Surviving the Game as a Barbarian Chapter 782: Month 13 (9)

Novel: Surviving the Game as a Barbarian Author: Jung Yun-kang Updated: Jun 10, 2026

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Now reading: Chapter 782: Month 13 (9) from Surviving the Game as a Barbarian, a Action novel by Jung Yun-kang.

After sending Alia away, telling her I’d go back to sleep, I lay down in bed again, but—as expected—I couldn’t fall asleep. It wasn’t that I wasn’t sleepy after getting a good rest earlier. It’s just... lately, I hadn’t been able to properly sleep at night. During the day, I stayed busy and managed to get through it sohow, but at night, it didn’t work that way. Every night, my mind got all tangled up.

"Hoo..."

So tonight, like always, I went out for a night stroll. And slowly began walking a full lap around the Sanctuary. Even though it was the final night of the festival, the Sanctuary was still noisy.

"Behell—RAAAAAAAHH!!"

"Bwahahahahaha!"

Avoiding the direction of the barbarian cheers echoing from the forest, I naturally found myself heading to that familiar spot again. Co to think of it, maybe the reason I kept ending up there was because of them.

SwaaAAAAAA—!

The cold night wind of the 13th Month brushed against my skin. I suddenly stopped walking and looked up at the sky. A crescent moon hung there. When I look at it, it almost feels like I’m still on Earth, yet at the sa ti, it reminds that I’m not.

A very simple reason. If you look closely, its shape is slightly different, and—

'There are no full moons in Lafdonia.'

For 365 days a year, no matter when you look up at the night sky, you’ll only ever see that sa moon. Ah, not that full moons never appear at all. Maybe once in a while, like a solar eclipse on Earth, there’s a rare full moon? I don’t know the exact cycle or what principle governs it—after all, I’m not an astronor. And in a world where magic and mystery are alive and breathing, it’s not sothing worth questioning—

Tap.

"Who’s there?"

I snapped sharply toward the faint sound of movent, and a barbarian warrior scratched the back of his head awkwardly as he erged. When I saw his face, it was an unexpected encounter.

"You... Vekta, Kiltau’s third son?"

Thank goodness it wasn’t Ibaekho, so the tension eased imdiately—but I didn’t expect to run into him like this.

"Oh! I didn’t think you’d rember my na! What an honor, Chieftain!!"

The guy shouted at the top of his lungs in the middle of the night, thrilled just because I rembered his na. Not that it was worth criticizing—he was well within barbarian average. Since we happened to et like this, I decided to chat with him a little.

"Of course I’d rember. You’re the warrior who beat , after all."

"Hahaha!! Chieftain, if you drink like , you’ll do even better!!"

Yeah, well... If I did that, rumors would spread through the whole city that Baron Yandel pissed himself while drinking.

"So why were you out here?"

"Krhhrh!! They said my house would be built here, so I ca early!!"

"...What?"

"I’m so excited that I’ll finally have a house, I can’t sleep! I’m going to live here until it’s built! It’s my house now!!"

"Uh... r-right. But why’d you pick this spot? It’s near the cetery..."

"It’s cool here, and I like it!!"

The more we talked, the more it felt like I was getting pulled into sothing. I was starting to seriously wonder if I’d misunderstood this guy.

'Is he really... a modern person?'

Maybe this was how the Secret Security’s specter hunters felt when they looked at . If I hadn’t seen him at his coming-of-age ceremony, I never would’ve guessed. No way I’d think this guy was a specter.

"By the way, did you choose a shield for your ceremony?"

"Oh! Yeah! I didn’t expect you to rember that too...!! What an honor!!"

"How’s that going? Still using it?"

"I gave it up and switched to an axe! I only picked the shield ‘cause the chieftain did at first, but it didn’t suit !"

"You chose it because of ?"

"Isn’t Bjorn, son of Yandel, the greatest warrior of all ti?! I wanted to follow in your footsteps! But getting the right essence was too hard, so I gave up!"

Yeah, right. How’d you know my na when you awakened during your ceremony?

I smirked and looked down at Vekta.

'Still... he does seem like a player.'

The more we talked, the more certain I beca. Of course, accepting that he was a fellow modern person felt a little shaful...

'I used to be like that too.'

Ah, not the peeing part. I an, I had my own “Vekta phase.” Back when I first t the chieftain, I used to get all tense and act super barbarian-like too.

Even though we hadn’t exchanged many words, I could feel it.

'...This guy’s going to live a long ti.'

His commitnt to acting 100% barbarian. The guts to abandon dignity and invoke the mysteries of taiji for material gain. Guys like this don’t die easily.

"So what brings you here, Chieftain? Oh, were you heading to the cetery again?"

"Not really. Just on patrol."

"Oh! Got it, good work! I’m hungry, so I’m gonna sleep more!"

It seed like Vekta was trying to get rid of , but I wasn’t planning to leave.

"I’ll give you jerky. Just chat with for a bit."

"Oh! Really? Thanks!! You’re a great and wise warrior, Chieftain!"

Bit of a delay before answering—but hey, decent barbarian acting.

"So what do you want to talk about...?"

Vekta subtly tested , pretending to be a clueless barbarian but clearly curious. Understandable—if the chieftain suddenly says he wants to talk, it’d make anyone nervous.

"Nothing much. Just wanted to hear about your troubles."

"My... troubles?"

Vekta looked confused. Can’t bla him. It’s not like I said I had a problem or even asked him for advice—I just said I wanted to hear his problems.

"Tell . What’s bothering you?"

"I an, I don’t really have anything..."

"That can’t be! I’m sure you do! Tell ! As chieftain, I have the right to hear it!"

"...The right?"

Not a duty?

I could almost hear the follow-up, but it wasn’t important enough to address. Soon, Vekta gave a strange look.

