[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian":3,"chapter-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-10":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Surviving the Game as a Barbarian",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1327590,1764,"Chapter 10","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-10",10,"\u003Cp>Night Friend (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strictly speaking, the word we' should not be used here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Ricky and Buster pair were interested in Erwen, not me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tug,tug, I nudge Erwen again with my foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do you mean, ugh? Wake the hell up. I know you aren't asleep. I saw you cover your face with the blanket when I glanced at you right after hearing their words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's a waste of time to keep up this charade, so I just grab her by the shoulders and force her to get up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why were you pretending to be asleep?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That, that's\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen mumbles her words and avoids my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering the fact that I have to get the relevant information as quickly as possible and make a decision, it's a pretty rude attitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hwig.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I grab her by the chin and force her to look at me, Erwen finally, reluctantly, starts to talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because you'll leave when I wake up\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, was that the reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I did so swear. If there's a conflict with other adventurers while standing guard for the night, you have to fight together. But unfortunately, this happened on the last turn within the promised timeframe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I don't actually care about my honour, but\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She doesn't know that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she tried to hold on to me somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the moment she opens her eyes, the promise that bound us as night friends would be over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I take a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a grown man like Uncle Hans had done something like this, I really would have been angry\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since she's only twenty years old, some pity blooms at a corner of my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that's that and this is this. I still have to make a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was it those two?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why were you hiding yourself?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" There was a pattern engraved on their clothes. Same as the human man who tried to hurt me. They must have been in the same group.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A group Fuck, are things getting more problematic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm starting to consider whether it would actually be better to just say goodbye to this fairy girl and go our separate ways from here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lets talk while we move.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you going to help me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll listen to your story, at least.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First of all, we have to get out of here. And I have to grasp the rest of the situation on the way. We start moving, setting almost a running pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me everything that's happened so far.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if reading the atmosphere, Erwen briefly recites only the important information without saying anything extra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The first night, my night friend who I'd just met attacked me while I was sleeping. I found out later that he was an executive from a group mainly active on the first floor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, the group is called Crystal Union'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I managed to escape, but after that, people from that organization started attacking me whenever they saw me. I was injured in the process.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pause for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, how did they know about you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They used message stones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is that? There was nothing like that in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A little more detail.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Its a magic tool that allows you to talk remotely with other message stones that have been configured to resonate with it in advance. I heard that the reach is about 300m.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's a kind of a walkie-talkie. If the frequency is set in advance, you can communicate up to 300m away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually, I understand the situation we're in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such magic tools and sufficient manpower, disseminating information would be easy in a closed environment like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the problem is\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are they chasing after you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen did nothing wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would they spend so much effort going after the victim?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it to keep your mouth shut?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" I don't think it's that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is there anything else?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen, who'd been calmly answering my questions so far, once again hesitates to speak. I really can't help her if she keeps up with this attitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was considering dumping her\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I swung my knife at that man when I first ran away. Where I hit him, it wasn't a good place, really\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" By a bad place you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I feel cold for some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cool wind keeps brushing my groin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That, um, that, there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Really.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ummm, anyway, I heard from the people who were chasing me afterwards, it was totally cut off and couldnt even be re-attached with a potion I guess that's why\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's why it's worth chasing after her with full power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I, I, I'm sorry\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There's nothing to apologize for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn't that guy the perpetrator? You reap what you sow. The problem is that there are far too many people in every world who can't understand such simple logic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle, I think somebody's behind us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dont look back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I've been concentrating on my hearing, but I still can't hear anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On the path I think about 150m away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's strange that she can feel a presence at that distance, but it doesn't seem like a lie. There's no reason for her to do that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this the innate perception of a fairy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The image I had of her changed all of a sudden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need to speed up, are you alright with that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. I can handle it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the white bandage covering her wound is stained red, Erwen doesn't spit out even a single sound of pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She has good guts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, my thoughts got complicated again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How far is the tracker?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" Still about 150m.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if you increase the speed, you can't spread out the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things aren't going well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, the stalker must be announcing our location to his comrades with a message stone, or something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Have to get rid of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their target had been me, I would have certainly judged so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I'm still running.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After you kill him, you can't step out of this quagmire anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So check things out first, before you dip your feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"U-, uncle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much risk do I have to take, and how much reward can I get in return?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I need more detailed information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Erwen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, yes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you good at?