The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 1



Only Krnovel

Episode 1. prologue

At the end of the dark space, there was an exit emitting a bright light. Above the exit, the man found words written like this.

【 New Game 】

The more I thought about it, the more absurd it became. I just fell asleep after drinking beer and playing games like usual. What is this pitch black space and what are those letters and exits?

There was no choice. There was no other way out. The man swallowed and started toward the exit.

Beyond the dazzling light, a familiar, barren medieval landscape unfolded.

That’s how the man fell into the world of the game.

With the body of a savage warrior from the harsh wilderness beyond the mountains.

‘What is this… … .’

The man was a player who had enjoyed the game for quite a long time. After seeing his face reflected in the water, he immediately recognized the identity of the warrior he had possessed.

‘… … ‘Kadim?’

Kadim. Son of the Wilderness, fearless warrior of Atala. One of the main characters in the game.

Kadim’s body was incomparably strong compared to that of a modern human. He had healthy, tanned copper skin, a build closer to a bear than a man, a solid body without an ounce of fat, and arms that could even squeeze steel.

In the outside world, he was busy with work and couldn’t even go to the gym, so he was just gaining weight. The man forgot about reality and was in a state of excitement for a moment. However, the elation soon evaporated.

As the man went on his journey, he quickly fell into a pit of despair.

Few of those I met were friendly to the barbarians. The road was always infested with monsters and highwaymen, so I couldn’t sleep well. The food was just like scooping out a ladleful of salt. People’s hygiene standards are at a level that would astonish even modern homeless people. When I got injured, I felt a deep pain in my bones, and eating apples or herbs did not heal the wound.

Moreover, only Haudae was fine, in fact, Kadim’s performance was the worst among the five main characters.

Advantages and ‘unique characteristics’ given differently to each character.

Kadim’s unique characteristics were extremely flawed compared to other characters. If you divide the characters into noble and commoner characters, Kadim was definitely one of the latter.

“… … .”

Still, the man did not give up.

At least it’s a lot better than being reincarnated as a nameless serf in this fucking game world.

I progressed through the main story by making full use of my knowledge, personally learning the combat skills of a barbarian warrior, and traveling the continent, taking on the main characters one by one as my companions.

The main story of this game was extremely simple. A warrior who received a revelation to defeat the Great Demon gathered his companions, joined forces with them, and went to the Demon Realm to defeat the Great Demon.

The progression of the story is slightly different from the game. In order to shorten the time, the man gathered all his colleagues and immediately joined the warrior. Still, the core theme of eradicating the Great Evil has not changed.

On the way to the Demon Realm across the continent. He had finally entered the main story. At that time, the man was faced with a crucial choice.

What ending will we see?

In the game, karma accumulates and the ending changes depending on the hero’s actions. If you do a lot of good deeds, a ‘true ending’ appears, and if you do a lot of evil deeds, a ‘bad ending’ appears, and so on.

Of course, there was no guarantee that he would be able to go out into the world even if he saw the ending. However, the man thought this. If some damn absolute being had put him here in hopes of seeing the end of this game, then the ‘true ending’ would definitely be more likely to return to reality.

The problem was that the world in the game, which became reality, was not easy enough to get through with good actions alone. How on earth can you live like a saint in a world where you saved someone from a robber and the guy robbed you?

In the end, the man made a decision.

‘The only thing that affects the ending is the actions of the hero, the hero. ‘My actions are not included in karma.’

To do all the dirty work on behalf of the warrior.

He tore out the jaws of those who framed the warrior and killed them. He plunged an ax into the head of an innkeeper who had poisoned his soup. The warrior chased after the thieves who had shown mercy and cut them all into pieces to avoid any repercussions. The monster’s stomach, which had lost the will to resist, was cut in half, and even the eggs that spilled out from inside were crushed and exploded.

A life like a demon whose ax blade never bleeds. It was not something a modern person who had never hit a chicken with his head could endure with his mind intact.

‘I didn’t do this. This was done by Khadim, a thorough and cruel barbarian warrior.’

