[{"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-508":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},1328185,1764,"Chapter 508: The First Basement Floor (4)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-508",508,"\u003Cp>A maximum capacity of sixty people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a one-way portal with no return route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two characteristics were typical of rifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there were many reasons why I couldn’t classify this place as a rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘First of all, there was a stone tablet.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was always a portal stone between floors. And we had activated that tablet to open the portal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There had never been a case where a hidden area was a rift.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ‘hidden areas’ mentioned on the Stone of Honor usually referred to new floors, or hidden fields like ‘Larkaz’s Labyrinth’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to treat this place as a new floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidden fields shared the same closure timer as the floor they were located on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to open this portal, we had to farm fragments on the 3rd floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Considering the travel time, it would take us until the 6th day at the earliest.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And hidden fields were usually designed to be cleared within two days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then the important thing is… when does this place close…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would find out eventually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bersil, have you finished counting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We had gathered some preliminary information before starting our exploration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are two major factions. The Silver Lion Clan with twenty members, and the Hex Clan with nineteen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Their numbers aren’t even.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clans usually moved in groups of five or six, depending on the Bonding spell’s capacity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it seems like they both have some stragglers. They were in a hurry to enter the portal as soon as Gowland’s barrier disappeared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. What about the others?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two five-man teams and one four-man team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four-man team’s leader hadn’t been able to enter the portal, and one of the five-man teams was missing a warrior, disrupting their combat balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should I gather more information? They all seem eager to join us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that’s enough. Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bersil spoke cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The three smaller teams asked if they could join us. And the two clans also seem interested in collaborating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Collaborating, I understand… but what do you mean by ‘join us’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re basically asking us to take them in. They’ll do whatever we say, and they’ll accept whatever reward we give them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They must have realized the gravity of the situation after entering this unknown territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially with their incomplete teams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s their average level?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Around 5th floor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then there’s no need to think about it. Reject them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would only be a burden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If we don’t accept them, they’ll either form their own group or join one of the two clans.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t forced them to come here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had opened the portal, and that was the end of our relationship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bersil, cast the Bonding spell again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many teams?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amelia and Auyen are one team. The rest of us are the other team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We also split into two teams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had considered excluding Auyen and forming a six-man bond, but it wouldn’t hurt to give him some experience points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There might be new types of monsters here…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Amelia landed even a single hit, Auyen would also receive experience points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Emily, are you okay with this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t mind. I understand that it’s better for the mage with AoE skills to be on your team.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn! How long are we going to stay here?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainar was getting impatient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, get into formation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to start exploring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we were about to leave, the explorers who had been preparing at the starting point started looking at us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And one of them approached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um… if it’s not too much trouble… can we follow you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were afraid of exploring this unknown territory, so they wanted to learn from us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seriously?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had freeloaded on my portal, and now they wanted me to be their guide?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is too much trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I refused firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they weren’t giving up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“B-But… if you help us, there will be fewer casualties…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them spoke up, and the others chimed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s right…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have a duty to help each other in emergencies…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It will also boost your reputation, Baron—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What were they talking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did they think I was an idiot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did I tell you to come here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re explorers too. Explore on your own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But people will die—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a risk you have to take. That’s what exploration is all about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I led my team away from the starting point. They didn’t follow us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew, finally some peace and quiet. Why are they so talkative?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clan Master, are you sure about this…? They might spread rumors about you if they survive…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auyen asked worriedly, but I just chuckled and patted his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about it. It’s not worth the headache.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha… you’re so bold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough chatter. Focus on exploring. We don’t know what we might encounter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I led my team around the starting area, getting a feel for the terrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t take long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The island wasn’t that big.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that was the sound of waves…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It really is an island.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a small, rocky island, about the size of three football fields. It felt like the starting island, Limia, on the 6th floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no monsters on the island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, there was nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There were at least some trees on Limia. This place is completely barren.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a little disappointing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were any unique materials here, I could sell them for a high price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was too early to give up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real exploration would begin beyond the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lokrob, can you do this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked the navigator before summoning the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sea looked different from the usual sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. It’s different from normal seawater, but wood floats. I think our ship will float too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver waves crashed against the rocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like a sea of mercury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And strange objects were floating on the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaaaaaaaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wardrobe, a fireplace, a thick book, a rusty sword, a knight’s helmet… and even a sock?