Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Chapter 181 Jinx (1)

Jinx (1)

Jinx (1)

Hans Krisen.

A name that sounds familiar.

"Uh! Bjorn! That person is definitely that guy from before...!"

I remember even before Misha can finish her sentence.

After all, various summons are appearing around him.

"He's a summoner!"

Summons with an average rank of 7, consisting of one offensive type and three support types. I examine each of them and let out a sigh.

With this, the possibility of him being a look-alike is gone.

Hans G.

The guy I judged to be a 'player' based on the fact that he knew Riakis's patterns and the conditions for the Death Knight's appearance.

'Damn it.'

What happened after I met him back then?

A troll appeared on the 4th floor, and we almost died.

Player or whatever, Hans in this world is like a plague.

Thud.

My heart turns cold.

I have to kill him.

That's the only thought that dominates my mind.

"Mr. Yandel? Why have you been so quiet—"

I dash forward with more force than ever.

As if I stopped for a moment just to gain momentum.

Thud!

I quickly close the distance between us, leaving a clear footprint on the hard ground.

Hans G isn't just standing there watching either.

[Kyaaaak—!]

A lizard roars and breathes fire.

To be precise, it's a fire-attribute offensive summon named 'Nymph'.

Whoosh!

Although the flames aren't that threatening, as expected of a 7th-grade summon, the firepower increases explosively as the support summons' buffs are applied.

Sizzle!

A scorching heat burns my skin.

But so what?

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!"

I cover my upper body with my shield.

And I just endure the rest with my Fire Resistance and charge through the flames. My skin might peel off because of this, but everything has a priority.

Kwagic!

The mace, imbued with the Ogre's strength, makes a satisfying sound.

And at the same time, Hans G's head explodes, and he collapses.

It's an instant death, as he disappears into light before his body even hits the ground.

"Wh, what did you do?!"

Raven shouts at my actions, which are completely different from our agreement.

I can understand why she's angry, but I can explain later.

"Don't come any closer!!"

I shout authoritatively and quickly move towards my companions.

And I take a deep breath I'd been holding back.

"Phew!"

It's fine.

Although I met a Hans, I didn't breathe in the contaminated air.

So it will be okay.

No, it has to be oka—

"Don't tell me, he was poisoned?"

Uh, that's not it...

What should I call this?

"Yeah, we're giving up on this path."

"Yes? No, you're saying he was really poisoned? But there were no signs of that..."

"Enough, just come here."

I lead the team back the way we came, acting somewhat forcefully.

But is my behavior strange?

Raven, who's obediently following me, has a serious expression.

"I think we've come far enough."

I stop after walking for about 5 minutes.

But just as I turn around to explain what happened...

"Uh!"

I trip over a protruding stone and stumble. Although I manage to regain my balance and avoid falling...

...even this doesn't feel like a coincidence.

Don't tell me, the Hans effect has started?

Right, it wasn't even the real one, but a Doppelganger. Maybe this is all the misfortune I'll experience—

"Yandel! There's something else ahead!"

I quickly look ahead at the bear-like man's shout.

Two Doppelgangers are approaching.

The reason I was certain they were Doppelgangers as soon as I saw them is simple.

Both of them have the same face.

'Damn it.'

I close and open my eyes tightly.

But the sight before me doesn't change.

Is this hell?

"I... am... Kr, i... sen."

"Ha, ns... Kr, i... sen..."

Hanses are multiplying.

_______________________

It was the same as before.

I ignored the intensified flames and smashed their heads.

And I held my breath while doing so.

"Everyone, hold your breath. We're breaking through!"

"No? What?"

"No time to explain!"

We hold our breath and run through the passage since there's no way back.

And when I think it's finally safe...

...I stop and check on my companions.

"Bjorn, your eyes are scary!!"

"What the hell is going on? I don't think it was poison. Don't tell me you knew him?"

My companions are confused by my unusual behavior.

"Yeah, I knew him."

I try to calm down and explain everything one by one.

