[{"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-560":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},1328087,1764,"Chapter 560: First Clear (5)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-560",560,"\u003Cp>After the raid on Hamsik's house was over, quite a lot of time became unoccupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contrary to expectations, there was nothing worth spending time investigating beyond the stone gate...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are items found in the initial discovery site, but surely none of these are ordinary. Commander, please trust us. Through research, we will definitely uncover everything that’s hidden.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...We will leave this library tomorrow, so make sure to find clues before then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the others rested, all the mages belonging to the expedition gathered and kept investigating and re-investigating the items looted from Hamsik's house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it didn’t seem like anything useful would come out of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even if something does come up, I can just ask Raven quietly.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the mages who quickly set up a makeshift lab inside the library, Raven was seen conducting various experiments with a scholarly gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had quite a pleased expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Does he really enjoy that much...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a barbarian warrior, I couldn’t understand that taste, but as a friend, I had to respect it. Besides, having one like that around isn’t so bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Versil is a player after all, so he’s not particularly interested in the scholarship itself.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, since free time was given until the next day, I just rested without a worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how much time had passed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The reorganization of the squads is complete. All troops, check your new assignments on the posted notice!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The personnel redistribution of the expedition was done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the library assault, seven died. Then, with 27 more casualties this time, it was necessary to rebalance the squads...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our Squad 4 hasn’t changed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our squad was originally small, so there were no changes for us, only slight shifts in Squads 1, 2, and 3.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squad 1: 49 members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squad 2: 49 members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squad 3: 48 members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From 60 per squad, it had shrunk to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We now total 37, so there was only about a ten-person difference between squads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There will be a meeting! All squad leaders and commanders must attend!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the redistribution was over, yet another meeting was held.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha, these guys really hold meetings morning and evening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After killing time, as I entered the barracks last, the meeting started immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks to your hard work and loyalty, our expedition safely completed the assault on the library. Nia Lapdonia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nia Lapdonia!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jerome, unusually not delegating to the deputy commander, was leading the meeting personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The mages are researching diligently, but no clues about escape have yet been found. Therefore, this matter will be discussed again after all research concludes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, today’s agenda is...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have gathered you today to discuss our future plans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the topic of today’s meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having finished the library assault, the question was: where to head next?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the eyes of the leadership turned to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since I had stayed here the longest and provided the maps, my opinion was considered important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Where should we go?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three candidates came to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, essence farming of Hiphramagent is possible, and a boss monster called the Ultra-Giant appears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, a portal stele connects to the second basement floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The island in the direction where the rainbow appeared at the end of the rainy season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s full of unknowns, but my gamer intuition says this island is the core of the first basement floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need to say more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If my guess is right, there’s a portal stele leading to the first floor, or at least the chief is hiding a huge secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we could catch him and find out, it would be very helpful for the journey ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmph, what should I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the library assault, I confirmed the expedition’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, there were some weaknesses, but overall it was an impressive force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, considering that this group of knights, mages, and priests was more specialized in PvP than monster hunting...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I judged that we could basically burn down the chief’s village overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But somehow, I feel uneasy...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time as well, I decided to follow my gut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I spread out the map obtained earlier from Hamsik’s house and pointed at one place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...I think the next exploration target should be here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excluding Rainbow Island, it was the other unvisited island left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s first check out what this island is like. If there’s nothing, or it seems it will take too long to conquer, we can go straight to Rainbow Island.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To summarize: explore the map first, then head directly to Rainbow Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the assault on Rainbow Island, we would decide the next destination based on what we obtained there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. The baron’s opinion is noted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jerome simply nodded as if listening carefully but gave no definite answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you waiting for? I didn’t gather you only to hear the baron’s opinion. Speak freely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Jerome’s words, the other leaders voiced their thoughts, and Jerome listened attentively to each one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some time passed, finally, the destination was decided by Jerome’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tomorrow morning, we will head to this island where the chief resides.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered why they asked for my opinion if this was the plan, but I couldn’t just blame them. They had followed my suggestion when we came to the library island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hah, I guess the fact that nothing was obtained in the library had a big effect.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We came here following my judgment, but ended up only losing manpower without gaining anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Jerome must have made the decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, catch the chief and get information, then act more efficiently afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So it ends up like this...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for the uneasy feeling, I had no proper reason to object, so I quietly followed his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, of course, I did have some doubts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, I wanted to ask from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Tomorrow? It’s the rainy season right now; where do you plan to go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not even near the end of the rainy season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s only the second day, so dangerous monsters must still be falling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jerome dismissed my concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baron Yandel also experienced moving during the rainy season. There’s no reason we can’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh... but back then, we moved near the end of the rainy season...