Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

What am I doing, and why am I doing it?

To be a good gamer, you always have to be aware of your goals and the means to achieve them. It's the starting point for an efficient gaming life, as it helps you avoid wasting time.

So...

Lick.

I licked my lips and organized my thoughts.

What was my goal for entering this community?

It was a simple answer.

To find out the identity of the GM.

And the means...

Lion Style.

Fourth Form, Possession.

It's a technique that allows you to seamlessly continue a conversation as if you're possessed by the other person, going beyond mere method acting.

Ah, I just made it up.

"Haha, surprised?"

I chuckled like an old man, and the white guy's eyes widened.

"Sir, is that really you?"

His voice was filled with relief.

But did he sense something was off?

His wariness, which had been fading, intensified.

"But... your height is different... And your skin..."

Haha, he's quite suspicious for a newbie. He'll go far.

I smiled warmly, as if enjoying his suspicion.

"You're also different, aren't you?"

I spoke in a gentle tone, like a grandfather teaching his grandson.

The guy seemed to realize something and looked around, checking his reflection in a window on the wall.

"Ah, is that your true form, Sir?"

"Yes."

"But why are you wearing a mask...?"

"I don't want to show my face to others."

"Ah..."

Ah, my ass.

He nodded in understanding, which was quite amusing, but I kept my composure.

I wasn't Lee Hansu right now.

"So, how do you like this place?"

I started with a light question, gathering information step by step.

"Ah, well... I'm not sure yet. I don't really understand what you told me..."

What I told him?

I had no idea what he was talking about, so I activated the Second Form, Silence.

"..."

It was a technique that always guaranteed at least a basic response.

"Um... the, the materialization you mentioned? It's not easy..."

Ah, that.

Fortunately, it was something I was familiar with.

It was a basic technique that you had to learn to participate in the Ghostbusters community.

'It used to only work in chat rooms or your inner world. But it seems like he can use it here because he inherited the Master position.'

I quickly assessed the situation and continued the conversation.

"Haha, it's natural to find it difficult at first. Let me help you. Is there any food you want to eat?"

"...Yes."

"Close your eyes and imagine it in detail. And then imagine holding it in your hand. Yes, good. You're a fast learner."

"...Yes...?"

"Open your eyes."

"Yes... huh?"

The guy opened his eyes and stared at the hamburger in his hand.

And he took a big bite.

"...I can't taste anything..."

Ah, that?

Sorry, that feature was removed when I created the Round Table before you arrived...

'There's no need to tell him the harsh truth.'

"It can't be helped. Don't be too disappointed."

"Yes..."

He nodded, but he couldn't hide his disappointment.

I could relate.

I was also disappointed when I first entered Ghostbusters and tried to drink a can of Coke from the fridge.

"Um... Sir."

"Yes?"

"What happened to the previous Master? He said we wouldn't see him again..."

He didn't seem suspicious, just curious.

It was an easy question to answer.

"I was worried about you. I thought I should at least meet you once and help you before leaving."

"Ah, I see...!"

He was so naive that he believed me without a doubt.

This was my chance.

I had gained his trust...

Now it was time to dig for information.

"Don't worry too much."

I patted his shoulder, pretending to be friendly.

"You have a talent for magic. You'll get the hang of materialization soon enough."

The GM was a mage.

I had confirmed it myself, but I deliberately used the word 'talent' just in case.

It's always better to be careful.

He might not have become a mage yet since he was still a newbie.

"Ah, magic... So that's why you chose me."

Judging by his tone, it seemed like he had already chosen the mage path.

"But I still don't understand. There must have been more skilled mages than me, a half-baked one... Why me...?"

"Don't put yourself down. How many people have adapted to this world as quickly as you? You'll become someone great."

I showered him with praise, and he looked away, embarrassed.

It was time for another attempt.

"By the way, what's your rank?"

"6th grade."

What?

I was genuinely shocked.

He had been here for less than a year...

But he was already 6th-grade? Was that even possible?

"It's just that I was lucky enough to get a high rank. I still can't use magic properly, so I'm always nervous..."

He muttered in a self-deprecating tone, and that solved the mystery.

He had called himself a 'half-baked mage' earlier, and he just said he 'couldn't use magic properly'...

'It means the character he possessed was already a mage!'

There's a statistic that possessed bodies are always fixed at 20 years old.

But unlike explorers, who can only enter the labyrinth after becoming adults, mages can choose their profession from a young age.

'Damn it, I started as a ground-dwelling barbarian...'

I felt a pang of jealousy, but I also memorized the information.

So there were cases like this among evil spirits.

"Um... why are you looking at me like that?"

"Haha, it's nothing. I'm just proud of you."

"...You're making me blush..."

He looked at me with grateful eyes.

Okay, this was practically a groggy state in gaming terms.

I subtly asked,

"By the way... what's your name?"

It was time to find out.

________________________

The GM's identity was a mystery.

I knew he was a mage, but I didn't know his name or face.

So I wanted to use this opportunity to find out.

But...

"Huh? My name? Why...?"

He tilted his head, confused.

And his eyes, which had been filled with trust, started to show a hint of suspicion.

'Damn it, this isn't working.'

I quickly switched to Plan B.

Plan A was just a test anyway.

"Haha, I was asking for your real name."

"My, my real name?"

He was flustered at first, but then he seemed relieved.

"Ah... I thought you were asking for my name here. There's no point in hiding my real name. It's Oliver Wiseman."

"That's a nice name, haha..."

I chuckled like an old man and brushed off the name 'Oliver Wiseman'.

It was meaningless in this world.

"By the way, Sir."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask for some advice?"

"Of course. Go ahead."

"You told me to manage this place well and make it a place where evil spirits... I mean, players can interact, right?"

Did I say that?