That the Doppelganger I met earlier was named Hans.

And all the bad things that happened whenever I met a Hans.

"Th, this is bad!!! But what should we do? I breathed!"

Ainar, who knows about the 'Hans education' I gave barbarians, is anxious and starts biting her nails after hearing the hidden story.

"...It's not something we can just dismiss as a coincidence."

As expected of an explorer who's superstitious, the bear-like man also has an uneasy expression.

And Raven...

"Yes? You're saying it's not a coincidence?"

...laughs out loud after staring blankly as if saying, 'What the hell are you guys talking about?'

"Pfft, hahahahaha!"

Is she a psychopath?

How can she laugh in this atmosphere?

"Seeing this, I guess Mr. Yandel really is a barbarian."

"That's a racist remark."

"Ah, I'm sorry if it sounded like that. But... pu, hahaha! If you're really worried, why don't you give us a mage's blessing?"

Mage's blessing?

There was no such thing even in the game.

Raven explains gently as if talking to a child when I tilt my head in confusion.

"When mages visit poor neighborhoods, children cling to them and beg for good luck. That's a mage's blessing."

...So it's just a symbolic blessing?

"I don't need it."

"Why? It can at least give you peace of mind."

Raven, who was laughing, says it wasn't just a joke and tells me about a study.

That if you strongly believe in something, it affects your body?

It seems like she's talking about the placebo effect...

Geez, what does she take barbarians for?

"Just do it."

"Okay. Really? Ah, how do you do this again? Can you bend down a bit?"

I plop down on the ground, and Raven places her hands on my shoulders alternately, with a solemn expression, as if knighting me.

And she adds words of comfort, which is unlike her.

"Everything will be fine. You received my luck."

I don't know about luck...

But it seems like my rationality is returning.

Come to think of it, it's just a jinx.

Was there even a Hans around when we met the Dragonslayer?

"Ah, seriously! Get a grip! You're the leader of our team!"

I need to come to my senses, as Raven said.

Even if the Hans effect is real, we're bound to encounter the real Hans since we entered the rift.

I just have to be more careful than usual.

"Me too!! Give me one too!!"

"Me next... is that okay?"

"Ahem, I also request one."

My companions gather in front of Raven like baby birds, perhaps because of my improved expression.

"Ha... Alright. Everyone, line up."

Raven sighs and then gives each of us a blessing, even adding words of comfort.

Was she always like this?

It feels like I've seen an unexpected side of her.

"Now tell us. There's no way you just killed him recklessly. You already know about him, right? That Hans guy or whatever."

"To some extent."

We share information after the blessings are over.

What essences Hans Krisen possesses.

And who his companions are.

"A fairy archer, a human warrior, and a mage, right?"

"That's how it was when I last saw them."

"There are only four of them?"

"They entered a rift, so there's a high chance they're a 5-person team now. They probably added a Guide to the remaining spot."

The 4th-floor rifts open at a random location on a stage above level 25. It's practically impossible to find a rift before it's full without a Guide.

"Indeed, that's highly likely."

Raven nods reassuringly as I explain what I know about his companions.

It seems like I understand what she's thinking.

Unless there have been major changes, Hans G's team is clearly weaker than us.

"We don't have to worry about them trying to cheat us with the loot distribution."

"We're the ones who should be cheating."

"If the situation allows. We don't know anything about the other team yet, do we?"

We end the information sharing about Hans's team and resume exploration.

Fortunately, we've created some distance from him, so only our Doppelgangers appear afterwards.

'Tsk, I wanted to check out the other team beforehand...'

The unidentified team whose path doesn't seem to overlap with ours.

But there's nothing I can do by regretting it.

"Oh! It's another magic stone chest!"

We wander through the cave all day, opening the occasional chest.

It's the main reward of the first chapter, the Shadow Cave.

Doppelgangers don't drop magic stones or essences, no matter how many you kill.

It's a way of balancing things out.

'Still, it's a bit strange.'

In the game, I just accepted it as a game mechanic.

