Surviving the Game as a Barbarian-Chapter 721: Audience (4)

The time I spent talking with the King of Apocalypse wasn’t very long, but somehow I kept feeling strangely familiar with him.
I thought about why that was, and the answer came to me quickly.
“Something about the way he talks is like Ibaekho.”
It’s hard to put into words exactly, but the two were alike.
Not just because of their rude and frivolous way of speaking, but because of that unique gaze, as if they didn’t see people as people.
Maybe that kind of gaze is what a person with a clear “goal” has.
Just like the expression I was making looking at the King of Apocalypse now.
“Should I interpret that insolent look as your answer?”
At those words, I forced myself to lower my head and avoid his gaze.
The truth that to not lose something you have to fight back still carved itself into my heart, but unfortunately, this time I couldn’t go at it as fiercely as with Ibaekho.
Because I didn’t know what this bastard’s “purpose” was.
A battle of wills can only be fought once you know each other’s cards.
Yeah, so...
“...What do you want from me?”
I decided to listen first.
To get even a little hint of this guy’s “purpose” and what cards he held.
“Boring.”
Maybe he secretly expected me to come out rebellious?
When I took a step back and showed him that I was backing down, the figure beyond the silk lightly tapped the throne.
“Well, fine. I don’t dislike smart guys either.”
No matter how I looked at it, that tone never felt natural.
He sounded less like the king of a country and more like some back-alley thug.
Of course, that wasn’t really important right now.
“So what should I do? Should I just not open the ‘Abyssal Gate’?”
I threw out the question casually.
After all, I had a rough idea of the king’s purpose.
I meant to test the waters, but...
“What? Hahaha! Hahahahaha!”
What the hell was this?
I didn’t expect him to laugh out loud like that right in front of me.
“......”
When I glared seriously beyond the silk, the King of Apocalypse offered an apology with no sincerity at all.
“Ah, sorry, sorry. It was just too funny how you, knowing nothing, talk as if you know everything. But now that I think about it, you probably have always been like this.”
“......”
“You know nothing. You probably took cautious steps rolling your eyes like that to survive. Sometimes you must’ve made mistakes and lost something. And before you knew it, you developed an obsession with what you don’t know.”
That was something I could agree with, to some extent.
It was annoying how he spoke like he knew everything.
Ah, I wonder if this bastard King of Apocalypse felt the same way?
Hmm... judging from that laugh, he didn’t seem annoyed.
‘Enough, get to the point.’
I wanted to say that more desperately than ever but barely held it in.
It looked like this guy talked a lot.
Either that, or he was just unusually high-energy today.
Either way, I didn’t need to interrupt and risk offending him.
“Bjorn Yandel. You know nothing. How this world survives. And how much sacrifice I make for such a world.”
I just listened and quietly built a character info window in my mind about the King of Apocalypse.
‘Okay, Recognition Desire +7.’
At first, I wanted to give him +6, but considering he said that to a stranger, I gave +7.
And then...
“...What exactly does sacrifice mean?”
At that point, I asked, trying to signal that I was listening by playing along.
Honestly, I was too curious not to ask, but unfortunately, he cut it off sharply.
“No matter how delicious the food is, there’s always a part you can’t eat.”
Yeah... that’s the mysticism talk, huh?
I didn’t ask further and quietly added another stat to the info window.
[King of Apocalypse]
Recognition Desire +7, Middle School Syndrome +4
Hmm, somehow the aura of crappy essence was already creeping in, but it must just be my imagination.
After all, the final boss’s essence can’t be shitty, right?
“...Somehow that look in your eyes is unpleasant.”
Whoa, suddenly the tone got lower.
Anyway, this calls for +3 to Perception...
“I didn’t think anything!”
While quickly dispelling the King of Apocalypse’s suspicion, I thought to myself.
What if he found out about the info window I’m using?
‘...That would be a death sentence.’
Yeah, no need to see more—death sentence for sure.
Usually, people with cool-guy syndrome freak out over this.
[King of Apocalypse]
Recognition Desire +7, Middle School Syndrome +4, Cool-guy Syndrome +4
Okay, so three stats already checked...
“Well, whatever... It’s not something impossible to understand. From your perspective, I must look like the mastermind behind everything.”
“...You mean that’s not true?”
“That’s a meaningless question. If I say no, will you believe me?”
That was a strangely self-deprecating remark.
So I fired back according to the stats I’d created so far.
“Of course, I won’t believe you right away. But... if you really are sacrificing for this world...”
“...Sacrificing?”
“That... is something remarkable.”
“......”
“Before debating right or wrong, it’s not something just anyone can do.”
A line that would stimulate Recognition Desire +7.
After a brief pause, he responded.
“...Tch, I didn’t do it to be recognized by anyone.”
Yeah, no doubt he was pleased.
‘Should I have given +8 instead of +7...?’
While pondering that, the King of Apocalypse spoke again.
“The conversation drifted a bit.”
Apparently, he noticed the talk was going off track.
“You can lead a horse to water, but whether it drinks is up to the horse.”
“......”
“Bjorn, son of Yandel. I have a proposal for you.”
Why does he keep pausing after every sentence?
Can’t he just speak straight through?
“I’m listening.”
As I answered, the figure beyond the silk moved and opened a palm.
“Five times.”
“......”
“If you just fulfill my ‘requests’ five times, I won’t interfere with whatever you do.”
