[{"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-526":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},1328203,1764,"Chapter 526: Giant Island (5)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-526",526,"\u003Cp>Inside the cave, we encountered a portal stele.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I discovered it, I approached it almost as if in a trance and placed my hand on it, but the stele remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As expected... even the Baron can’t do anything about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, this was something I had anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The portal opening always requires a special condition, just like when we came here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s likely that some sort of preparation is required again this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon checking the joint between the stele and the ground, there were clear signs that the surrounding earth had already been dug up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s no inscription this time...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tch, does that mean I’ll just have to keep butting my head against the ground? I threw some questions at White, the one who first discovered it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you checked the stele every day?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I’ve come here every day since the discovery and placed my hand on it, but there’s been no reaction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it doesn’t respond only on specific days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there anything special, any unusual phenomenon you need to tell me about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why were you so skeptical earlier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the question that had just crossed my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, when I first saw me, he had expressed some anxiety. He seemed to be questioning whether there was really a way out, whether such a thing even existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Who knows?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He answered cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether the place beyond this stele is the outside world or not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was exactly what I had thought when I first saw the stele.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since this was the first time a human foot had touched this unknown layer, nothing about it could be certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When we activate the portal stele, we could end up in the first floor or return to the city as expected, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s also a possibility it leads to a completely different place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe the 2nd basement floor.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, finding a way to activate this stele is the top priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An explorer’s way of solving things is simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They just interact with everything they can, regardless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many people know about this stele?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone who’s been living with me knows about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, then there’s no need to keep this secret anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go back to where we were.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, I decided to end the investigation of the stele and head back to where the others were. I shared the information about the stele with everyone, including the Armin Expedition team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it comes to places like this, collective intelligence is key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We still don’t know where the stele leads... But we’ve finally found a clue, haven’t we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, feel free to speak up. What do you think we should do next to activate this stele?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...If we capture that giant over 40 meters tall, could something change?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There might be something at the end of the bookshelf in the library...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once I set the topic, a variety of suggestions poured out, starting with Versil, and I absorbed each one into my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think the village chief might know something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s a good idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muul Armin, who had been listening to the conversation, cautiously asked me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The village chief... who is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll visit that island eventually. I’ll explain when we get there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once our brainstorming session ended, some of the Armin Expedition’s mages and others left to investigate the stele, while the rest took a break in the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, after arranging the labor for the newly added 12 unpaid slaves, we resumed the exploration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There wasn’t much time left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has it already been 9 days...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I count from the day the exploration started, it’s the 59th day, but based on the time in the newly opened labyrinth, it’s 9 days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, after the 14th day, the rainy season starts, so we need to finish the island exploration before then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rainy season is a real hassle...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought of being stuck for another week makes time feel wasted already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it’s not even a week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the rainy season starts, monsters swarm, making normal exploration impossible, and right before the rainy season, we need to move to a safe place to avoid it, so exploration comes to a halt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel, what are we going to do during the next rainy season? Should we spend it in that cave we found earlier, or go back to the village?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m thinking of going back to the village. I still need to ask the village chief something. If the Silverfang Clan is still there, we could also gather more manpower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we’ll need to leave the island in three days. We’ll need time to get there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We have only three more days to explore the island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the time is tight, the increased manpower has made exploration much faster. It’s like having the map revealed while on the move with the auto-hunting mode on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To the right, a group of trolls...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teirun Ervias!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The low-level mobs under level 5 are wiped out by the ranged dealers’ concentrated fire, vanishing before they even get close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why explorers at higher floors tend to move in clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the number of people increases, exploration becomes much easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the drawback is that the loot has to be split, which is a major disadvantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sherutin. How’s the map-making going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, would you like to see it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, I’m no longer the one doing the mapping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hext Clan’s archer is much better at it, so I’ve entrusted the task to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, we’ve been running reconnaissance units.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I assigned some people to Mikhail Lectus, a former royal investigation department agent, and now he’s been sending back all the information from the reconnaissance team surrounding the main body during the expedition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baron, there are three Nelphardons lying in ambush 3 minutes ahead. What should we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should we do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three Nelphardons casting Gigantism?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will we have to go around and take a long detour?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not necessary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, we’ll go around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nelphardons aren’t really worth the essence, and since they’ve already finished their experience farming at the library, we decided to skip them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this way, we tackled what needed to be tackled and avoided what needed to be avoided, making the exploration much more efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I think we’re done with the southern region.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having mapped over 90% of the southern area, we moved to the east to expand our territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much time had passed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I started to think about heading back to the hideout or setting up a camp here to rest...