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t understand, but I trusted Auyen’s judgment and summoned the ship at the most suitable location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh! It floats!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ship floated without any problems, but we waited for about ten minutes, checking for any damage. And then we boarded the ship and prepared for departure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I left all navigational decisions to Auyen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? M-Me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Imagine you’ve just arrived on the 6th floor for the first time. Explore the area.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auyen seemed burdened by the responsibility, but he reluctantly agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll start by surveying the surrounding area…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do as you please. You don’t have to report to me. You’re the expert when it comes to navigation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ship set sail, and Auyen, ever the cautious navigator, proceeded slowly and carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He constantly checked the depth and looked for any underwater obstacles, creating a nautical chart in real time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia watched him with interest, helping him with the measurements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I envy your skills.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just saying you’re doing a good job. Your map and your name will be recorded in history. Just like Pikma’s nautical chart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia had a strange obsession with leaving her mark on history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was because she had never been able to use her real name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I should find a way for her to reclaim her name when we get back to the city.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The navigation was going smoothly, so I went up to the deck. Auyen was the expert in navigation, and I was the expert in the labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The visibility has increased.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The visibility on the rocky island had been about 100 meters, but now that we were on the ship, it had increased significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still dark, but there didn’t seem to be any limitations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bersil, any discoveries?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet. I don’t have the necessary equipment… I’m just collecting samples for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bersil, the mage, had been collecting the floating objects, but she hadn’t found anything unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe Raven would have been more helpful…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t too disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What good would it do to analyze these objects? We were explorers. As long as we could collect valuable samples and sell them, that was all that mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So I’ll just leave Bersil to her own devices…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I checked on the other members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen, with her sharp eyesight, was stationed at the crow’s nest, communicating with the navigation team. Ainar was enjoying the view from the edge of the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Misha was standing awkwardly in the middle of the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to approach her when…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Land! I see land!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new field had been discovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our first discovery in the hidden area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We excitedly turned the ship and headed towards the direction Erwen had indicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a simple reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A-A monster…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t an island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What should we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh! Are we fighting it? It’s the first monster we’ve encountered here. It might be weaker than it looks!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you insane?! Fighting a monster that size is too reckless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a giant monster, large enough to be mistaken for an island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Amelia and I seemed to realize the danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yandel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia could roughly estimate a monster’s rank thanks to [Danger Sense]. Well, it seemed like that was all she knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Auyen Lokrob, turn the ship around. Now. We need to get away from it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Y-Yes! Understood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auyen didn’t question her order and immediately obeyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia turned to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know what that is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course I did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A giant, black carapace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long neck and a dragon-like head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And long whiskers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a Tol-Lafupa. A 1st-grade monster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it really is… a 1st-grade monster…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was understandable that they were surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>80% of 1st-grade monsters, including the Tol-Lafupa, only appeared on the 10th floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So there was no way for them to know about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And it only appeared in hidden fields.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even on the 10th floor, you had to enter a hidden field to encounter it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt a chill run down my spine as the Tol-Lafupa disappeared from view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A 1st-grade monster…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a good thing it was a non-hostile monster. If it had been anything else…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We would have been wiped out instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1st-grade monsters were more difficult to raid than most high-level Floor Lords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Should we just go back to the island…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was tempted, but it would be a shame to give up now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So we continued our voyage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And time passed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[00:01]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Day 7 was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 1st floor had closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Okay, so this isn’t a hidden field…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I had expected, this was a new floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was probably…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The 1st Basement Floor.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, there was already a 2nd floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered what its official name would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Stone of Honor usually revealed the name of a new floor…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll find out when we get back.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we were sailing, trying to calm our nerves after the Tol-Lafupa encounter…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kyaaa!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bersil, who had been collecting the floating objects, screamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A monster! There’s a monster!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I rushed to the railing and looked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monster was climbing up the side of the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? What is that? It’s not a Murloc or a Frogman…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainar, who had rushed over after hearing Bersil’s scream, asked me, and I was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had suspected it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Keureuk! Keureuk!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…but it was a new species.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monster I had never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>",1913,"2026-06-05T19:33:16.156Z",1,"novelbin.me","fc198db71fc5d72d3efb3e916e386febad0aaae718df67298564aaf0a5b1d24b","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-509","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-507",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]