[{"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-102":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},1327722,1764,"Chapter 102 Mafia (1)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-102",102,"\u003Cp>Mafia (1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wh, what the hell! Suddenly…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Earthquake…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explorers who were sleeping wake up at the tremors that spread through the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I realize…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once a Hans, always a Hans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t believe even changing his name wouldn’t work.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sigh deeply and look at Hanst…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, the man who will now be remembered as Hans G, one last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, I know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no way you could have opened a rift while being here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just my shitty luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grab Misha and start running.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because there’s no time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha asks, even though I didn’t explain anything,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Don’t tell me a rift opened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like my life, another shitty thing has happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it’s not the kind of shitty thing that threatens my life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it, how much did I spend?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chose a rift to enter and bought items accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I even enchanted everything with the lightning attribute, feeling excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what the hell is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn! Over there!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some bastard ruined my plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it a player?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or just someone who knows a lot about this world?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I’ll get a sense of it once we enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A portal forms in the direction Misha pointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, thousands of portals must have been generated throughout the 1st floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Misha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pull Misha close and hug her, just in case we get separated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I step into the portal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has entered the 1st Floor Rift.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I land with a heavy thud and put Misha down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I immediately check the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems like we barely made it as the last ones, as there are already three men and women inside the rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I examine them one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, a barbarian and a beastman, that’s reassuring already. Nice to meet you, please call me Kalson.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, a human man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s about 170 centimeters tall and uses a sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I were to describe his first impression as an animal…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, I think a rat would be appropriate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I won’t be a burden. I’m Avman Urikfrit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, a beastman man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the round ears on top of his head, he seems to be from the Black Bear tribe, one of the seven major tribes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His defining features are his muscular build and his giant crossbow that resembles a siege weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello, I’m Jensia Nayfrin. I use this sword as my weapon. I’ll try my best not to be a burden.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lastly, a human woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s about 165 centimeters tall and has a pretty face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And surprisingly, she has black hair in twin tails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It doesn’t look bad on her, but I never thought I would actually see someone with this hairstyle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, since it’s our turn, I introduce myself as the representative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Bjorn, son of Thor, and this is Michelle. As you can see, we’re a team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do you mean, ‘huh’?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I give her a look that says ‘stay quiet’, Misha purses her lips as if she understands. And she relaxes her eyes and stares into space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Is that her poker face?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s obviously strange, so I lead the conversation before anyone notices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m the main tank in the labyrinth, and I’m most confident in that role. What are you guys good at?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When entering a rift, it’s the most basic procedure to check each other’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m good with swords! Ah, and I’ve absorbed the Goblin Archer’s essence, and I received training as a scout when I was young, so I’m somewhat knowledgeable about traps and mechanical devices.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman named Jensia explains herself in more detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goblin Archer’s essence, not even Goblin Swordsman?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I think to myself, ‘what kind of shitty essence is that?’ as soon as I hear it, but it’s not something to worry about too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s not a character I’m raising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides, just by looking at her equipment, I can tell she’s a newbie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mainly use a sword and shield. That… Mr. Bjorn? Anyway, although I’m not as good as you, I usually take the role of receiving attacks in the front lines when I’m in a team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sword and shield warrior, Kalson, is better than Jensia, but ultimately similar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe mid-2nd floor level?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, judging by the fact that he didn’t reveal his essence like the woman earlier, he seems to have more experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, or maybe he just hasn’t absorbed any.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Two newbies besides the powerful one, huh…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I kind of expected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation is different from when I met Hikurod and Raven. It’s only been three months since the rift opened, so the method of waiting beforehand is impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it opened on the first day, so this is as good as it gets. Otherwise, the place would be swarming with locals who haven’t even reached the 2nd floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In that sense, it’s still suspicious.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turn my gaze to the last member.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But did he take it as a sign to hurry up and introduce himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As you can see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The macho bear-like man with a beard and muscles shrugs his massive crossbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s the only experienced explorer among the three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ask directly, like a barbarian,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d like you to tell me clearly how reliable you are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shouldn’t you tell me first?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh, that’s true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m a 6th-grade, and Michelle is a 7th-grade explorer. We used to operate on the 4th floor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see, I’m 5th-grade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, he’s not just experienced, he’s high-ranking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally, 6th-grade is considered experienced, 5th-grade is high-ranking, and 4th-grade is top-tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s because the gap between ranks widens significantly from 6th grade onwards, and the guild even conducts promotion evaluations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk, this is getting even more suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is a 6th-grade explorer here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The same goes for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geez, this man doesn’t let a single word go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…We used to be in a team, but due to some circumstances, we entered as a duo. We haven’t been able to reach the 2nd floor yet because we don’t have a scout, but we entered because a rift opened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s an answer I prepared to give if anyone was suspicious when I opened the rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a coincidence. I’m similar. Well, it’s been a while since I left my original team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phew, damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is he lying or telling the truth?