[{"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-179":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},1327799,1764,"Chapter 179 Doppelganger (4)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-179",179,"\u003Cp>Doppelganger (4)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doppelganger (4)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An instant dungeon that exists on each floor, like the Crimson Fortress and the Glacier Cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two biggest characteristics of a rift are:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The essence drop rate increases exponentially.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a special monster called a guardian drops special rewards that can’t be obtained in normal fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Avman, where’s the rift?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bear-like man closes his eyes for a moment, as if focusing on his senses, and then opens them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, so that’s how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The probability of us successfully entering has increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, we’ve already reached stage 27 thanks to five Stairs of Wisdom appearing on the first day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[23:45]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Day 7 hasn’t even ended yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s safe to say that there aren’t many competitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rifts on the 4th floor only appear from stage 25 onwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it just happened to appear nearby?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Yandel, you’re going to check it out, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rifts are the flower of the labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s an opportunity that no explorer should miss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We quickly pack up our campsite and head towards the door in the direction Avman pointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting for a few minutes, the symbol engraved on the stone door lights up. It means the 4-hour waiting time is over, and we can now open the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh, I don’t like this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, anything but illusions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha and the bear-like man, who have experience with this trial, groan in unison. On the other hand, Raven and Ainar seem confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I actually prefer illusions. I heard they don’t have much effect on people with strong mental strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha! Then I’ll be fine!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, this is their first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m also a bit curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mage armed with logic and rationality, and the fearless barbarian warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How will they react?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I know that, I might be able to figure out whether my case is unique or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Chose the Stairs of Patience.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long corridor, about 100 meters long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as we step inside, the figures of my companions disappear, and a new background appears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pediatric ward where I spent most of my childhood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky beyond the window is clear, and the face of the child lying in bed is also bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s an illusion type.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings change as I take a step towards the child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun is setting beyond the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young college student is sitting in a chair in front of the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was someone I used to trust and follow more than my parents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ha, it’s starting with this again?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckle and take another step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the conversation between the child and the college student begins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The child, who was playing games with him, asks if he can stay a little longer, and the college student refuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might have ended there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the child was young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept whining, and the college student’s expression hardened. And he suddenly exploded, getting up and shouting insults.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Words that hurt more than any hospital treatment back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I take another step forward, ignoring it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m an adult now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t get hurt by those words anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t even blame myself, thinking that something bad must have happened to him that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something that could happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be someone’s fault, but it could also be no one’s fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s all it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside a car right before an accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burning apartment building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An empty amusement park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My studio apartment after becoming an office worker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings change with every step I take, and the people who appear also change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mother, father, uncle, and ex-girlfriend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new person appears in each place and throws words at me that left deep scars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But so what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s still easy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are scenes I can vividly imagine even without illusions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not even new anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have pain resistance, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I’m walking for a while…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…people I haven’t seen before appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah! Bjorn, you’re back!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Haha, why are you so late!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha and Dwarkey are smiling happily, their arms crossed. But as I take a step closer, their expressions distort grotesquely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Everyone would have been happy… if it weren’t for you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Does it feel good… to have survived instead of me?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s a pattern I’ve seen often in cartoons and movies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geez, don’t they have anything more creative?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not my fault. Complain to God.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I continue walking, not avoiding their gazes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Bjorn, son of Yandel, the great warrior!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Give me back my friend’s body!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Ainar, who appeared next…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…the people I’ve met as Bjorn Yandel appear one after another and say strange things to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re all things I don’t remember.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they’re not unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they’re thoughts I’ve had at least once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, it doesn’t work.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I continue forward without stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t cover my ears or close my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Trial completed.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The illusion soon ends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I, who was standing in front of the door, have reached the end of the corridor and am now standing in front of a staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s the same for the other companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjo, Bjorn…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you cry again, I’m really leaving you behind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turn my gaze away from Misha, who’s sniffling, and check on the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bear-like man has an indifferent expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s frowning, but that’s all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainar is also unexpectedly fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, uh… it was just a bit of an unpleasant experience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, come to think of it, barbarians all have strong mental fortitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re a race that learns how to fight and overcome rather than how to run away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what about the mage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven, who I checked last, is staring blankly into space. I can even feel her trembling from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell did she see?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I’m curious, I don’t ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It doesn’t seem like she’ll answer anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s over now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah… yes. That’s right…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven comes to her senses as I approach her and pat her on the shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold sweat is beading on her forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll rest for a bit upstairs, so hang in there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gather my companions and climb the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And we rest for about 10 minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, even in the game, I didn’t choose the Stairs of Patience for this reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it significantly drains your stamina.