[{"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-484":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},1327704,1764,"Chapter 484: Pilgrim (2)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-484",484,"\u003Cp>Four adult men with slightly better stats than me. Honestly, I was a little worried, as I usually relied on my stats and skills to crush monsters and looters. But it turned out to be a needless worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…This is easier than I thought.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it had been a fistfight, it might have been a different story. But with a proper weapon and shield, being outnumbered wasn’t a big deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could see everything clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I suppose it was only natural, considering I had been fighting monsters like Amelia since my newbie days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I deflected their attacks with my shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I struck their openings with my mace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I-I don’t want to die…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last soldier, a young man with a terrified expression, turned and ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He abandoned his fallen comrades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I threw my shield like a boomerang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whizz!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shield Arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A skill I had practiced diligently in my newbie days, hoping for a ranged attack… but I rarely had a chance to use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thwack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shield struck the back of the soldier’s head, and he collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly approached him and captured him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“L-Let me go…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struggled, panicking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have a few questions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have nothing to say to y—Urgh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I punched him in the gut, and he calmed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gah… Cough…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was finally ready to talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I began my interrogation, starting with the most important question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… do you mean…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do I mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m asking because I don’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just answer the question. Where are we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The Pilgrim’s Cave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, it looked exactly like the Crystal Cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what’s your objective?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To capture all the escaped pilgrims and bring them to justice—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t shout. It echoes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I continued my questions, clarifying the information I had gathered and confirming the facts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were a few things to note.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information 10: There were other pilgrims besides me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four in total, including myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like Erwen, Bersil, and Ainar were also in a similar situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information 11: The pilgrims’ objective was to activate the hidden Witch’s Altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed like the clear condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it wasn’t, it would probably lead to a reunion with my companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They should be able to figure it out on their own. They just have to capture a soldier and interrogate him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, of course, finding the Witch’s Altar was another problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I had a hunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was probably in the same place where we had fought Dreadfear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark Zone in the center of the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chamber with the Gavrilius Monument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was something hidden in this cave, it would be there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…They wouldn’t have started us on the outskirts otherwise.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could see the overall concept of this event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Rocky Desert, the Goblin Forest, the Beast’s Lair, the Land of the Dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four characters, starting at the entrances connected to the 2nd-floor fields, would overcome their trials and reunite in the central area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And then we’ll probably have a boss fight, or move on to the next phase…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how was this event triggered?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just because we had a four-man raid team?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, that couldn’t be it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had raided Dreadfear with four people before, when one of our teammates died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I’ll think about the trigger conditions later. Let’s focus on clearing this first.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finished the interrogation and left the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the most exciting moment for a true gamer, and I was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was only true in games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality, it was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump, thump, thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every moment was filled with fear and anxiety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The excitement was gone, replaced by a chilling tension and a single thought that wouldn’t leave my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t make a mistake.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to succeed on my first try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a roguelike game where you learned from your deaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no second chances here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has slain ten Imperial soldiers.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「All stats increased by +1.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has slain fifteen Imperial soldiers.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「All stats increased by +1.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has slain twenty Imperial soldiers.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「All stats increased by +1…」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hunted down any soldiers I encountered, focusing on reducing their numbers, and my stats gradually increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Every five soldiers…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure how much each stat increased, but that seemed to be the pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t know what kind of boss monster we’ll be facing, but I should try to level up as much as possible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to focus on hunting, but my priority was to reach the central area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a rational decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There might be a time penalty.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The game wouldn’t be so kind as to give me both unlimited time and an easy way to level up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Dungeon and Stone] wasn’t that kind of game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I can hunt later if I have time. Let’s move.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I prioritized movement over hunting and headed towards the center of the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…It’s been at least seven hours…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>New information was updated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information 12: The labyrinth closure isn’t an escape route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The time when the labyrinth should have closed had long since passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I was still here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was a little worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…It’s not like I’ll be trapped here if I don’t escape in time, is it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a possibility I couldn’t ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no point in worrying about it now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A pilgrim!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard a shout from a nearby passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did they know I was here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I prepared for battle, but no one appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, the soldiers’ footsteps faded away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Catch him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That filthy servant of the Witch!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was someone else nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ttadat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran towards the direction the soldiers had gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Ainar? Bersil? Erwen? Who is it?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I wondered who was being chased, I saw a group of soldiers in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...They've gathered all the nearby soldiers...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine soldiers were blocking the passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Bersil Gowland was surrounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"S-Stay back! Don't come any closer!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was trembling, swinging her bone wand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a pathetic display of resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers didn't even flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you waiting for?! Capture her!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kyaaa!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bersil was quickly subdued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How did she even survive this long?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't have time to think about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers were about to execute her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Damn it, nine is a bit much...