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wonder if there really is an archer who’s tough enough to solo, but looking at that macho man’s face, it’s believable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Still, I should be most careful of this man.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I designate the bear-like man as my number one target for suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His strength is one thing, but the circumstances are all suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In the first place, if it weren’t for this man, there’s no one else who would be able to go to the 2nd floor and mine 8th-grade magic stones at this time.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that’s just based on the information that’s been revealed so far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kalson and Jensia…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…or ‘Jenson’ for short… might be hiding their true strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, but who entered first?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ask casually, as if out of curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who opened the rift?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they’re not all in cahoots, this one question should reveal the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows? I think we all entered together…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was too simultaneous to say who was first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re worried about strange things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, I’m not allowed to exploit the system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phew, damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is like a game of Mafia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone opened the rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this, my plan has gone awry in many ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First of all, there’s the loot distribution issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, then it’s decided.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some discussion, it’s agreed that Misha, the bear-like man, and I will each get three shares, and Kalson and Jensia… or ‘Jenson’ for short… will split one share.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world of explorers is ruthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not that bad of a deal. We’ll give you all the remaining essences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s the classic ‘pulling the ladder up after you’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s the same thing I did to the dwarf and Raven in the Crimson Fortress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, I was also planning to do that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because what would I gain by being generous and considerate in this situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk, he’s surprisingly kind despite his appearance. I was going to keep all the magic stones too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My plan was to open the rift around Day 3.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I was going to monopolize everything and make the 1st-floor locals clean up the leftovers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the bear-like man variable appeared, and I had to make significant concessions in the distribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Misha is supposed to absorb the guardian’s essence…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…if a Numbered Item or a Rift Stone drops, I have to roll dice with the bear-like man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ha, I’m not confident in dice rolls.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stomach already hurts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not that I think I’ll lose, but I don’t think I’ll win either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why I was trying to avoid the variable of dice rolls…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s get going.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I push aside my lingering thoughts and move forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind me, ‘Jenson’ is on either side, then the bear-like man, and finally Misha at the back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hear a cracking sound with every step I take, as if we’re walking on thin ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not an inaccurate description.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re currently crossing a frozen lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s the only blessing in disguise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least we can use the items we prepared.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are four 1st-floor rifts in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monsters that appear, the difficulty level, and even the rewards vary depending on the type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So where should we go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much deliberation, I chose one place, and coincidentally, it’s the place where I’m walking right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Glacier Cave]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s a rift that opens when you offer the magic stone of an 8th-grade monster that appears on the 2nd floor Beast’s Lair at the altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, the selection criteria was solely for Misha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I also have one essence slot left after reaching level 4, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s nothing worth absorbing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just a 1st-floor rift, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the guardian is only 7th-grade, and they don’t drop essences that suit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In the first place, the reason this man readily gave up the essence must be because of that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, that’s why it’s more efficient to raise Misha for now and use her to fill the empty slot with a better essence later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Wait, come to think of it, I did the same thing last time, and then Ainar left for the sanctuary…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no way that will happen again… right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you suddenly stop?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shake off the thought that suddenly crossed my mind and focus on my surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’ve entered the rift, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there’s even a mysterious mafia member, so it’s not the time to be spacing out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaa-.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A frozen snow mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snowflakes are falling from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the sunlight reflecting off the ice feels even more intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s strange to be in a place like this after always being in dark places.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking for about 30 minutes, the lake area ends, and a suspicious cave appears, leading underground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, there’s a monster blocking the path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grooooowl!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 7th-grade monster, Yeti.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s an elite monster that only appears in the ‘Glacier Cave’ and acts as a gatekeeper from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jensia mutters as she sees the creature letting out a threatening roar as soon as it sees us,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do, do we have to kill that and then go down?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer comes from the bear-like man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know what this place is like, but in rifts, the places with monsters are usually the way forward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s an answer that makes me nod involuntarily as a gamer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s getting even more suspicious…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You two, stay behind so you don’t die needlessly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is that really okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Jenson’ looks at Misha and me at the bear-like man’s kind consideration. Well, it would be shameless to ask them to risk their lives for just a 10% share of the magic stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I just tell them to do as he says.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the first place, it would just be annoying if they were hovering around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bear-like man finally takes off his giant crossbow from his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle begins with the firing of an arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>",2050,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","a618b34fab496341e463c71bed48b1282034eaa5acb9e8c08abef014c646a353","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-103","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-101",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]