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am confident in cleaning and laundry. Oh, I'm not very good at cooking, but\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is she talking about now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In battle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" Bow, bow! Oh, and spirits too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a standard fairy archer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which attributes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" Fire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, that's the most valuable one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to that, I can slowly draw the picture in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have you ever killed anyone?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No But, I can.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's something you have to do, to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ask her the final question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Erwen, would you like to join me? The duration is until you get out of the labyrinth, and the loot distribution is 9 for me and 1 for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will, I will!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is enough to give me a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" I promise in the name of my clan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I also swear on the honour of a warrior.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We again went through a ceremony as a token of trust like before, and evolved our relationship from night friends to temporary colleagues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, running like crazy all the while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Distance?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"About 100m!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at the maximum speed we could reach, the distance was getting smaller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made up my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Change place to the outskirts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We turned around and entered the dark passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less and less crystals shined on the walls and the ceilings as we progressed, and before long a deep darkness fell to greet us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My thoughts were a bit complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, I never expected to come back here on my own two feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Erwen, summon the spirit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flame the size of a watermelon floated on the palm of her hand, illuminating the surroundings. Watching the floor for traps, I quickly made my way through the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unsummon. Now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We hid in the dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When are you going to give the sign?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You'll hear it soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my composure as much as I could and focused on my hearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The best outcome would be for the chaser to miss us and pass us by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there would be no need to kill them, and I too would be able to step away from this quagmire later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step, step, step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the tracker's footsteps reached my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, contrary to expectations, he stopped without passing us by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just in front of the crossroads we'd passed last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shit\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, he had some way to track us down. Be it smell, sound, or something magical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump,thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and walked slowly, stopping at a distance of about 30 meters from us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The border where light died and the abyssal darkness began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He craned his neck, peering into the dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We watched, holding our breaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There you are.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had sniffed a few times in the quiet stillness murmured to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he pulled something out of his pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the first time I had seen it in my life, but I intuitively recognized the identity of the object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Message stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I saw it, I signalled Erwen with a short murmur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen, who had kept her bow drawn and the arrow aimed all this while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shoot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could even finish my words, the arrow pierced the man's forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after the man fell to the floor, dead, I did not approach immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen, who was sitting right next to me, could not hide from me how she was trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well done. Hesitating would have been dangerous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just some fake compliment, but the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn't I also paused before slamming the shield down on Uncle Hans? Erwen hadn't even had that little leisure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I didn't tell her out loud, she'd known it in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That you should never hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You, take a break.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My ability to comfort another ended at this point, and I left the darkness to search the corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he'd left his backpack to another colleague in order to move quickly, but the pursuer looked a bit poor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To feel regret about such a thing I've really assimilated into this world.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Removing all the equipment from the tracker's corpse, from head to toe, I organized the acquired items one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A belt, a leather top and bottom, two daggers, a fairly heavy mana stone pouch, a bottle of potion kept in another pouch tied to the belt, and even a message stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good. Come here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After classifying the loot roughly, I called Erwen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She removed the bandages and applied the potion to her wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wound began to heal with a squelch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kkkh\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would've been okay to make some noise, but Erwen clenched her teeth and endured the pain in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had a tough side to her, too. No, was she just mentally dissociating from the pain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hoped it was the former. I wasn't confident about counselling somebody else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you black out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. Just for a moment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then change into this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the treatment finished in a few minutes, I held out the leather top and bottom I had just obtained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I judged them to be much more practical than the loose-fitting cloth robes she was wearing now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ill wear them right away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she believe that following my every instruction would give her a higher chance of survival? It must've been awkward, but Erwen immediately grabbed the clothes and disappeared into the darkness to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's not all. Come and let me take a look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I trimmed the hems protruding at the arms and the legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wear this too. It should look a little better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still a little baggy overall, but it looked like a comfortable fit with the belt on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, because of the change in outfit, her atmosphere had also completely changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, she looked like a fairy girl who'd gone on an outing, but now she looked like a full-fledged female warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even her face exuded that feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\" It feels very strange.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You'll get used to it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see, is that so?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, you will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shoved the rest of the items into my backpack and dragged the naked corpse into the dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I took the message stone in my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you read messages?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait. Let me do it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen looked at the message stone and clicked something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[ Serdin, who was chasing the fairy bitch and the barbarian, lost contact. All those who hear this, gather in the Goblin Zone.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things were progressing just as I'd expected them to.\u003C\u002Fp>",2135,"2026-06-05T19:32:48.785Z",1,"novelbin.me","0ae9832b8392a7c1732c720e847d0da39e4a4beae16588886593bd81ac779b0f","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-11","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-260",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]