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't have a choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't just stand here and watch her die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smashed the last soldier's head with my mace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Ambush!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other soldiers turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, there was no point in hiding anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I charged forward, my shield raised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't just sneak around and rescue her one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you doing?! Kill her first—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed two soldiers aside and reached Bersil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as I lifted her into my arms...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puk-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...a sword pierced my side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-Yandel...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...We'll talk later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers I had pushed aside had gotten back on their feet and blocked my escape route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to change positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't fight them head-on in this narrow passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hold on tight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? Ah, aaaaah!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I told Bersil to hold on to my neck, and then I turned around and ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed a soldier aside with my shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp pain shot through my thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puk-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn spearman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smashed the spear shaft with my mace and continued running. I managed to escape the encirclement with Bersil in my arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was a problem...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I can't run with this leg...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, at least I didn't have to worry about being attacked from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly put Bersil down and sent her away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers were approaching from the passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Only three can attack me at once in this narrow passage.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there were eight of them left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...This is bad.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been injured in my side and thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if the fight dragged on, more soldiers would arrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lowered my stance, preparing for a difficult battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Bersil Gowland has cast [Blooming Flesh].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...And then I felt a surge of healing energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Blooming Flesh].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An active skill of the 7th-grade monster, Dark Cultist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bersil Gowland had just cast it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...What the...?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mage using an essence skill?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was unprecedented in [Dungeon and Stone].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I had more pressing matters to attend to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This changes everything.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to ask Bersil one question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not how she had used the skill...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bersil, how many more times can you use that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One more time, in three minutes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My injuries had already healed completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even if I was injured again, I could be healed in three minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant I could fight more aggressively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ttadat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I abandoned my defensive stance and charged forward, swinging my mace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack! Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I received a few minor injuries, but I won the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has slain seventy Imperial soldiers.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「All stats increased by +1.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I killed seven soldiers, and the remaining two ran away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't bother chasing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-Yandel...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Let's move. Before they call for reinforcements.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"O-Okay!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looted a set of armor and a shield for Bersil and then left the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Bersil Gowland has cast [Blooming Flesh].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We found a safe spot and healed our injuries before starting our conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What was that? How did you use an ability?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know... I could just use it naturally after I woke up... It's strange. It feels like I have a new organ or something. I think I'm the first mage to experience this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I didn't need a long explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, the important thing is that I have another ability.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think it's [Assimilation].\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Assimilation] was a gnome skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It created a 3-meter radius stealth barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like Bersil had used it to reach this point...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'So mages get a skill boost?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mage with no combat experience wouldn't survive without some kind of balance patch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was a close call. I ran out of Soul Power, so I was resting when the soldiers found me... I couldn't use Stealth after I was discovered.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where did you start?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You would have seen it if you looked outside before the barrier disappeared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah... sorry. I was too panicked to notice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see... Well, it's not important. But how did you know to come to the central area?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Bersil and I tilted our heads in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You didn't come here on purpose?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this... the central area...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she had just been running randomly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a good thing I had found her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...How did you manage to defeat ten soldiers, Yandel? And what about your equipment? I didn't even recognize you at first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After she finished her story, Bersil started asking me questions, and I shared my experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>0 minutes after waking up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confirmed skill seal, stat reduction, and equipment loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overheard the soldiers' conversation and learned that we were 'pilgrims'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deduced that my companions had started at the opposite ends of the cave based on the forest outside the barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realized that the soldiers were using 'language' and decided to interrogate them for information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Escaped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>20 minutes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realized that the monsters were helping us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Observed the soldiers fighting the monsters and assessed their strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Learned that the cave was dark to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>30 minutes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Decided to gather information and ambushed three soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Won the battle and looted their equipment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>45 minutes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ambushed more soldiers while wearing the Imperial soldier set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Won the battle and interrogated a captive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obtained valuable information, including the pilgrims' objective: to activate the Witch's Altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>2 hours:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Focused on reaching the central area, killing any soldiers I encountered along the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About 7 hours later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is it. Are you ready?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had shared all the information I had gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's go. We need to reach the central area. The Witch's Altar is probably there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Bersil didn't move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just stared at me, dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Did you... know about this beforehand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had known, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course not.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But how did you know...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a ridiculous question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...Isn't she a player too?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she so surprised by my deductions?\u003C\u002Fp>",2045,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","72e53ac72b00d74e8ba068224ee6958d309da929c3caa8bb0b1985dc129ca67e","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-485","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-483",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]