Surviving the Game as a Barbarian Chapter 789: Red Ocean (1)

The royal family invested immense resources into unveiling this labyrinth. The city's supplies were on the verge of exhaustion, after all. Naturally, the nobles and the wealthy weren't facing any meal shortages...

'While the rest are literally starving.'

Refugees without homes flooded the streets. Prices had soared to unbelievable heights. Merely strolling through the city, beggars appeared on every corner— a sight unimaginable merely a year or two back. Lafdonia once was a city-state that put "ineligibles" to death over unpaid taxes. These days, all taxes stood suspended for every citizen.

Thus, the royal family desperately required this labyrinth venture to triumph, settle the chaos, and reinstate tax collections.

"That’s Bjorn Yandel..."

"Naturally, they’d make an appearance."

"Impressive nonetheless. Barely a dozen members, yet they’ve been called here... Rumor has it the tiniest clan apart from them numbers sixty."

"What’s impressive about it? It’s totally expected. He’s an explorer whose name is etched on the Stone of Honor."

"And he’s ascended to Viscount status now?"

Upon reaching the assembly area, hundreds of explorers already present eyed us up and down thoroughly.

"Those are surely the fresh recruits."

"The fairy hero and the Golden Mage..."

"Sure, the Golden Mage links to Viscount Yandel, but you need that kind of fame just to get in the clan."

"No calls for new members? Joining the Anabada Clan puts your name across the whole city."

"I’d still pick a major clan. It’s 'elite,' fine, but strip the reputation, and how does it stand against the giants?"

"And who’s the fellow in the helmet? Wasn’t it supposed to be eleven in total?"

Some gazed at us with jealousy or bitterness, while others showed simple intrigue. I brushed them off and surveyed the surroundings.

This gathering spot, where every participating explorer had covertly assembled, felt all too familiar to me.

"Out of everywhere, the royal family picked the Marquis’s mansion? Their sense of irony is something else," Amelia whispered.

I let out a soft laugh.

"Likely it’s down to convenience. In the capital, few spots offer this level of security and space."

"Fair point..."

It lacked the grime of ruins yet felt too abandoned for living. The Marquis’s mansion carried its own chilling aura. Being there prompted thoughts of authority—how temporary it truly was. That wave of emptiness struck me deeply.

"This way, Viscount Yandel."

After some steps, a labyrinth department official emerged to lead us to a tent. He appeared more aged than typical bureaucrats, so I inquired about his position—it revealed he held a senior role. In contemporary terms, like a department chief.

'They’re deploying top officials on-site for secrecy reasons.'

"Whew... at last, some relief."

Entering the tent, the team members who’d trailed me rigidly now eased their stances. The constant scrutiny had everyone on edge, I figured. Raven bore the brunt of it.

"Did you really need those high heels? We’re entering a labyrinth, remember."

"Precisely the reason! If they dismiss you at first glance, you’re done for."

Hmm... Heels probably won’t prevent disdain, but to each their own mindset.

"So we wait here till we go in?"

"No, departure’s set for around midnight. The capital possesses a dimensional plaza as well."

"You mean the outdated one no longer in service?"

Before Kaislan could wrap up, Raven mused with her hand to her chin.

"Midnight still, eh? They can alter the opening date secretly, but the hour stays fixed?"

"Beats me. I’m no expert in magic."

"But here’s another puzzle. If they could shift the date covertly like that, why hold off until now?"

Oh, that query.

I’d posed the exact same to Astarotta, driven by simple interest.

"It seems the reconfiguration demands ages. They started right after Noark took Viphron, and it’s only wrapped up recently."

"Hmm... perhaps Noark anticipated it and hurried their assault. With a Chancellor that shrewd, they’d surely hear whispers. The info likely reached Noark’s ears too."

"Possible. In any case, we have a window, so recharge now. Sleep will be scarce once we’re in."

"Ah, one additional point."

"...Still going?"

Raven displayed unusual curiosity today.

"I checked the exploration plan. Doesn’t the pace to the fifth floor seem overly rushed? The schedule looks ridiculous."

"It’s a grueling march, true, but necessity dictates it. The labyrinth’s been shut for more than a year."

Hidden opportunities abound within the labyrinth, many on timers. For instance, the first-floor rift opens with mana stones from second-floor beasts, yet requires months to reset.

Beyond that...

"This isn’t the initial sealing of the labyrinth historically. Recall the Iron Wall Rebellion or the Dawn King’s rise establishing the 13th Month."

"And?"

"Annals reveal an odd pattern."

"Like what?"

"Upon reopening, rift appearances surged beyond normal."

"Ah..."

"Here’s the kicker—other clans assembled today likely grasp that fact."

Raven caught on without further explanation.

"...Logical. The rivalry will turn fierce. All are frantic to grab whatever they can."

"Low explorer count or not, it’ll be cutthroat. Targets this round are the higher levels."

"...I’ll catch some shut-eye then. No rest awaits inside."

"Go ahead."

At last, the question machine relented. Yet I skipped rest. The Guildmaster had just passed me the roster.