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Investigating this layer is also part of the expedition’s mission. We have to experience this rainy season properly at least once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were tougher than I imagined, every time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excluding the mages researching, everyone else was asleep, and only the sentries quietly patrolled, on alert for any unexpected event in the late night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, I was lying blankly wrapped in a blanket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had taken a nap right after the meeting and still couldn’t sleep...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced myself to close my eyes, but sleep didn’t come, so I just spent the time sorting my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first rank 1 monster kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hamsik disappeared and the golden book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next destination decided in the ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So many things happened today, and there was a lot to think about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What Jerome Saintred said was also meaningful.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander of the expedition said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many die, if the expedition ends here and I return alive, the mission is a success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to that, my unease that something like what happened in Ice Rock might repeat lessened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he had intended to kill me, it would have been more beneficial for him if many in Squad 4 had died.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jerome’s behavior was the opposite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had been plotting behind my back, he wouldn’t have acted that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I’m even more puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why would the royal family want to rescue me? Wouldn’t it be better for them if I, a thorn in their side, just died here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...I don’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more I think about it, the more contradictory it feels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So to clear my head, I got up from the blanket and moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baron? Where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t sleep, so I’m going to stretch a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I see. Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I told the sentry my reason and actually walked like I was strolling along the vast library edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought maybe by some luck I might meet Hamsik.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about ten minutes, I heard a familiar sound in my ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Beep...!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Hamsik?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...This way! This way! Come up here...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After quickly checking around to see if anyone was watching, I quietly climbed the stairs to the second-floor bookshelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hamsik was hiding in the empty slot where a book was missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why did you come only now...!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, I was waiting until night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you okay...? You looked badly hurt earlier...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh... I didn’t expect the first question to be that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...I’m fully healed, so don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[How can I not worry...! Finally, someone qualified has appeared...!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Hamsik’s words, I couldn’t help but tilt my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qualified? You mean the golden book?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hamsik told me before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said he would never give the golden book away. It was an item to be given only to someone qualified someday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yes...! From the moment you defeated Kashan, you gained the qualification!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...So the conquest was the condition for qualification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt a thrill that my guess as a player was correct, but doubts also arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, then did everyone here get the qualification?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Huh? No way! Only you got the qualification!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what’s the condition?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I first in combat contribution? If so, it makes sense that I gained the qualification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, but that’s not the important part...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So? Now that I have the qualification, what happens?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Showing my expectation for reward, I asked, and Hamsik bluntly said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Here, take it! It’s yours now, this book.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden book that ended abruptly in the story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hurriedly opened it, hoping that after gaining qualification, I could see the rest of the contents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s exactly the same as when I saw it before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Is that so?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not ‘is that so’... If I got the qualification, you should tell me how to use this book now. Are you just going to give me the book and leave it at that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Uh... well?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at his expression, I really felt he didn’t know how to use this book at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dungeon & Stone was originally an unfriendly game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They never properly explained anything when giving items, so the user had to experiment themselves to figure out how to use them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘......If I put this book back on the altar, something might happen.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several ideas came to mind, but I couldn’t try it right now. If something happened, the reward would go straight to the royal family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, I had only one choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, thanks, I’ll take it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hid the golden book safely inside the pocket dimension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, there’s nothing else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Huh?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, don’t you usually give blessings or exclusive gear or something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Already took them all. My pen, and the precious books I collected...!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An awkward silence passed between Hamsik and me, so I quickly changed the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I don’t know if you know, but we’ll leave tomorrow morning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Leave...?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have things to do. I don’t know when exactly, but we’ll come back, so don’t be too lonely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Who would be lonely! Don’t misunderstand... I’m actually glad. Hmph! Finally I can rest properly at home!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Hamsik’s words, I swallowed hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what he said, it seemed he still had no idea what happened to his home...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......Why did you suddenly go silent?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, nothing. I’m going now. I’m hungry...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giving a natural excuse, I hurried back to camp and lay down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As all the expedition members packed up the camp and prepared to leave the library.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um... Baron...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goblin paladin Sven Parab came running at dawn with shocking news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last night... that person showed me the future again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What scene was it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Parab hesitated a long time, closed his eyes tightly, and explained the scene he saw in his dream last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was a scene where the baron was cruelly executed by the expedition surrounded on all sides...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goddess had given me a death sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>",2031,"2026-06-05T19:33:16.709Z",1,"novelbin.me","919a13258b6cc053d008af8d9ee221b1bcd5a89b15efe2bc24f74acb2e3c8a57","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-561","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-559",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]