The man created a shallow defense mechanism. He endured the blood-stained reality by repeating that everything was done by ‘Kadim’ and not by him.

But that too has its limits. The man’s way of thinking could never be free from the ‘Kadim’ he had created. He felt an extremely strange feeling toward himself, who was both human and monster, and who thought of killing them first when he encountered them.

To make matters worse, the problem became more serious as the man began to utilize Khadim’s unique characteristics in the demonic era.

Kadim’s unique trait, ‘Blood Berserker’.

A trait that causes you to gradually lose your sanity instead of drinking demon blood to gain a special buff for a certain period of time. In the game, it was expressed as simply being subject to a debuff, but in reality, you had to endure the madness that seeped into your mind.

He cut the devil’s artery with a dagger and drank its blood like sap. Before the buff expires, he fights off another demon and slams an ax into its head. When the demon expired, he slit his arteries again and drank his blood like sap.

Side effects gradually occurred to the man, Kadim.

Gradually, the mental boundary between barbarians and modern people became blurred and mania began to develop.

The sacred laws of a priest chosen by God, the magic of a genius wizard with overwhelming talent, and the spells of a shaman skilled in magic were of no use. In order to suppress his surging murderous intent and the mania that raged from time to time, the man had to sleep buried in the ground every day, bound by chains and restraint magic.

A journey that leaves both body and mind in tatters.

Now, in Kadim’s body, there is no office worker who finds a little rest by playing games after work. Only the berserker suffering from madness and guilt remains. Every time his senses returned, like a broken lamp blinking, Kadim fell into the illusion that this terrible pain would last forever.

However, the moon also waxes and wanes, and nothing in this world is permanent.

Finally, the long journey came to an end.

Deep – !

A warrior who plunges the holy sword into the last heart of the great devil and twists it roughly.

– Haha, hahaha!! I feel like you guys can kill me like this… … .

Phew – wow!

Kadim did not miss the opportunity and struck the archdemon in the neck with his huge battle axe. By trampling on his fallen head and bursting it open, the Archdemon could no longer play with his arrogant and cunning tongue.

“Ugh, ugh… … .”

“Whoa… … .”

“… … .”

No one in the group opened their mouths. It was as if they could not believe that this fierce battle was over. For a while, only the sound of heavy breathing echoed across the pale earth where poison was rising.

What broke the silence was a voice that had become hoarse from chanting the spell without stopping.

“Uh, it’s over… …? Is it all over now?”

A wizard trembling with both hands and clutching his staff.

A face with deep shadows around the eyes and hollow cheeks. The appearance of a young girl wizard could no longer be found in her.

“… … Elgar advised, so it seems like that.”

The priest answers by making the sign of the cross.

The pure white priest’s attire, which was plain before entering the demonic realm, had changed to a dark reddish-brown color. Half of that dirty dye was the devil’s blood and half was the priest’s own blood.

“… … Are you okay, Kadim? Are you hurt anywhere? Maybe you lose your temper and run wild… … .”

A shaman approaches, groping the ground.

Having lost both her eyes to the devil, she was always more concerned about Khadim’s mental defects than her own physical defects. When asked why, she always said it was because they were of the same race who worshipped the same god, but that wasn’t the only reason.

“… … .”

Finally, the warrior.

The warrior didn’t open his mouth for a while. He just silently looked at Kadim, who had cut off the demon’s head.

On the other hand, Kadim had no time to worry about the warrior.

My mouth was dry. Despite this, I was anxious about what would happen if I could not return to reality, and my thirst for the blood of the Great Devil was rising.

The silence weighing heavily on my shoulders. A blank time without any conversation.

After the jet-black clouds crossed the gray-colored sun, the warrior finally opened his mouth.

“Hey, Ka… … .”

But at that moment.

Jeez, jez –

A crack appeared in the space with a sound like tearing tough leather.

Kadim’s eyes took on a different look. The taciturn barbarian warrior, who did not flinch from anything, trembled with fear.

