How a Black-Haired Barbarian Survived the Labyrinth in Another World-Chapter 2: A disaster

"Wow."

Green skin, a childlike stature, a grotesque face.

It was a goblin.

The goblin was lying dead on the road, its body hacked into pieces. There were about twelve of them, but none were alive. Judging by the circumstances, it seemed right to assume that Karin’s group had killed them.

Avoiding the gruesome scene in the middle of the road, Jeong Yushin continued forward. After about ten more minutes of walking, he finally reached the end of the narrow path.

As he left the forest, a vast plain stretched out before him.

The hill was quite high, and from there, he could see the horizon clearly. A gentle breeze swept through Jeong Yushin’s hair as he looked down and saw people walking in groups along the road.

If I just follow this road, I should come across a village or two.

Not bad.

Jeong Yushin approached the road. There were people who looked like merchants, others armed with various weapons, and groups of traveling performers with musical instruments.

There was a variety of races and appearances.

Jeong Yushin was momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar sights he had never seen before in his life.

He stood by the road, watching them pass by in a daze.

A passing cat beastman casually spoke.

"Hey, have you been drinking? Get a grip. You’re young, tsk."

A human walking beside the beastman laughed.

"Oh, how can you tell if he’s young or old?"

The cat beastman purred.

"If there’s no beard and no wrinkles, he’s a young one. Don’t underestimate him."

"Heh. How do I look?"

"You looked younger last night, but today you look older. You should shave."

The two exchanged light-hearted banter as they passed by Jeong Yushin.

Jeong Yushin couldn’t help but smile quietly and stepped onto the road.

That evening, Jeong Yushin arrived at a village.

Though it was small, since it was near the road, the village entrance was already bustling with people. Among them, there were many soldiers dressed in regular army uniforms.

One soldier guarding the village gate smiled and said.

"Welcome to the road village, Arentzville."

"Hello."

"Is this your first time?"

"Yes."

"The toll is five coins. The inn is full, so you can only eat here. You’ll have to sleep outside or find a local to take you in."

"I see. Thank you."

Jeong Yushin took some coins out of his pocket and handed them over before entering the village.

The inn was right next to the village’s central plaza. The sounds of instruments, singing, and loud chatter echoed from the building, making it immediately obvious what was inside.

As he entered, a wave of heat hit his face. Seeing the various people talking loudly made him dizzy for a moment.

"You there, black-haired young man!"

A woman in her thirties, carrying food, shouted.

"Yes?"

"Are you alone?"

"Yes."

"Sit anywhere. One more meal coming right up!"

Since the seats were all taken, sharing a table was a must. Jeong Yushin sat down at the nearest available spot. Two short men who looked like dwarfs and a rabbit beastman were already sitting at the table.

They didn’t pay much attention to Jeong Yushin, eating, drinking, and conversing. They seemed to be talking about something serious, but it was hard to understand what they were saying.

I need to gather information. Jeong Yushin thought, sighing inwardly.

He quickly gave up on gathering information.

Turning his head, he watched the people playing instruments in the corner.

Bang!

"Alright! The meal is here."

The woman in her thirties set the food down on the table.

There was white wheat bread with a soup containing tomatoes and potatoes, a sizzling piece of meat, and yellow wine in a wooden cup.

"How much?"

"Is this your first time here?"

"Yes."

"Ten coins."

Jeong Yushin took the coins from his pocket and politely handed them over.

"Such a polite young man."

"Thank you."

"How cute. Enjoy your meal."

"Yes."

Of course, I should be polite.

Just yesterday, I almost had my head chopped off by a slave hunter because I didn’t take this world seriously. When you don’t know anything, you should live humbly.

The hot soup filled him with warmth, and his hunger began to dissipate. He had filled his stomach with jerky in the morning and had walked for a long time, so being hungry was a given.

He carefully tore a piece of bread and chewed it. The rich ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) scent of wheat filled his mouth. As he took a bite of the meat, juices flowed out.

"This is really delicious."

The meat juices balanced out the bread’s heaviness, while the tomato soup’s acidity neutralized the rich fat of the meat and revived his appetite. The bread then helped to cover the soup’s sourness with a wheat flavor.

It was truly a harmonious combination.

He ate quickly, feeling touched and thankful.

When he felt full, he drank the wine from the wooden cup. The sticky feeling of honey and the fresh fruit scent blended together, washing his mouth before sliding down his throat.

With how strong the fruit flavor was, it didn’t seem like just simple honey wine. Could the brewery have a special secret recipe?

The thought passed quickly.

"Ah."

It was truly satisfying.

"You really eat well, huh?"

The dwarf with brown beard sitting across from Jeong Yushin smiled and said.

"Yes. It was really delicious."

"The food in Arentzville isn’t bad."

Another dwarf sitting next to him added. The rabbit beastman nodded as if in agreement.

"Is this your first time in Arentzville?"

The rabbit beastman asked.

"Yes."

"You’re alone, huh? Are you a pilgrim?"

A pilgrim?

"What’s a pilgrim?"

At Jeong Yushin’s question, all three of them widened their eyes.

"Are you a northern barbarian?"

Jeong Yushin frowned.

The dwarf seemed flustered and waved his hand.

"Just calm down. I didn’t mean to insult you. People from the north are unfamiliar with these kinds of religious stories, so I jumped to conclusions."

"Yes. I understand. But what is a pilgrim?"