"You did, right?"

"You also mentioned a pill... I think I can make it myself if I study a bit more, but I'm not sure about the other parts. Can I get some advice on that?"

"Hmm..."

"I'm not sure how to manage this place."

If that's what he wanted, then I could help.

I had already made up my mind.

I would just tell him what I had seen in the future.

"This world considers you all evil spirits, so they'll be hesitant to enter this place. You'll need a system that guarantees anonymity."

"Ah! I have an idea! We could make it like an internet community..."

"Internet community?"

"Sorry, it must be an unfamiliar term."

The GM explained what a community was, as if teaching an old man about modern technology.

It was meaningless information to me, who had spent his entire life with the internet.

But I did learn one thing.

'So Auril Gabis didn't tell him much about himself.'

It seemed like he had only introduced himself as an otherworldly evil spirit.

Anyway, that wasn't important.

"Hmm, that's a good idea. But it would be even better if you used that 'computer' thing you mentioned. It fits the concept of a community, and it would be easier for them to adapt to something familiar."

"Oh... you're right!"

"You could also create something like a marketplace so that they can benefit each other. If they can trade real-world items without revealing their identities, this place will be very attractive to them."

"Wow..."

"And when you send the pills, you could write a letter in your world's language explaining what it is."

"That's amazing...! It's incredible that you understood the concept of computers and communities so quickly, but how did you come up with this idea so fast...!"

I continued to explain the final form of Ghostbusters, and the GM was amazed.

But then...

"It sounds like an amazing place. But how do I actually create it?"

The GM tilted his head and asked.

I had nothing to say.

How do you create it?

'That's for the engineers to figure out.'

How would I know?

I firmly said,

"You can do it."

"Huh...?"

"You're still inexperienced, but you'll get the hang of it. I believe in you."

"Ah, yes..."

The GM seemed unsure, but I didn't care.

It would happen eventually.

I continued with the design process.

"Ah, and one more thing. How about adding a password to the letter?"

"Password?"

"Yeah, if you use something like 'Fuck the royal family' as the password, you can filter out some spies."

The PS actually became the password later on.

Of course, it didn't really matter.

Even if they entered the correct password, they still had to be verified by 'SoulQueens' before they could join.

Well, I had a keen eye for detail, so I figured out the trick in the letter and entered the password before she even arrived...

'Wait, the abbreviation for password is PW, not PS?'

But why did it work?

Was it just a fluke?

I wondered if there was another way to solve the password, but it wasn't something I could think about now.

"Sir, are you alright...?"

"Ahem, I'm fine. Where was I?"

"You were talking about how to distinguish spies."

"Ah, right."

I then shared information about the content of the letter, individual private spaces, and measures to filter out and banish spies.

'This should be enough of a guideline.'

I couldn't cover every detail, but I wasn't worried.

This wasn't my first time messing with the past.

Whether I told him or not, this mansion would eventually become the community I knew.

'Hmm, maybe this is my role in this era...?'

I suddenly wondered if I would be sent back to my original time as soon as I left the community.

But...

'Nah, that can't be right.'

I dismissed the thought.

That's when...

"By the way, Sir..."

The GM cautiously spoke to me.

"I think I know who you were talking about."

"..."

"You said that a user who cleared the original difficulty would come here someday... the one who would fulfill all our wishes. You remember?"

Ah, I did say that.

I flinched as I understood the context.

'So he didn't just tell him about the future...'

He had given him a mission.

Well, the GM didn't know that.

'But what did he mean by 'fulfill all our wishes'? Was he talking about the Gate of the Abyss?'

Hmm, maybe the old man just said whatever to motivate the GM. Like, you can only return home when this guy appears.

Anyway, I'll think about it later.

"I did, but?"

The GM continued,

"I've been thinking about it, and I think I know who it is. A user who was very famous in the Stone Ivan community... someone I really respected. I learned a lot from his posts while clearing the 15x mode."

I already knew who he was talking about.

But I was pretending to be Auril Gabis, so I asked with feigned interest,

"Who is it?"

"A user who went by the nickname 'Elf Noona'."

"Hmm?"

"I can't be sure, but I think she's the only one who could have cleared the original difficulty. And you said that user would be a 'barbarian', right? Coincidentally, she also mainly played 'Shield Barbarian'."

"Is that so... I see. But we can't be sure, so it's best to keep all possibilities open. That person might not be a 'barbarian'."

I subtly misled him.

But was that a mistake?

"Huh? What do you mean 'might not be'?"

Whoa, why is he overreacting?

I chuckled and spoke calmly.

"Haha, I just meant that it's a possibility."

"I see..."

The GM seemed to understand, but his eyes didn't.

"Sir."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you one more thing?"

The GM stared into my eyes and asked,

"What's your name?"

Damn it, this is going to be troublesome.

_________________________

I had underestimated him.

He might be a newbie, but he had been managing the community for over twenty years, hiding his identity.

His judgment might be a bit slower than usual, but he was still intelligent.

My appearance was different from before.

I was wearing a mask.

And I had asked for his name.

I had given him plausible explanations for everything, but he must have felt a growing sense of dissonance.

I couldn't perfectly imitate an old man. He must have sensed something was off.

"...Why aren't you answering?"

I chuckled bitterly.

This wasn't the time to be thinking about why things had gone wrong.

"Do you not know my—"

I cut him off and quickly spoke.

"Jerkip Elmen MacKinder."

I didn't just blurt out a random name.

[There are three of them?]

It was one of the three mage names that Lee Baekho had given me, the ones he suspected were the GM.

So...

'The probability is 33.3%.'

It was a good enough chance to take before giving up.

Then what was the result?

"..."

A brief silence followed.

And...

"Who... who are you?"

The GM's voice was filled with hostility.

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