[{"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-327":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},1327447,1764,"Chapter 327: Ouroboros (2)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-327",327,"\u003Cp>It was like a monster losing its life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jerome’s body, limp on the surface of the sewer water, shattered into fine particles of light and scattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few items remained, but most were worthless. Expensive-looking equipment like his sword and armor had all vanished, enveloped in light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It must be Eblus…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had a hunch about the essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that wasn’t important right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis, who had been smiling vacantly as if paralyzed, finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll ask you again. Are you an evil spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a question, but a final confirmation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, after coming all the way here, he must have been certain that the 6th-grade explorer Nibels Enche, who couldn’t be found in the city, was ‘Iron Mask’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s asking because he wants to hear it from me directly…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I activated Barbarian Confucianism Mode and spoke, having witnessed him incapacitate the strongest knight of the royal family with a single gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An evil spirit, sir? I don’t know what you’re misunderstanding, but I’m not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis scoffed at my polite tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a lie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, so he can use his lie detector here too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was expecting it, but I felt a bit bitter when my attempt failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t have time to be frustrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the community.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things could get physical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huhu, as expected, I can’t fool you. You’re amazing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I quickly changed my strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to admit what I had to admit since continuing to lie would only make him suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I’m the person you’re looking for. I was so flustered to see you outside that I couldn’t tell you the truth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Flustered…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, flustered. And I didn’t exactly lie, did I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis chuckled at my bold question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, well… you’re right, you didn’t ‘lie’.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s right. I didn’t lie back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked me about the situation in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I answered that the Lord had joined forces with the royal family and ambushed Orculus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked if a barbarian had entered the city about five or six months ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when he asked for the barbarian’s name, I kindly told him ‘Bjorn, son of Thor’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I couldn’t lie to you… but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you see…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know that it’s much more insulting to be deceived like that than to be lied to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were ways to counter it, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I apologize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I apologized first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have a mental illness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I gave him a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Mental illness?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I keep lying to people against my will because of it. Damn it, I shouldn’t be living like this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a kind of blame shifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the environment was the reason I was like this, then he was the one who put me in this environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis chuckled awkwardly, having become the main culprit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at least he was smiling this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like he also found the situation amusing, seeing me acting so boldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay, then the atmosphere had softened a bit…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But did you come here because of me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, I don’t feel good about you investigating me like this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis coughed awkwardly as I hinted that I was uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem, but I wouldn’t have been able to meet you otherwise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Ah… right. Why did the community suddenly close? I thought you might have banned me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, about that, there was a situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Situation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was interference from the royal family. I’ve recovered it to some extent now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, so we can meet there again next month?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that’s not the case. I handed over ownership to a friend recently. You might not be able to see me anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A friend… are you talking about the GM?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was curious and asked who the GM was, but Auril Gabis didn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a secret he couldn’t tell me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, he seemed sulky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, there’s no reason to keep it a secret… but try to figure it out yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you just see me as someone to trade information with, I have no choice, do I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geez, he’s sulking over this? He’s over 300 years old, and he’s acting like a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But how long are you going to keep using that tone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were calling me ‘you’ and everything back there. It’s awkward hearing you speak so formally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, come on. It was just a concept.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Concept?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, like another character. A weakling’s struggle to not be underestimated. I wouldn’t dare to be disrespectful to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, I don’t really understand, but I think I get it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis nodded quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a brief silence followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke after a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, the reason I came looking for you is because I wanted to try and start over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like a cheesy line from a romance movie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man quickly explained as I couldn’t hide my confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I want to be on good terms with you. I’m sure we can be helpful to each other, so it’s frustrating to just keep going in circles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I brought a gift.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gift…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but flinch at that word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was both excited and worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t read his intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. It’s nothing bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you tell me more?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As you know, I want you to open the Gate of the Abyss. So although I called it a gift, it’s also for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, why is he so long-winded?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. So?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s an ability that will be very helpful for you to hide your identity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis then briefly explained the ‘gift’. To summarize, he was going to use his power to give me a permanent buff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, if I receive it, I won’t be affected by ‘Verification’ magic or interrogation items like ‘Distorted Trust’, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. It’s like a protective barrier on your body, so it won’t work when your mind is exposed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When my mind is exposed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example, that place you’re summoned to every month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, so it doesn’t work in the spiritual world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I wouldn’t be able to just lie at the Round Table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, how is it? My gift?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I briefly contemplated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was definitely a very helpful ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said it himself, so I wouldn’t be affected by things like ‘Distorted Trust’ after receiving this gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I feel like he’s going to do something sneaky.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t know much about magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Auril Gabis planted a tracking virus or something along with the gift, I wouldn’t be able to find and remove it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the problem was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t refuse.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the old man who incapacitated the strongest knight of the royal family with a single gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, if he had any ill intentions towards me, he could force it on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay. Then can you do it now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually… I already did. As soon as we met in the sewers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? But I didn’t feel anything…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s my specialty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, I see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I never had a choice from the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it, this is annoying.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he was speaking in the past tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the ‘gift’ conversation ended…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Auril Gabis said firmly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m telling you this beforehand, but I’m not planning to control you forcefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was good news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I didn’t know how long it would last, it was better than him threatening me with magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As expected of you. I respect you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said something flattering, and the old man chuckled humbly, but we both knew it was all an act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But hypocrisy is also a form of courtesy in social life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckled and organized my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had two options now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1. “Haha, it was nice meeting you. You said you wouldn’t control me forcefully, right? Then I have something to do, so I’ll be going… Please take care of yourself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To somehow shake off Auril Gabis and go save Amelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>2. Exploit the old man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To accept Auril Gabis’ help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t take long for me to make a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to avoid him, but we had met again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I couldn’t secretly get rid of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would definitely follow me, even if I chose option 1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And that Iron Mask would probably come off if he wanted it to… and it would be child’s play for him to find out my name.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had to give in anyway, it was more rational to get something in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I might as well milk him for all he’s worth.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made up my mind and then spoke cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um… sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can I ask you a favor? I’ll tell you my face and name if you do this for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your face and name…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, you’ve always been curious, haven’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s work together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auril Gabis didn’t answer my suggestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just stared at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a look that said, ‘What trick are you trying to pull now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_____________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia, who was running through the sewers with her sister, stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wh, why did you suddenly stop…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t sense anyone nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one of her abilities had been deactivated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Traitor, Ricardo Liuhen Praha, was nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘As expected…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wondered what had happened to Yandel, who was fighting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Amelia dismissed her worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had said she would believe him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that wasn’t what she should be worried about right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laura flinched at Amelia’s mutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had told them that Ricardo Liuhen Praha was after her when they asked about her severed arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, it’s him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two girls trembled as Amelia confirmed it. They remembered him slaughtering hundreds of explorers a few hours ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amelia, Laura.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ye, yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen carefully. We’re almost there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia briefly explained the way to the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go, I’ll hold him off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sisters’ reactions were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you doing this for us…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her younger self was flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to be worried about Amelia being left alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her sister, Laura, was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amelia, come here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bu, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She grabbed her sister’s hand and ran towards the passage, despite her questions and gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laura had…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…one thing that was more important than her personal feelings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia watched them leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t even have to close her eyes, the memory was vivid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The end of that dark passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memory she had experienced there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could she really change the past?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those are precious children to you, aren’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man’s low voice echoed softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia turned her head, and Ricardo Liuhen Praha was smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can show you what it feels like to lose something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia tightened her grip on her dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>",1818,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.065Z",1,"novelbin.me","657dee7b9a80857d4dcd03e02124b6dc666cf68c12cc644920b7df348236c962","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-328","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-326",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]