group started moving again.
As time passed, the number of armed people around us grew, a sign that we were going the right way.
Soon, a halo of light spreading out in all directions became visible in the distance.
As long as we've come this far, we won't get lost.
"The Labyrinth! I can see the Labyrinth!"
"The sacred dimension of battle!"
I resumed my interrupted thoughts.
My biggest worry right now is whether entering the Labyrinth is the right decision.
"I can feel it! The Labyrinth is guiding my soul!"
The Barbarians, lost in a frenzy of excitement, wouldn't notice even if I quietly slipped away from the group.
Then I don't have to enter the Labyrinth.
I don't have to bleed and fight monsters.
But, knowing that better than anyone, I still haven't been able to end this dilemma.
'It's probably because I know running away isn't a solution.'
[Dungeon & Stone] has a tax system.
From the age of twenty, all city dwellers must pay taxes, and failure to do so results in execution.
Hearing only this might make you think it's a terrible game, but if you look at the world's lore, there are somewhat understandable reasons.
It's not something I need to worry about just yet, but.
"Ainar! Let's pick up the pace!"
"Uooooooh!!"
Anyway, I have to make money.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean I have to enter the Labyrinth and fight monsters.
At the very least, if I worked at a Tavern, I wouldn't have trouble with food and lodging.
...
If only I weren't a Barbarian.
The Barbarian is the only race that's given a weapon from the start of the game.
The reason is quite simple.
[A Barbarian? Sorry.
We just hired someone.]
[Get out of here! I don't have any work for a Barbarian! What are you planning to break this time!]
Barbarians can't do ordinary jobs.
According to the game's lore, there's no way for them to make a living other than fighting monsters in the Labyrinth.
Well, it's unclear what it will be like in reality.
Maybe I can find a job more easily than I think.
But there's one thing holding me back from leaving the group on that belief alone.
"Ten minutes until closure. Please enter now!"
In game time, the Labyrinth opened once a month.
In other words, if I don't go in this time, I'll have to survive in this city for a month.
But what if I can't find a job?
What if no one hires me because I'm a Barbarian?
Well, the future looks bleak.
Even if I could survive for a week on the food the Tribe Chief gave me, after that I'd have to live by scavenging through trash.
I might even starve to death before then.
One thing is for sure, even if I managed to survive that long, my body would be completely different from how it is now.
"I'll go in first!"
"No! I'm first!"
Hunger, cold, sleeping in unsanitary conditions.
I know better than anyone how fatally these things affect the human body.
So, if I'm going to enter anyway, it's rational to go in now while my condition is at its best.
'The problem is that it might just shorten my lifespan.'
My worries were deepening.
"Bjorn son of Yandel!"
Someone grabbed my shoulder.
I checked and saw it was that Female Barbarian from before.
Her name was...
"Ainar, third daughter of Fenelin."
"Second daughter."
Anyway, what does she want with me?
"The other Warriors have all entered the Labyrinth already. Only you and I have yet to enter."
"Ah."
No wonder it was so quiet.
I looked around and saw that not only were the other Barbarians gone, but there were hardly any people left in the Plaza.
As the second leader, Ainar must have come to check on me since I was just standing there.
"We must hurry. We don't have much time because we arrived late."
At her words, I lifted my head and looked straight ahead.
The Portal, which had been emitting a powerful light from a distance, had now noticeably shrunk in size.
"Five minutes until closure!"
Just then, an attendant announced the remaining time once more.
Five minutes, that's tighter than I thought.
I need to make a decision soon...
"You go first. I'll follow right behind you."
"Alright."
Ainar nodded and headed for the Portal, and with that, my dilemma deepened.
Now, what should I do?
As someone who preferred to do everything as quickly and efficiently as possible, this time it wasn't easy to make a decision.
Unlike in a game, my actual life is on the line.
"Bjorn son of Yandel!"
Just as I was about to unconsciously take a step back.
Ainar, who had been walking fine, suddenly spun around.
"Thank you for earlier."
"…It was nothing."
"And I have one more thing I want to ask."
Anything but my mother's name.
I nodded, and Ainar asked in a voice that was 100% sincere.
"How can I become as wise as you? I've never seen a Barbarian as smart as you in my life. I want to be like you too."
That's a difficult question to answer.
How can you get smarter? Honestly, I think it would be faster to just be reborn, but...
No, why am I even thinking about this?
Let's just give a vague answer and send her on her way.
"Always think before you act."
"Hmm, I see!"
I said it without much thought, but Ainar mulled over my words with a serious expression.
And then she said something a little unexpected.
"Thank you for the advice. If I make it back from the Labyrinth alive, I will repay you."
If you make it back alive?
Coming from a Barbarian, it sounds very strange.
So, unlike myself, I asked an unnecessary question.
"…Are you perhaps afraid of dying?"
"Isn't that obvious? Of course I'm afraid of dying. The other Warriors probably are too, even if they don't show it."
Is that so?
Honestly, even hearing that, it doesn't really sink in.
The Barbarians in the game were fearless beings.
And they didn't seem much different in reality.
Since I was quiet, Ainar added an explanation.
"We were born as Warriors. If we cannot fight, we die."
Her tone was clumsy and stiff, but for some reason, I could fully understand what she was trying to say.
"I see."
Just like me, they simply had no other choice.
Because they were born as Barbarians.
Because if they can't kill monsters in the Labyrinth, they can't survive in this city.
That's why they learned from a young age how to overcome fear and move forward.
Yes, that was all it was.
The reason they seemed like savages.
"See you alive, Bjorn son of Yandel."
Soon, Ainar stepped into the Portal.
"One minute until closure!"
Now, there is nothing holding me back.
There is only my choice.
Just like the phrase that came to mind when I entered the final boss room, there are two choices.
「Yes / No」
My complicated thoughts somehow feel clearer.
Right, let's just think of it as playing a game.
When I played games, I always prioritized efficiency for the sake of the goal.
I considered the possibilities before acting, and always thought two steps ahead.
If I judged that an immediate gain would result in a net loss, I chose 'No.'
If it was the opposite, I chose 'Yes.'
Therefore, I never really had a choice.
"The gate is closing soon! Please step back!"
I ran forward.
Just like when the Tribe Chief had called my name, fear was boiling up from deep within my heart.
It made sense; having lived a sickly life, I had never even been in a common fistfight.
And now I had to face a monster?
My knees are already shaking.
"It's dangerous!"
But, if there was no chance at all, it would be a different story.
Right now, I have the ridiculously strong body of a Barbarian.
I have the knowledge gained from raising thousands of characters.
And above all, I have the grand goal of survival.
So, I have no choice but to do it.
Even though I know better than anyone that this is a choice that guarantees a terrible ordeal no sane person would choose.
That it's the most rational choice—
「You have entered the First Floor, Crystal Cave.」
Because that's what I ended up thinking.