Huh...
‘Five times, huh...’
Well, that’s way more motivating than being a slave forever...
Thump!
Clearly a poisoned chalice.
The dice I rolled carefully tumbled on the board.
Not figuratively.
Rattle-rattle-rattle—
The total of the two stopped dice was 12.
Seeing this, the King of Apocalypse beyond the silk didn’t get excited at all and muttered slowly.
“A double.”
“...Again?”
Is this rigged or something?
“Move the horse.”
“Yes.”
At the King of Apocalypse’s urging, the knight sitting across from me cautiously moved the horse.
“With this, we’ve reached my territory again. I’ll build a hotel. And since it’s a double, it’s my turn again.”
Then the King of Apocalypse had the knight throw the dice again on the floor, and the total was 7, arriving in Seoul.
My hometown, full of hotels where I was born and raised.
“Let’s see, the toll is...”
“I will use the privilege card.”
“Ah...”
This bastard really plays this game like crap.
‘A privilege card comes out here?’
Feeling unjust without realizing it, but at the same time, a moment of clarity struck me.
‘What the hell am I doing right now...?’
Honestly, it’s not that I really don’t know.
Right now, I’m playing a board game with the King of Apocalypse.
Because there was no other choice but to drink the poisoned chalice.
[If you fulfill my ‘requests’ five times, I won’t interfere with whatever you do.]
That day, the King of Apocalypse made me that offer, and I accepted it.
Since he wouldn’t make all five requests at once anyway, I figured I could pretend to agree and then betray him later.
Unfortunately, the King of Apocalypse made his first “request” right after finishing his words.
[Then stay here for a week and keep me company.]
The first day was really just keeping company.
The King of Apocalypse showed strong interest in my otherworld exploration stories, and I told him suitably edited versions.
But did he soon lose interest?
The King of Apocalypse said the story was boring and brought out a board game from somewhere.
It looked like a modern item created by torturing evil spirits dragged here...
“This is getting boring too. Bring that here.”
“Is there a booklet you prefer?”
“I don’t know what the guest likes, so bring them all.”
On the third day, the King of Apocalypse put away the board games and brought out ‘comics’.
Just by looking, it seemed to be modern items made by tormenting modern people as well, and judging by how many, it was at least several hundred volumes.
‘But somehow the contents are subtly different.’
Among them were some comics I’d never seen before and some I knew.
For the latter, the art was sloppy and the story was just a rough copy of the original setting.
Apparently, a captured aspiring manga artist had crudely copied famous comics here.
Up to that point, I could overlook it, even if it was sad.
The real problem was when I found ‘that’ among the hundreds of comic books.
“This art style is...”
So familiar.
It was hard to believe it was a copy.
Even the title and story perfectly matched ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the manga I knew.
“Oh? You recognize it? I heard from other evil spirits that it was a very famous manga.”
“Goddamn...!!!”
This time I couldn’t hold it in.
“What happened to the person who drew this?”
Hiding the anger boiling from my solar plexus, I asked, but the King of Apocalypse beyond the silk just picked his nose and answered nonchalantly.
“The protagonist saw a man he considered a brother forcibly rape the woman he loved and tore him apart on the spot, didn’t he?”
Ah... that part...
Honestly, I admit I’m pissed about it...
Hah, how did that author get involved in this kind of game.
‘If I return to Earth, I won’t be able to see the ending.’
Anyway, I spent the third day watching comics all day, and when hungry, I ordered food through the knight.
“I’m getting hungry.”
“I’ll bring the table.”
“Two bowls of somyeon, one yuxiang rousi, and liquor, jukyeopcheong.”
“Yes.”
I don’t know well, but maybe fans of martial arts cried out ‘gal’ (empty bowl) like this when the master chef brought out carbonara or the elder jumped in.
‘Jukyeopcheong in a fantasy...’
Hah, this isn’t the Dungeon & Stone I know.
Whatever.
I rode the elevator up and played board games, but I don’t want to stress about this problem anymore.
It’s not even something to worry about now.
“After laughing and chatting all day, I’m tired. See you tomorrow.”
When the third day ended like that, the King of Apocalypse also went to sleep and left, leaving me alone in that room.
Day 1: conversation.
Day 2: board games.
Day 3: comics.
At first glance, the King of Apocalypse’s behavior seemed incomprehensible, but honestly, reading between the lines wasn’t difficult.
‘...The important thing is time.’
Keeping company was just a pretext.
Surely the King of Apocalypse’s real purpose was to keep me here and waste time.
There’s only one point here.
Why was the King of Apocalypse trying to waste time?
The answer to that question came the next day.
“Well, it’s already day 4.”
While eating a muffin with bacon, egg, and tomato for breakfast, the King of Apocalypse said.
“I’m bored. Let’s watch some TV today.”
No sooner had he said that than knights swarmed in and unfolded a huge screen on one wall.
Beep!
The King of Apocalypse pressed a button on the remote, and light filled the screen as a video started playing.
Kraaaang-!
A ruined city with blood flowing like a river.
Countless people swinging swords, shooting arrows and magic, fighting in a battlefield.
[Ahhhhhhh!]
[Pl-please... save me...]
Amidst that chaotic roar,
[Get a hold of yourself, Gowland! If you keep this up, everyone’s going to die!!]
I saw my comrades.