"How much do you know?"

"Nothing."

"You’re really straightforward. Could your father or mother be from the north?"

"I think they might be."

Jeong Yushin stroked his chin.

His father had been a big, strong man with sharp eyes, covered in thick fur.

The man who, in minus 40 degrees, took an ice-cold shower and smiled, saying, "Ah, this feels good."

The man who kicked a wild boar away when he encountered it in the mountains. The image of the boar flying through the air still lingered in his memory.

In contrast, his mother had been the epitome of femininity. Quiet and gentle, always with a soft smile as she petted his head or hugged him.

His parents made a good pair.

[H-Honey, Yushin is watching.]

[Let him watch.]

[Hmph.]

His father, grabbing his mother’s cheek with one hand and giving her a deep kiss, while his mother’s cheeks bulged out from the strength of his grip, and her tongue flicked.

The image of their close relationship was still vivid in his memory...

"Damn."

"Why is that?"

"I think my father is a barbarian."

"I see."

"So, what exactly is a pilgrim?"

"It’s an old story. So, here’s what happened..."

The dwarf began telling a lengthy tale.

Jeong Yushin finished the last sip of his wine.

As he processed the dwarf’s story in his head, the tale unfolded.

In the past, when monsters flooded the world, a member of the Spirit Church traveled from the west to the east, gathering all the monsters and sealing them in a large city in the east.

The man from the Spirit Church was revered as a saint, and the path he took became known as "The Pilgrim’s Path." The path Jeong Yushin had walked was that same "Pilgrim’s Path."

Those who followed the Spirit Church believed that by walking this path alone, they could understand the history of the church and the heart of the saint.

People viewed them as pilgrims.

Now, however, many people walked the path for their own reasons, so the original meaning had become diluted.

Even so, there were still many believers in the Spirit Church, and a significant number of followers continued to walk the pilgrim’s path.

The dwarf and his group finished their story and stood up.

"Black-haired young man. We’ll be heading out first. We need to sleep before the alcohol wears off."

"Yes. Thank you for the good conversation."

"Take care."

They left the inn. The inn was now quiet, as the dwarf’s story had taken quite a while.

Jeong Yushin crossed his arms.

During the dwarf’s explanation, the term "Great Labyrinth" had come up.

At the end of the Pilgrim’s Path, the city where the Spirit Church’s saint had sealed all the monsters.

Entering and exiting the Great Labyrinth was said to grant miraculous abilities.

On a small scale, you could gain increased physical strength or faster movement.

On a larger scale, your gender or race might change.

There was also a very small chance of acquiring a talent you didn’t have, or an ancient vision magic that had long since disappeared.

Because these abilities were "engraved" into the soul, people sometimes referred to it as the "Engraved Labyrinth."

"Alright."

If I’m lucky, I might be able to find a way home while exploring the labyrinth. Even if I don’t, that’s fine. At least I’ll get stronger. If I get stronger, I’ll be less worried about being noticed and will be able to find a way to return more quickly without fearing for my life.

‘I’ll go to the Great Labyrinth.’

Jeong Yushin decided what he would do next and stepped out of the inn.

The central plaza was packed with camping tents. He walked a little farther and exited the plaza.

Most people had gathered together, wrapped in blankets and leaning against wooden fences, sleeping.

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Jeong Yushin also found a quiet spot and leaned against a wooden fence.

It was a little chilly, but thanks to the alcohol, it was bearable. He unwrapped the blanket tied to the top of his backpack, covered himself with it, and closed his eyes.

As dawn arrived, Jeong Yushin woke up.

The roofless night was tough. Thanks to the alcohol, he was able to sleep a little, but a single blanket was hardly enough to endure the cold dawn.

Creak.

When he got up and stretched, his bones creaked loudly.

The others were already packing their things and heading to the inn. A dog beastman, whose fur was drooping from the heavy morning dew, grumbled.

"Sleeping outdoors never gets easier."

A priest-looking companion walking beside him retorted.

"Be thankful there was a wooden fence to lean on."

"I’ll admit that. But sleeping outdoors until the next village... Ugh."

The next village.

Not knowing how long it would take to get there, Jeong Yushin wanted to replenish his supplies if possible.

He entered the inn, which smelled of delicious food.

"One coin."

The innkeeper from last night placed a wooden bowl on the table.

It was steaming oat porridge.

"Thank you. Do you sell jerky or dried meat?"

"Yeah. How much do you need?"

"How long will it take to get to the next village?"

"Well, where are you headed?"

"I’m going to the Great Labyrinth."

"If it’s the Great Labyrinth, just follow the road. It’ll take about three days to get to the next village."

"Then, I’ll take enough dried meat for three days."

"Alright. How cute."

The innkeeper gave a sly smile and left.

Jeong Yushin took a bite of the hot porridge. It tasted amazing, especially with the meat and potatoes in it. The warm meal helped him relax after the cold night.

"Here, three days' worth of food. Including breakfast, that’ll be 21 coins."

As Jeong Yushin finished his porridge, the innkeeper came back. The dried meat was carefully wrapped in large leaves. Jeong Yushin took the coins out of his pocket and handed them over.

"Here you go."

"Thanks. Come again next time."

After finishing the porridge, Jeong Yushin left the inn. People were chatting among themselves as they left the village.

He didn’t hesitate this time. He knew exactly where he was going.

The Great Labyrinth.

He began walking in the direction of the rising sun.