[{"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-500":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},1327720,1764,"Chapter 500: The Age of Exploration (1)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-500",500,"\u003Cp>I first heard about the Record Stone during my conversation with the GM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I have no reason not to believe him. At least, the story about the Record Stone was true.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the GM's answer when I asked him why he believed Auril Gabis's prophecy about a player opening the Gate of the Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had concluded that Lee Baekho was also somehow connected to the Record Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The basis for my theory was their shared obsession with the nickname 'Elfnunna'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmm, is that so?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn't mentioned it that day. I didn't want to provoke him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I also wanted to investigate it myself before bringing it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'There were no records of it in the library. And Bersil had never heard of it either.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had used my spare time to look into it, but I couldn't find any information about the Record Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, I only had one option left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To ask someone who might know the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho remained silent when I asked him about the Record Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he had said to Hyunbyul, silence was sometimes a form of agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'So he knows about it.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like my subtle probing had been effective. But he must have realized that the time for playing dumb was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at me, as if trying to read my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hyung.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His usual smile was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where did you hear about that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was cold and sharp, sending a chill down my spine. But I didn't react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was always an intention behind every word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his intention was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He wants to know how much I know.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew his intention, so my response was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remained calm and ambiguous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, I could control the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does it matter?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shrugged, and his eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to be deep in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he really not know about the Record Stone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was he just pretending?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How should I answer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I just tell him I couldn't reveal my source?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he was contemplating his next move, I decided to interrupt him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a sudden change of topic, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's why it was so effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elf Noona.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I mentioned the nickname that would shake him the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the largest trees could be felled with enough force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"……!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes flickered for a moment as the nickname, which had never been mentioned between us, was brought up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know I'm that person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I revealed another card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His reaction was immediate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What are you talking about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't deny or confirm it. He just asked a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a common tactic used by liars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They felt safer just by asking a question, even though it was a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to push him further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Baekho.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"……?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know… you've never mentioned 'Elf Noona' before? Not even once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped my nickname, which was displayed above my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't you find that strange?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a checkmate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ttadat, ttadadat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of the crackling fireplace echoed through the silent room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't press him further and gave him time to think.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Usually, the liar was the one who felt uncomfortable in this kind of situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hyung…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finally spoke, breaking the long silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you trying to ask me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still trying to play games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to test the waters before revealing anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The solution was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm not trying to ask you anything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave him the power to choose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't matter where I had heard about the Record Stone, or how much I knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just want to hear…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump, thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…your answer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The choice was his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho made his decision surprisingly quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh, hyung! You're too much!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was back to its usual cheerful tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a jarring change, almost like he had multiple personalities… but I was used to it by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll tell you everything. What are you most curious about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still playing games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I almost fell for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just stared at him, and he shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Were you really an office worker?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm just curious… what kind of life did you live to become like this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? He was the one who had just been discharged from the military.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't answer, and he sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha… alright. I'll tell you. Honestly, I think you're just testing me… but this is making me nervous. I think I'll just confess and be done with it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go ahead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you believe in fate?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seriously… this is difficult. Should I just explain it, whether you understand or not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I told you, I'm just curious about your answer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed annoyed by my attitude, but it couldn't be helped. I had to avoid any questions that might reveal my ignorance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know how most of the ancient artifacts and myths were erased when this city was built? The Record Stone is one of those forgotten mythical objects.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's said to contain the entire history of the world. Not just the past, but also the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like something straight out of a myth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, the Record Stone also has an end. And that end signifies the end of this world. And the beginning of that end… was the Witch… I don't know the details. All I know is this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Someone destroyed the Record Stone to prevent the apocalypse. That's why this world still exists.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the important part is this. Fragments of the Record Stone are scattered throughout the world.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The Fragment of Records.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gavrilius's legacy, the artifact that had sent Amelia and me back in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Some of the fragments have been found. I've even seen three of them myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was a little annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had seen them himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Fragment of Records…? I've heard of it, but I didn't know it actually existed.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been lying to me from the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to call him out on it, but I decided to focus on the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to reveal something important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One of the fragments said this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused for a moment and then spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And so, the evil spirit '————' from another world opened the Gate of the Abyss and achieved his wish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like an ending scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The blanks are because there's no way to translate it. The Record Stone uses unique patterns to represent names, not letters. It's something about souls and names…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, that's not the important part. I saw the same pattern on another fragment. And it said this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…'————', the first to pass the trial of the circle, has awakened in this world.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why Auril Gabis had been so interested in the player who had cleared the original mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why the GM had become a fanatic of 'Elfnunna'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And why Lee Baekho had been so wary of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hyung… you've been quiet. If you didn't know about the Record Stone, this is the question you would be asking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho continued, even though I was still processing the information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's so important about some old record? It's all meaningless now that it's broken.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought so too, at first. But then one of the prophecies came true.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What prophecy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally spoke, and he chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's a secret.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glared at him, but he didn't back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm not telling you. It's a personal matter. It has nothing to do with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't press him any further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had a feeling he was telling the truth about it being a 'personal' matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah… so that's it for the Record Stone… next is 'Elfnunna', right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, and he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I created this chat room right after I learned about the Record Stone. I was waiting. 'Elfnunna' was the most likely candidate to clear the original mode. And he had to be Korean.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the rest, you can probably guess. I suspected you from the moment we met. And I was right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at me intently and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a moment of truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We had been deceiving each other for so long. There was no point in lying anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't seem surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already been certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just nodded, his voice filled with a strange sense of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's all I have to say. So… are you satisfied now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I shook my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, not yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of my questions had been answered, but the most important one remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key to understanding a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why did you hide this from me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The motive was missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's no reason for you to hide it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fate… is like the Monkey's Paw.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was filled with a strange sadness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Monkey's Paw?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave him a look, and he shrugged, his cheerful demeanor returning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? You don't know about the Monkey's Paw?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know what it is. I'm just wondering why you brought it up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's exactly what it sounds like. The prophecies in the Record Stone always come true. But the outcome… isn't always what we expect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Continue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You'll open the Gate of the Abyss someday. But will it be a happy ending? Will it fulfill your wish? And what about my wish?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's why I didn't tell you. I wanted to control you. To make your wish… my wish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I understood what he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had done something similar before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Amelia's sister, Laura, will die.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had used every trick in the book to change that fixed future. And I had succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho was probably planning to do the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's why he had revealed his true colors as soon as I said I didn't want to go back to Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why did you team up with the Ruin Scholar?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked my final question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You didn't befriend him just because you needed a mage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho froze for a moment and then chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha… do you have a lie detector in your head or something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lie detector?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the one who had been using one all this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just answer the question. It's my last one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hyung… I don't know how you'll react to this, but…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's fine. Just tell me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Ruin Scholar… don't worry about him. He's just Plan B.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Plan B…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. The world doesn't always go my way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His twisted smile didn't hide the madness within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need a backup plan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm getting out of this shithole. No matter what.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1782,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","f3552eaecff8d2984402699b8605edc8f9eb3c65a65678f6baf78de9647c2a50","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-101","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-499",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]