There was no time to hesitate. Khadim races towards the crack. The party was startled once by the strange phenomenon that suddenly occurred, and again by the sight of Kadim running away, even throwing away his beloved axe.

“Hey, hey, hey!”

“Master Kadim!”

“W-what’s going on? What happened to Kadim… … ?”

He couldn’t even hear the cries of his colleagues. Now, in Kadim’s mind, only his longing for reality and his desire to return remained.

But there was someone blocking his way. The warrior spread his arms and shouted.

“Stop, Khadim! “Are you going there knowing what’s in there?”

“… … Get out of the way. “I don’t have time to explain.”

“Do you know anything about that crack? I can’t leave until you tell me. We’ve just defeated the Great Demon together, and I can’t put my comrades in danger again… … .”

“If we wait this long and the crack disappears, I will drink the blood of the Great Demon and break your bones. “If you don’t want to die, get out of the way right now.”

A chilling threat that could not be considered a joke. A thick vein bulged out on the savage warrior’s forehead. A large ripple appeared on the warrior’s face. It was the first time that Khadim had shown such clear hostility while sober.

A brief standoff followed. The barbarian warrior stood firm like a mountain containing lava, and the warrior’s gaze fell to the ground like flying ashes. It was a battle of wits that had already decided which side would lose.

The warrior finally stepped aside with a stern expression. Kadim, feeling somewhat sorry, glanced at the warrior and said goodbye.

“I don’t have time to do much more than greet you. Your belief in saving people with good intentions is worth continuing to uphold. It will be harder now that I’m gone, but please don’t lose your original intention. And… … .”

“… … .”

“… … It was an honor to be able to participate in person, rather than just watching from the screen.”

“……what?”

Jeez, jez –

The warrior could not hear the explanation for the unexpected farewell. As soon as Kadim entered, the rift was completely closed.

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

Although they had accomplished the feat of defeating the great demon, none of the warriors felt joy.

“Kadim… …? Kadim? Kadim!!!”

While the priestess who had lost her light desperately cried out her name, everyone just stared at the empty space that had swallowed up their comrade for a long time.

*

The dark space appeared again.

This is my second time coming here, but it feels different from the first time.

Kadim, the man stepped forward. With each step he took, the madness of the savage warrior melted away as if washed away, and his modern self began to return.

When I return to reality, I have decided that I will never play a game with a medieval fantasy setting again. No, not only games, but I have also decided not to watch movies, read novels, or read comics.

I am tired of the world where public safety and hygiene have been shattered, and the strong, fishy smell of devil’s blood. As soon as I got back, I decided to open a cold can of beer with dew on the surface, drink it, lie down on the soft bed without any bedbugs, and take a deep sleep.

‘It bothers me that I couldn’t even say goodbye to my colleagues properly… … .’

The man’s feelings towards his colleagues became quite mysterious. They were clearly colleagues who had been through life and death together, but in reality, they were nothing more than game characters.

The gap between the perception we have had so far and the perception we should have in the future. A strong sense of discomfort stirred within the man.

‘… … You have to accept reality. ‘Because they are people I can never meet again.’

The man smiled bitterly. Still, he regretted not saying goodbye more sincerely, knowing that he would never see her again.

At the end of the dark road, a whitish exit appeared. Maybe it was a way to pass over there and return to reality like last time. The closer I got, the bigger the glow at the exit became. The excitement in the man’s heart also swelled greatly.

However, the man who reached the exit did not enter immediately.

A man stands tall with his eyes wide open.

The muscles in my face were twisted into a mess. Her heart beat violently. My breathing became rough and my blood surged. A stiff spine, dizzying shaking vision. I felt nauseous in my stomach and my intestines were boiling.

‘… … Is this a dream?’

My desire for everything to be an illusion grew stronger than ever. I just couldn’t come to terms with the situation.

But no matter how much I looked, the letters above the exit did not change.

【 New Game +】

A man staring endlessly at letters with empty eyes.

Soon, foul language came out of my mouth like blood.

“No… …Fuck… … .”