How a Black-Haired Barbarian Survived the Labyrinth in Another World

“Wow.”

Green skin, childlike height, and grotesque faces—it was goblins. 

The goblins lay dead on the road, their bodies slashed into pieces. 

There seemed to be about twelve of them, but none were alive. 

It was clear that Karine’s group had killed them.

Avoiding the gruesome scene on the road, Yoo-shin continued walking. 

After about ten more minutes, he finally reached the end of the path. 

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

He stood on a fairly high hill which gave him a clear view all the way to the horizon. 

A gentle breeze brushed past him, ruffling his hair. 

Looking down, he saw people walking in small groups along the main road.

‘If I follow that road, there should be a village or two ahead.’

Not a bad option.

Yoo-shin made his way toward the road. He saw merchants, people armed with various weapons, and gypsies carrying different musical instruments.

There was a wide variety of races and appearances. 

It was so unfamiliar that Yoo-shin could hardly process it all.

He stood by the side of the road, blankly watching as they passed.

A passing cat beastman threw a casual remark his way.

“Hey, have you been drinking? Snap out of it, young man. Tsk.”

The human walking next to the beastman chuckled.

“Oh? How do you know whether he’s young or old?”

The cat beastman purred.

“No beard, no wrinkles—that means he’s young. Don’t underestimate me.”

“Hah. How do I look to you?”

“You looked younger last night, but today you look older. Shave that beard.”

The two exchanged playful banter as they passed by Yoo-shin.

Yoo-shin let out a small smile and stepped onto the road.

* * *

That evening, Yoo-shin arrived at a village. 

It was small, but since he was close to the main road, the entrance was bustling with people. 

Many of them were soldiers in regular army uniforms.

One of the soldiers guarding the gate smiled and said.

“Welcome to Arentsville, the small village.”

“Hello.”

“Is this your first time here?”

“Yes.”

“The toll is five copper coins. The inn is full, so you’ll have to eat there and sleep outside or find a local to take you in.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Yoo-shin took out five copper coins from his pouch and handed them over, then entered the village.

The inn was right next to the central square. 

The sounds of musical instruments, singing, and loud chatter could be heard from outside, making its location obvious.

As soon as he stepped inside, the heat hit his face. The place was packed with people of all sorts, and for a moment, the noise made his head spin.

“Hey, you with the black hair!” 

A woman in her 30s, who was carrying food, called out to him.

“Yes?”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

“Sit anywhere. One more meal here!”

Since the inn was so crowded, sharing tables was necessary. 

Yoo-shin sat at the closest available spot. 

Two short men who looked like dwarves and a rabbit beastman were already seated there. 

They paid no attention to him and continued their conversation while eating and drinking. 

They seemed to be discussing something serious, but Yoo-shin couldn’t understand their words.

I should gather information, he thought, but sighed inwardly. 

Quickly giving up on information gathering, he turned his head to watch the musicians playing instruments in the corner.

Bang!

“Your food’s here.”

The woman from earlier placed the meal on the table. 

It was a plate with white bread, soup with tomatoes and potatoes, a sizzling piece of meat, and a wooden mug filled with a yellow drink.

“How much?”

“Is it your first time here?”

“Yes.”

“Ten copper coins.”

Yoo-shin politely handed over the coins from his pouch.

“You’re a polite young man.”

“Thank you.”

“How cute. Enjoy your meal.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Of course, politeness is always the best approach.

Just a day ago, Yoo-shin had nearly lost his head to a slave hunter because he underestimated this other world and ran his mouth. 

When you know nothing, it’s best to live humbly.

As he took a spoonful of the steaming soup, the tension in his body finally eased, and hunger set in. 

It was only natural—after eating just a bit of jerky in the morning and walking for hours, he was bound to be hungry.

Carefully, he tore a piece of bread, put it in his mouth, and chewed. 

The rich, nutty flavor of the wheat filled his mouth. 

When he cut a piece of meat and took a bite, the juices overflowed.

“This is really good.”

The meat’s juices softened the dryness of the bread, enhancing its flavor, while the tomato soup balanced the meat’s richness with its tanginess, making him even hungrier. Then the bread absorbed the acidity of the soup with its warm wheat aroma.

It was a perfect harmony.

Overwhelmed with appreciation, Yoo-shin quickly finished his meal. Once full, he sipped the drink from the wooden mug. 

The sticky sweetness of honey mixed with the refreshing fruit aroma cleansed his palate as it slid down his throat.

Given the strong fruit flavor, it didn’t seem like just simple honey wine. Perhaps the brewery had its own special recipe?

His curiosity was brief.

“Phew.”

He felt truly satisfied.

“You have a good appetite, don’t you?” said the brown-bearded dwarf sitting across from Yoo-shin, smiling.

“Yes, it was really delicious,” Another dwarf added.

“The food here in Arentsville is quite good.”

The rabbit beastman at the table nodded in agreement.

“Is this your first time in Arentsville?” 

“Yes.”

“You look like you’re alone. Are you a pilgrim?”

A pilgrim?

“What’s a pilgrim?” 

All three of them widened their eyes in surprise.

“Are you from the northern Barbaroi?” 

Yoo-shin frowned.

The dwarf sensed the awkwardness and quickly waved his hand.

