[{"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-426":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},1327496,1764,"Chapter 426: Ice Like This (1)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-426",426,"\u003Cp>This wasn't like the Eye of the Glacier, where a passage was barely wide enough for four people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was practically an open field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The area the frontliners had to defend had expanded, but the number of frontliners had decreased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Me, Jun, and Goblin.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were the only pure tanks left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Jun couldn’t even fight properly because of his crippled leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Puta Rikerburn, Kaislan, Raviyen, Amelia.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The melee damage dealers formed a scattered line, barely a wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We had chosen the best possible option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now we just had to see the outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black fog spread across the battlefield, engulfing the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the black mage’s doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fog had a debuff effect, but the real purpose was probably to obscure our vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Visibility is about one meter.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My senses sharpen as my vision is limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grrrr!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undead monsters emerge from the darkness, their teeth bared, their claws outstretched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were summoned by the priest from Karui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their numbers were useless in the narrow passages of the Eye of the Glacier, but not here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swing my hammer, pushing back the approaching monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Mister…!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen’s warning, coming from her spirit form, pierces through the chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp blade slices through the darkness, aiming for my neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My reaction is slower than usual due to the limited visibility, but I manage to block it with my shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A white light erupts from my chest, where my heart should be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m momentarily confused, but I quickly realize what’s happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Periton Eriabosti has cast [Unquenchable Light].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s one of the priest’s buff skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the game, it only increased your Mental Power, so it wasn’t very useful…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s using it to improve visibility? Clever.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t help but chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white light emanating from my chest pushes back the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My visibility increases to about three meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the shadows remain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can barely see Sven Parab and Amelia on my flanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though their faces are hidden in the darkness, their hearts are glowing brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like fireflies dancing in the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I parry the incoming blades, swing my hammer blindly, and keep track of the lights around me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lights flicker and dance erratically, a testament to the intensity of the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They might be easy targets for the enemies hiding in the darkness…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they’re also beacons of hope for us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Proof that my comrades are still alive and fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Focused Fire].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arrows pierce through the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Benjamin Orman has cast [Moon of Purification].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light particles rain down from the sky, healing our wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as time passes…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body is covered in wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six, the female leader of the Rose Knights, speaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re much weaker than before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I can’t use [Iron Fortress] now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with Elemental Barbarian (Earth) activated, my Aura Resistance is significantly lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t have the Strength bonus from [Gigantification].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t use my only attack skill, [Swing], or my occasional crowd control skill, [Eye of the Storm].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve said this countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grin and say,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill me if you think I’m weak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…..”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t fall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, I’ve decided not to fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a battle like this, the one who stands last is the victor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are you relying on your priest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, she’s not wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wouldn’t be able to endure this without the constant healing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why is she smirking?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s trying to provoke me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wants me to show an opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why she’s talking so much. The icy woman wouldn’t be wasting her breath if she wasn’t trying to get a reaction out of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem is… it’s working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swing my hammer again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the doubts and anxieties persist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where are the others? I expected more enemies to focus on me. I thought it would make things easier for my comrades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aaaaargh!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hear a scream, piercing through the cacophony of battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bjorn Yandel, you're the last one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whose scream was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I learned my lesson back then. You don't fall easily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An enemy? Or an ally?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don't know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So I hope you won't fall until then—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I force myself to calm down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can't just rush over there and check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can only trust my comrades and do my job.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Archbishop who had taken him in as a child had said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have no parents now. Your only parent is Tovera, the glorious sun.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Secular attachments are meaningless to the Agent of God. Abandon your human heart.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[From now on, your name is Jun.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun, the former inquisitor of the Tovera Church.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day he abandoned his surname, Arsene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that day forward, he lived as a beast, an Agent of God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It's something you have to do. You're a man, aren't you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suppressed his desires with prayers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah, it hurts...!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You still have a human heart.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He endured torturous training every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You can rise again. As long as the sun shines upon you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to break, but the warmth of the sun forced him to heal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he reached adulthood, he was no longer human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no doubts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just followed the church's orders, serving God and the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Why...?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no specific reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an ordinary day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky was cloudy, but the sunlight was warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that day, as Jun Arsene looked up at the sky, a question arose in his mind for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Am I righteous?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a question that came too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still didn't know why he had that thought. Maybe it was because of the family of three he had seen on the street, their happiness so radiant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one thing was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His life as a beast had ended that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...W-what?! How could you betray us?!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He resigned from his position as an inquisitor and returned to being an ordinary priest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then he became disillusioned with the church.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't hate God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had felt God's presence for the first time when that question had appeared in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His faith had actually become stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I... was wrong.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was filled with regret, not anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weight of his sins, committed in the name of God, finally crushed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't live an ordinary life anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that made him desire it even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's probably why...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I have one last request for you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Arsene accepted the final mission from the Archbishop... no, the Cardinal now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't a mission to frame innocent people, but a mission to save the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought it would be a form of atonement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And time passed...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And here he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Punishment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe this was his punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For distorting God's will and being used by those with wicked hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, he had thought that way at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now he could say it with confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this was really his punishment...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You... are wrong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it was the one who had saved him from a life of sin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This... wasn't right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aaaaargh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"H-how did they get here?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lights in their hearts are extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lights of those who wanted to move forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right leg, refusing to move, as if to prevent them from escaping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drags his leg, stumbling forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One step at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realizes something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might sound like a joke...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those who want to move forward... can move forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If it weren't for that man... I would have never known.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hears a voice behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jun! W-what are you doing?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Periton Eriabosti.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman who had lived a bright and righteous life, unlike him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman who was determined to survive for her beloved child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she wasn't the only one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barhatun Wiar!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bearded mage had a loving wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Gruold Aldidi has cast [Nullify].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man had a grudge to settle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Titana Akuraba has cast [Bloodsucking Spike].