But actually experiencing it in real life makes it feel strange.

Like it's really a game.

[There's a hypothesis circulating in academia these days that he didn't discover the labyrinth, but created it.]

I even have the thought that maybe what Raven said before is true. If someone created it, this structure would make sense.

'In the first place, what the hell is this world?'

Is it a game, or is it another real world?

The question I've had since the first day I woke up in this body lingers in my mind, but as always, I fold it neatly and bury it deep inside.

I don't have an answer with the clues I have right now.

It's not rational to waste energy on pointless things.

"It seems like all the chests have been opened. And there are barely any Doppelgangers appearing. What should we do?"

"Didn't we agree that you would make the decisions here?"

I shrug and hand over the decision-making power to Raven.

After all, what she wants to say is probably what I want to say.

"Hmm, then I think it's best to rest here today and then head to the center when we wake up."

Right.

"Why?"

"It's highly likely that the other teams are already gathered at the center. There's no need to camp together, right?"

It's a mage-like, safety-oriented judgment.

I especially like the part where distrust of others is the foundation.

"Well, do you have anything to say about my decision?"

"Nothing at all."

"Hmm, your eyes look strange..."

"I was just thinking that it's a good thing we have a mage like you on the team."

I mean it.

She'll never know how much easier my life has become since she joined the team.

"...Flattery won't get you anywhere."

What is she talking about? Her shoulders are already up to her ears.

We finish preparing for camp and take turns keeping watch, ending Day 8.

And so, Day 9 begins.

[05:07]

We wake up a bit earlier than usual and head towards the center of the cave.

We don't get lost.

We were just staying here because of the chests, but the way to the center is simple.

Just follow the path where weeds are growing.

Thud, thud.

The amount of weeds and moss on the walls increases as we head towards the center, and soon a vast cavern appears before us.

"The latecomers have finally arrived!"

Ten explorers are already gathered there.

"Oh! You, you're here! Mr. Yandel!"

Ah, and of course, Hans G is among them.

____________________

Did they spend the night here?

The explorers are cleaning up the messy surroundings when we arrive.

I scan them first.

'Hans G's team is as I expected.'

It seems like there were no member changes, as all four of them are the same explorers I saw before.

That woman I've never seen before must be a new member.

'And that side...'

I don't know.

It's a composition of a dwarf, a beastman, and three humans.

Their equipment is about the same level as ours.

The only thing that's unusual is that they all have sharp looks in their eyes.

Actually, it's not that strange considering it's a rift.

"Who's the leader on your side?"

The dwarf approaches us.

He's the one who scolded us for being late as soon as we arrived.

"Ah, I think Mr. Yandel is the leader. That, that person I mentioned before."

"The one called Little Balkan?"

"Ye, yes."

Have they already introduced themselves?

Hans G says something to the dwarf and then approaches me, acting friendly.

"Ni, nice to meet you. I, I didn't expect to see you here. Do you know how su, surprised I was when I met your Dopp, elganger?"

"Stop."

"...Yes?"

"Stop coming closer."

I block Hans's approach, lowering my voice.

From my perspective, this distance is perfect.

It's not a world with masks, you know?

"Identification tags?"

I then ignore Hans and speak to the dwarf.

But for some reason, Hans G answers.

"Ah, haha! I, I already checked the identification tags, so you don't ha, have to wor—"

Really?

I'm even more uneasy because you checked them.

"Identification tags."

I ignore Hans's words and repeat myself, and the dwarf chuckles and demands in return,

"You guys first."

Is he trying to start a battle of nerves?

Although I don't intend to avoid it, confirming their identities comes first, so I take out my necklace and show it to him.

"Now it's your turn."

The dwarf also takes out his necklace and shows it to me at my request.

"So, are we done?"

"...Yes."

I nod.

That's when I hear Raven's voice in my head.

It's the Whisper spell, used to communicate secretly.

[Mr. Yandel.]

Right, you noticed it too.

[These people... aren't from the city.]

They're bastards from the underground.