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I didn’t know it would be for this reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Avman, where should we go from here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We resume exploration after the break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rift is our top priority for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We chose the Stairs of Wisdom next and cleared the maze in 2 hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the next stage that appears…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s the portal!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…is a stone chamber with an open rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, the color of the violently shimmering portal is green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Doppelganger Forest…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s the name of the third rift I’ll be exploring, after the Crimson Fortress and the Glacier Cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has entered the 4th Floor Rift.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are two types of rifts on the 4th floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Golden Ruins, where money pours out, and the Doppelganger Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…It’s not the Golden Ruins.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I suppress my disappointment and call for the mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Raven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the light orb floats in the air, our new surroundings come into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re trapped inside a giant cage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The outside, beyond the bars, is shrouded in the darkness of the labyrinth and invisible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn! What’s going on?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, should I explain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I’m contemplating, Raven speaks,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. It will open when the time comes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? What do you mean? Explain in more detail!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s because the maximum number of entrants hasn’t been reached yet. Up to three teams can enter this place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s a difference from the 1st-floor rifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Up to 15 people can enter the Doppelganger Forest through a total of three portals. If it was cooperation between individuals before, this is cooperation between teams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was this also in that book?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. We’re lucky. I don’t know much about the Golden Ruins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, since she read the Compendium of Rifts, I can just tell her to take care of the hidden pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, should I just leave the entire strategy to her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My contemplation is short-lived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s good. Then you give the orders this time. I’ll follow them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re telling me to be the leader?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a saying, ‘follow the mage’s words in a place like this’, isn’t there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huhu, okay. Leave it to me this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven puffs out her chest and declares that she’ll take care of everything as I subtly flatter her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s so easy to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll step in if there’s a problem later.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I need to be careful and hide my extraordinary abilities, following Rotmiller’s advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I act like I did before, Raven and the bear-like man will definitely sense that something is strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll tell you what to be careful of. First of all, most of the monsters we’ll encounter here are Doppelgangers…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven’s briefing follows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone except for Ainar listens attentively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I know everything, I listen carefully in case there are any corrections or things I don’t know about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some time…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That should be enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes? But I haven’t even talked about the herbs that appear here…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can do that while we’re exploring. Resting comes first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut off Raven’s endless explanation and have everyone rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We went through the Trial of Patience, and we couldn’t sleep properly because of the rift opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We need to conserve our stamina for the main game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snore!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainar starts snoring as if she’s been waiting, and Misha and the bear-like man sit down, leaning against the bars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Raven…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s strange. To get a mirror on our first expedition, and a rift on our second…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…is next to me, chattering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems like she can’t calm down after entering the rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looking at this, I think I’m quite lucky. I even entered the Crimson Fortress before, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh, is that how it works?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, you’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Put your lips down when you say that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s unnecessarily perceptive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough, I’m going to rest, so you should too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I end the conversation here and close my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, time passes, and it’s the morning of Day 8.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[07:11]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it’s been about 5 hours since we entered the rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tightly closed bars rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It means the maximum number of entrants has been reached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real exploration begins as I step out of the cage first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Liate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven increases the number of light orbs to three for better visibility. And the shape of the cave, which was hidden in the darkness, is revealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainar tilts her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Didn’t you say it was a forest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I explained it earlier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, sorry. I didn’t hear anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s an overly honest answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven can’t even get angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The forest appears after we leave this cave. In other words, after all the teams that entered gather in one place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven just clenches her fists and trembles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t help but empathize with her…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I’m currently in Normal Barbarian Mode, just following orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, there should be days like this too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Yandel, what kind of life have you been living?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Let’s just go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, right. Let’s go. We don’t have time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We follow Raven’s instructions and move along the path at a somewhat fast pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for hurrying is simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first chapter of the Doppelganger Forest is the Shadow Cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s a format where you start at different locations and meet up with the other teams in the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have to reach the center as quickly as possible. That way, we can get the rewards from the other routes. If we’re late, it will be the opposite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although we’ll end up fighting the final boss together, it’s practically a competition until then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who can get more loot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s up to us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s something ahead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bear-like man senses a presence and stops the party as we’re running down a straight passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We wait for a moment, and a figure emerges from the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Messy brown hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scruffy beard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A muscular body over 2 meters tall, wearing a Laetium breastplate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a giant shield and mace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s Bjorn!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainar looks back and forth between the two of me and then becomes confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven can’t help but shout at the sight,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you it’s a Doppelganger!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do, Doppelganger?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, seriously! Whatever, battle stations!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I think this is the first time she’s shouted like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, there’s no one who can defeat a barbarian with words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I’m chuckling with that thought…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…the Doppelganger dares to shout the name of the ancestor god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And its body inflates like a balloon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I need to be a bit careful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Doppelganger has cast [Gigantification].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Doppelganger has cast [Wild Release].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m quite strong, you know?\u003C\u002Fp>",2178,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","1d2946eb747f5a49da73c34fd5a675cb88096e723ad44dda16bca974ea0c3b15","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-180","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-178",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]