Like, 'Wow, this guy really is a hardcore barbarian...'

Honestly, I was a little offended. I didn’t want to be looked at like that by soone who peed himself mid-drink.

"Ahem! Anyway, speak!"

"Uh..."

"Now!"

With a burst of chieftainly authority, Vekta finally opened his mouth.

"I guess... I do have a problem with a friend."

"Oh? What kind of friend?"

"A human teammate I used to work with before the dungeon closed. Hans Elibon..."

"...What?!"

"Why are you so shocked? You know him?"

"No, I just pretended to. So what about this friend?"

"I ran into him in the city recently. He said he had a good opportunity and asked if I wanted to go into business—"

"Don’t do it."

"Huh? But I haven’t even told you what the opportunity is—"

Opportunity, my ass. Does this guy have a screw loose? Doing anything with Hans? Seriously?

"I said don’t do it, so don’t do it."

I layered my words with killing intent for effect. The intimidation made Vekta nod, stunned.

"Ah, got it! I won’t do it!"

Good. Should’ve said so earlier.

"B-But can you at least tell why?"

"His na’s ominous."

"...?"

Vekta gave a look like, 'What the hell is with this guy?' But it only lasted a mont.

So I didn’t bother acknowledging it.

"Alright, your first problem is solved. Now tell the second."

"...Second? I don’t have one..."

"No, I’m sure you do."

"Uh... money? It's hard to make money these days—"

"That’s not a real problem."

"Then what do you want to say—?"

"Think. If you can’t think, try rembering. If you still can’t rember, ask your heart. Do you really have no problems?"

I pressed harder, and Vekta finally spoke, gears turning in his head. Maybe he just wanted to say sothing to get rid of . Luckily, it was actually more of a real problem this ti.

"...I hope the dungeon opens soon."

"As I said, money isn’t—"

"That’s not what I ant. I want to get stronger. That feeling got way stronger after the war."

"Hmm?"

"...A lot of my warrior friends died in the war. If I’d been stronger, I could’ve protected them."

The sincerity in his awkward words made quietly nod. So the “house” was just an excuse—he really was here because of the cetery.

"...It’s not your fault you couldn’t protect them."

"I know. This is a world where everyone has to survive on their own. I just feel... regret. If they were still alive, we could’ve laughed and had fun together during the festival."

"......"

"We always wanted a house."

"But now you have one."

"Yeah. I’m finally getting one. But I don’t have anyone to brag to."

I didn’t really know why, but that thought struck . Maybe—just maybe—the reason he drank himself half-dead, even peed himself just to win, was this. Because he desperately didn’t want to give up. Because even when he was about to collapse, he endured.

"That was my second problem..."

"I see."

Maybe it was because he let out the truth buried inside. Whatever the reason, Vekta now wore a sowhat refreshed expression.

"What should I do...? Tell , Chieftain."

There was even a hint of hope in his eyes. Like he believed I might give him the perfect # Nоvеlight # answer. And so I did.

"Make new friends."

"...Huh?"

"And get stronger. So you won’t lose anyone again."

"......"

"Alright, second problem solved. I’m off now. I’m hungry!"

And so, after solving the newbie warrior’s unexpected worries, I walked toward my real destination with a lighter heart.

SwaaAAAAA—!

A cold wind swept through, rustling the winter-dried blades of grass. Long ago, barbarians used to believe that the sound was their fallen ancestors dueling and laughing. Surprisingly poetic and figurative for barbarians. Their burial custom was sky burial—leaving the corpse to decompose naturally in the wind and rain. A warrior remains in the land, becos nourishnt for the trees that grow here. Well, building a grave doesn’t stop that process anyway.

[Brown Rotmiller]

[Versil Gowland]

[Jas Carla]

Tonight again, I stood before their gravestones. Seeking an answer to ease this heavy feeling in my chest.

SwaaAAAAA—!

Of course, just standing here didn’t magically bring answers. It’s not like voices of the dead ca on the wind. It’s not like I could hear their wishes or feel what they wanted. Even in a world where ghost-type monsters exist, spiritual phenona like that weren’t real.

I’m proof of that.

"......"

They were gone. No longer in this world. And I was still left behind, stuck in my own thoughts.

What did they wish for, leaving soone like behind?

'Riol Worb Dwalke.'

His wish had been simple. He asked to look after Misha. But I don’t think I did a good job. He probably didn’t an this kind of vague relationship.

Ah, but I did finish his revenge properly. Though now that I think about it... that was probably just sothing I wanted.

"......"

The whole city is loud with celebration, but those who are gone can’t enjoy it. A festival is for the living.

SwaaAAAAA—!

Suddenly, the conversation with Vekta ca to mind again.

'If they were still alive, we could’ve laughed and had fun together during the festival.'

I totally agreed with that. Whenever sothing good happened to , I always thought of the ones who’d left first.

What if Dwalke were here? The dwarf would pull a prank, and the guy would turn beet red with anger. What if Rotmiller were still alive? Maybe the festival would’ve brought him closer to Shabin Emure. And Versil Gowland, and Jas Carla...

If all the ones who left before were still here, how would things be now?

"......"

I thought for a long ti. Of course, it was all just fantasy. No one knows what would’ve actually happened. That future is already erased.

Yeah. That’s probably why—every ti I rember them, this regret and sorrow co flooding back.

"...I’m sick of this."

I finally voiced the lump that had long been stuck in my chest. This world is broken. Whether Earth or Lafdonia.

Now that I think about it, they’re not all that different. Maybe it’s just the way the world works.

But that doesn’t make it right.

Whether human, barbarian, beastkin, or fairy—

'I know. This is a world where everyone has to survive on their own.'

A world where only survival matters.

I’m so sick of it—