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the dwarf had a noble cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembers what Puta Rikerburn had said before the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This is depressing. I'm probably the most insignificant one here.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the eighteen survivors... no, even among the original thirty members...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most insignificant one was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it was definitely...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Me...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun finally understands his role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come this way!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was born with only his parents' names.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He became an inquisitor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wandered through darkness and arrived here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All those experiences...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm just doing my duty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all for this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a revelation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind clears, his fear vanishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer sees this as a trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His crippled leg is a necessary sacrifice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's a frontliner here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He can't use his leg.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that's why he's here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eliminate him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They charge towards him, their auras blazing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun raises his shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two daggers pierce through his shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They pierce his lungs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn't feel any pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in his life, he's grateful for the torturous training he received as a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Jun Arsene has cast [Divine Avatar].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine power surges through his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feels invincible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He roars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might not be a paladin's cry, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He's already committed countless sins, so he might as well enjoy this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We have to help Jun!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The priests, mages, and archers in the backline unleash their skills, trying to protect him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jun Arsene's life is fading fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His shield falls from his grasp, his tendons severed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stab, stab, stab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daggers pierce his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn't even try to block or dodge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just focuses on staying upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Rose Knights exchange puzzled glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He should be dead by now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Why isn't he falling?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We've already wasted three minutes. Finish him off.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their attacks intensify.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood pools at his feet, his vision blurring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long has he been standing here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He's lost track of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faces of his enemies are a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one thing remains clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lights flickering in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He's there too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bjorn Yandel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must be doing his job, moving forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clan...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were talking about forming a clan when we get back to the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't said anything back then, thinking it wasn't his place...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It sounded fun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would have been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the royal family, Noark, and all those who abandoned us became our enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dagger pierces his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Arsene realizes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His flame has been extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His vision fades to black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flickering lights in the distance become distant specks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darkness recedes, and the world is engulfed in light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A warm, comforting light, as if welcoming him home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh, heh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Arsene smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this is just a hallucination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it's a false hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Save me... from my wanderings...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He prays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not for punishment, but for forgiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Embrace my weary soul...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He has finally found peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There's no strategy, no tactics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a desperate struggle for survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaboom! Slash! Stab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explosions, the clash of weapons, battle cries, and screams fill the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaotic battle continues for minutes, and then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black fog that had enveloped the area begins to dissipate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black mage couldn't have run out of mana already...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Did someone kill him?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I'll find out soon enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fog clears, and my vision returns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing I see is a woman with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'When did he get there?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melend Kaislan, the knight, is fighting in the distance, surrounded by enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A robed figure lies dead at his feet, his head severed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Good job, Kaislan.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I look around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are no casualties among the frontliners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they're all injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raviyen is the worst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had boasted about her punching skills, but she's been battered and bruised without her sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Good, no one's dead yet.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What about the backline?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's where I heard the scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I think I heard someone shout our ancestor god's name.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm not sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle was too chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tadat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I seize the opportunity and check the backline while the woman is creating distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's a massacre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three Rose Knights are standing in front of the backline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a body lies on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart skips a beat, but I quickly realize it's a Rose Knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Jun protected them.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun is standing in front of the backline, his body a shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remember our conversation before the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You want me to hide in the backline?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't like my suggestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he reluctantly agreed after I told him that the real battle would be in the city, that I would need his help then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He couldn't even walk properly, and he fought until he was in this state...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sigh, looking at his mangled body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He's covered in blood, there's barely a spot on his body that's unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must have made a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That this wasn't the time to be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The backline would have been wiped out without him.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I feel a wave of relief mixed with guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to Jun's sacrifice, the backline was able to kill one of the Rose Knights—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then I notice something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun is standing upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he's not holding his shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His light is out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the other members, his heart isn't glowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart pounds, but my mind quickly reaches a conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He's dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm not the only one who notices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Rose Knights realize it too and charge towards the backline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their daggers don't reach their targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia, who had been watching the rear, intercepts them with her clone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She's stabbed in the back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It snaps me out of my daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...I was wrong.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been focusing on defense, thinking that if I endured long enough, we would win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My active skills were sealed, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought it was best to play it safe and be a meat shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Mister...!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that really the best option?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that all I could do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had thought I was doing my best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now I know better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paladin, who couldn't even walk properly, had fought until his last breath, protecting his comrades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even in death, he stood firm, blocking the enemy's advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can only say you did your best...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When you've done everything you could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I make my decision and give Erwen an order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Erwen, change your element.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth element, specialized in defense, will only increase our casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What? To what?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I tell her the element I want, a change occurs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not water, not fire, not earth, not wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Erwen's main element, the one that earned her the title of Blood Spirit Marquis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character's body is imbued with the Darkness Spirit.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dark aura envelops my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elemental Barbarian (Darkness) Berserk Mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「All Resistance stats are fixed at 0.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Holy Resistance is fixed at -200.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Darkness Resistance is fixed at +800.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Abyssal Blessing bonus.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character gains immunity to all status effects.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「All attacks gain an unavoidable hit bonus...」\u003C\u002Fp>",2558,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","33680f9911e2c49c4d6032c7270f419bad0c2b306b04d65eb6bf0ab74c4f5d50","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-427","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-425",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]