"Here’s the info you requested. Details on clans and groups venturing into the labyrinth."

"Appreciate it."

A perk from our alliance with the Guildmaster. I reviewed today’s confirmed lineup quickly.

After all, these were our adversaries.

'As the Chancellor noted—no full squads entering.'

Naturally, that excluded minor explorers. Per the Guildmaster, certain elite small units slipped in via ties, attached to large clans.

The lineup broke down as follows...

"Thirty-one clans. Totaling 2,517 individuals."

Toss in the royal expeditionary force of 1,700, and roughly 4,300 souls would plunge into the labyrinth this go.

Again, the royal contingent dominated as a unified mass. But they posed no threat.

Their aims diverged.

'Mana stones.'

From the Chancellor’s sources, the expedition targeted mana stones. They’d head to the sixth floor, claim all three key farming islands, and harvest relentlessly till closure.

Clans coveting those islands would end up empty-handed, but that wasn’t my concern.

Crucially, the royal group wasn’t my rival.

'Our target: the eighth-floor rift.'

So, who competed with us truly? Time would reveal upon arrival.

"Everyone, load into the carriages! We proceed to the plaza in sequence!"

As midnight approached, we departed the tents in the Marquis’s gardens, boarding carriages toward the plaza.

Then...

Swoooooosh—!!

Finally, the portal unfurled at the plaza’s heart.

The view ignited a spark in my chest. Too much time had passed.

Much like a caterpillar consuming pine needles—

「You have entered the First Floor: Crystal Cavern.」

Naturally. Explorers explore, after all.

***

A brilliant light bathed the Crystal Cavern.

The crisp, moist air seeped into my lungs, and only then did reality sink in—we’d returned to the labyrinth.

'It feels... off in some way.'

An elusive, alien feeling crept in—absent from my prior monthly runs. Simply standing there seemed strangely wrong.

Even so, duties called.

Slide—

My hand touched the wall embedded with crystals, sliding to detect subtle surface variations under my touch. Rotmiller, who began as a lowly guide, taught me this method.

It’d been ages, leaving me somewhat out of practice...

'Yes, this feel—'

"From the portal positions, the start point has moved north. The Goblin Forest route looks shortest."

Ah, indeed.

He served as our Guide.

'...These geniuses, seriously.'

As I probed the wall and sampled the breeze, Beleg simply drew a compass, checked it briefly, and stowed it. The brief pang of inadequacy faded fast.

"I’ll lead the way."

He surged forward promptly. Typically, a ranged fighter shouldn’t vanguard, but...

'Truth be told—at this stage, goblins can’t even scratch us.'

Beleg’s abilities allowed safe leading through the fifth floor, perhaps sixth on certain islands. Yet from the seventh, caution would bind even him.

No need for me to plot paths—just trail Beleg while watching the group.

Specifically, Raven and the Guildmaster.

The Guildmaster progressed steadily, no issues. Raven, though, rode a wheeled contraption.

"Umm... Aruru? Is that the mobility device you spoke of earlier?"

"Correct. It’s a high-end military magic item. It runs on slotted mana stones, or draws from surrounding mana for charge. Stones come into play for boosted performance."

"Aha...? I-Is that so?"

"On level ground, it rivals Kalstein’s pace."

"Th-That’s... remarkable..."

Misha faltered, evidently wishing she hadn’t inquired. The Guildmaster steered the talk.

"Does it function beyond flat areas?"

"For mild slopes, yes. Steeper ones require an alternative."

"An alternative...?"

"I’ll demonstrate if needed."

Unlike the info flood on Misha, Raven halted there with the Guildmaster.

"Haha, got it. Noted."

...Had some unseen tension arisen between them?

Raven normally boasts her equipment to anyone.

'I’ll uncover it in time.'

Meanwhile, I concentrated on dashing across the cavern.

However—

"Seems others got here first."

Reaching the dimensional monolith linking to the Goblin Forest, another party had already triggered the portal.

Blast, explorers act swiftly.

We’d hustled expecting pioneer status. Disappointing.

「You have entered the Second Floor: Goblin Forest.」

Knowing rivals pressed ahead spurred us harder. We accelerated further.

Yet we couldn’t close the gap.

「You have entered the Third Floor: Pilgrim’s Path.」

The third floor welcomed us with yet another activated portal.

Green-Tail Swamp’s landscape made earlier tracks easy to detect...

"Those belong to the group in front."

"Good, just a single squad appears."

"Right. Multiple teams ahead despite our speed would’ve irked me."

"Okay, let’s push—"

I cut Beleg short abruptly.

"Wait a moment."

"Issue?"

"Those tracks’ direction... it’s away from the fourth floor."

Only then did worry crease Beleg’s face.

"You’re correct... That route solely connects to the Fragmented Shrine."

He still missed the implication. I didn’t.

'They sped to the third floor, then detoured to the Shrine?'

Just one possibility fit.

No matter who, no matter the mad scheme—

'The first basement floor.'

Someone targeted that domain.