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baron.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mikhail Lectus, who had been out scouting, returned urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“4 minutes ahead, Hiphramagent. The giant is sleeping alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm... What should we do now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiphramagent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one I encountered on the way to this island, who caused me to quickly flee when it called its friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief’s book mentioned that it was half-submerged in the sea when it was first discovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, I had wondered if it was purely a marine monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It seems it doesn’t only appear in the sea.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I’ve found it on land, it looks like it’s a versatile amphibious creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, what’s important now is not that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. For now, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, search the surrounding area without provoking it. There may be more of its kind, just like last time. We’ll decide what to do after that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After issuing the detailed search order to Mikhail Lectus, I took some time to think while waiting for his return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though my enthusiasm had diminished after realizing it leaves corpses behind, I still thought it was worth trying to capture it at least once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since I’d eventually run into it again while staying in this layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to catch it when it’s alone and get some experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to confirm its passive abilities and any other unconfirmed active skills. Only by understanding these things could I devise a strategy for dealing with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Within a 2 km radius, no monsters exist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I received news from the reconnaissance team, I began preparing for a raid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We reorganized the formation, anticipating that the monster might escape again during the battle, just like last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, all that was left was to execute the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Already?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Couldn’t it wake up? Its kin might return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was a monster estimated to be level 2?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the team seemed unprepared, but wasting time here was not an option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We moved as quietly as possible to the giant’s sleeping spot, then spread out to surround it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the mages and ranged dealers were preparing for a strong first strike...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Uhhh...?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant, curled up like a shrimp in its sleep, lifted its head and looked at us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We had blocked the sound with magic, so it wasn’t because it heard us...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Did it feel our magic?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, since it had already woken up, there was no reason to act cautiously anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The character has cast [Gigantism].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately followed up by linking it with Transcendence, increasing my size first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Veeell—laaa!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before it could fully stand, I slammed my hammer into its shin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t enough to break its bones, but it was enough to throw off its balance just as it was trying to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant fell to the ground, kicking up a dust cloud that obscured the view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A minor issue that often occurs during battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhhhhh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mages at the back quickly used wind magic to clear the dust, and once the view was restored, I rushed in and struck its jaw with my hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, at that moment...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Uooooooo—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It roared at me from the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound was so loud I could feel the air vibrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, that startled me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chill ran down my spine, my hair standing on end, and for some reason, my pride was hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“AAAHHHH—!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I screamed back at it with all my might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t think about it or plan {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} it, but surprisingly, it helped boost my morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on? Attack already!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, stay calm and just follow the plan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White Hext and Muul Armin snapped back into action and started directing the team, and soon, the ranged attacks began flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arrows, ability attacks, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of them couldn’t deal as much damage as my hammer, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They did buy us some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charlotte Amblett casts 2nd-grade attack magic [Spear of Annihilation].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A combined magic spell from the three mages of the Armin Expedition, who had worked together for a long time in the labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thwok—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A huge white spear pierced deep into the giant’s lower abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was a little surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t even go through?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How high is its mana resistance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but wonder about its base stats, but right now, that wasn’t my concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Barbarian, don’t go wild this time. Take it slow—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Veeell—laaa!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainard and Amelia, along with the melee line, also charged in and began attacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main target was its ankles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the order I had given earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this creature has a tendency to run away before it even starts fighting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was important to reduce its mobility first...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The monster is getting up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Back off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite our efforts to stop it, the giant finally fully rose and planted its feet firmly on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Uooooooo—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It suddenly started running toward the opposite side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell kind of cowardly monster is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd, but I didn’t want to go through the same thing again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the same sea as before, was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen Fornaci di Tersia summons [King of Dark Spirits Dichloe].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark orbs rained down on the giant like missile strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly, it continued running despite being hit by them, but eventually, it reached its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom, boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately ran up and clung to its back as it slowed down from staggering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash, crash—! Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the spirits continued their bombardment, it didn’t bother me at all now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of essences followed by equipment makes all the difference, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.12 Trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Double Numbers, one of the highest-tier items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The damage dealt by allied units in the bonded state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light of Trust protects the character from the damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this, strategies like this are possible.\u003C\u002Fp>",2085,"2026-06-05T19:33:16.156Z",1,"novelbin.me","87623c1283c6d0c533632cfde75388383981183919ac8f07eb359370349fe615","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-527","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-525",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]