“Calm down. I didn’t mean to offend. People from the north usually aren’t familiar with religious matters, so I just assumed.”

“I understand. But what is a pilgrim?”

“How much do you know?” 

“Nothing at all.”

“You’re very honest. Could it be that your father or mother was from the north?”

“Maybe.”

His father had been a massive, muscular man with a fierce look and a thick beard. 

He was the type who would take a cold shower in freezing water at minus 40 degrees Celsius and casually say, ‘Ah, refreshing,’ with a carefree smile.

Yoo-shin vividly remembered when his father had kicked a wild boar out of the way during a mountain encounter, sending it flying through the air. 

The image of the boar soaring through the sky was still etched in his memory.

In contrast, his mother had been the epitome of femininity—quiet, gentle, and always carried a soft smile. She would either pat his head or embrace him warmly.

His parents had been a perfect match.

[Honey, Yoo-shin is watching.]

[Let him watch.]

[Oh my.]

Yoo-shin remembered how his father would grab his mother’s cheek and kiss her deeply, while her face puffed up from his grip, and she would playfully flick her tongue. 

That loving image of them stuck in his mind.

“Damn.”

“What’s wrong?” 

“I think my father was a barbarian.”

“I see.”

“So what’s a pilgrim?” 

Yoo-shin asked again.

“Well, it’s an old story. A long time ago, when the world was filled with monsters, a man from the Spirit Church traveled from the west to the east. Along the way, he gathered all the monsters and sealed them in a great city in the east. That man was later revered as a saint, and the path he walked became known as the ‘Pilgrim’s Path.’ The road you walked is part of that path.”

People who believed in the Spirit Church would walk this path alone to learn the history of the church and the heart of the saint. These people were called pilgrims.

Over time, many people began walking the path for various reasons, and the original meaning of the journey faded. 

Still, there were many followers of the Spirit Church, and a significant number of them continued to walk the pilgrim’s path.

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

“Young man with the black hair, we’ll be heading off now. We need to sleep before the alcohol wears off.”

“Thank you for your wisdom.”

“Take care.”

They left the inn, and it became much quieter. 

The dwarf’s story had been quite long.

Yoo-shin crossed his arms as he thought. 

During the dwarf’s explanation, he had mentioned something called the ‘Great Labyrinth.’ 

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

It was said that if you entered the Great Labyrinth and managed to leave, you could gain strange abilities. 

Some gained enhanced strength or agility, while others experienced more extreme changes, like a change in gender or species. 

There was even a small chance of acquiring talents you never had or lost ancient magic.

Since these abilities were imprinted on the soul, people referred to the labyrinth as the ‘Imprint Labyrinth.’

“Alright.”

If he was lucky while exploring the labyrinth, he might find a way back home. 

Even if he didn’t, it wouldn’t matter. 

At the very least, he could grow stronger. 

With more strength, he could navigate this world with less fear and find a way to return more quickly.

“I’m heading to the Great Labyrinth.”

Having made his decision, Yoo-shin stepped out of the inn.

The central square was filled with camping tents. 

After walking a bit further, he left the square behind. 

Most of the people were huddled together under blankets, leaning against the wooden fence to sleep.

Yoo-shin found a quiet spot and leaned against the fence himself. It was chilly, but thanks to the alcohol, he could bear it. 

He unraveled the blanket rolled up at the top of his backpack, covered himself, and closed his eyes.

———

At dawn, Yoo-shin opened his eyes.

Sleeping under the open sky had been rough. 

The alcohol had helped him sleep a little, but one blanket wasn’t enough to keep out the cold morning air.

Crack.

As he stood and stretched, his bones made strange noises.

People were already packing up their things and heading toward the inn. 

A dog beastman, whose fur was heavy with morning dew, grumbled.

“Sleeping outdoors is a new kind of torture every time.”

“Be grateful you had a fence to lean on.”

A priest, who seemed to be his companion, replied.

“Fair enough. But having to camp outdoors all the way to the next village… Sigh.”

‘Camping all the way to the next village…’

Not knowing how long it would take, he figured it was best to stock up on supplies while he could.

He walked into the inn, where the delicious smell of food was wafting through the air.

“One copper coin.”

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

It was steaming oat porridge.

“Thank you. By the way, do you sell jerky or preserved rations?”

“Hmm. How much do you need?”

“How far is the next village from here?”

“Well, where are you headed?”

“I’m going to the Great Labyrinth.”

“In that case, just follow the main road. It’ll take you about three days to reach the next village.”

“Then, I’ll need rations for three days, please.”

“Got it. You’re cute.”

The woman smiled slyly before walking away.

Yoo-shin took a bite of the hot porridge. 

It had meat and potatoes mixed in, making it quite hearty. 

The warmth spread through his body, chasing away the lingering cold.

“Here you go, three days’ worth of rations. Including breakfast, that’ll be 21 copper coins.”

By the time he had finished the porridge, the woman returned with the rations. 

They were neatly wrapped in large leaves. 

Yoo-shin took out the coins from his pouch and handed them over.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks. Come back anytime.”

After finishing the last bit of porridge, Yoo-shin left the inn. 

People were already chatting and heading out of the village.

This time, Yoo-shin didn’t hesitate. 

He knew exactly where he was going.

The Great Labyrinth.

He started walking in the direction of the rising sun.