[{"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-612":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},1327989,1764,"Chapter 612: Mystery (5)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-612",612,"\u003Cp>A river flowed east of the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that river, a group of humans was discovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though everyone suspected with high probability that they were humanoid “monsters,” regardless—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We tried to make contact, but they quickly disappeared, so the attempt failed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though information was scarce, it was still a positive sign to have discovered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had been almost no progress in exploration for about a week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander, may I ask your plan for future movements?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What plan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked and said to the deputy commander,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was just about to start exploring beyond the river. This works out well. Prepare the expedition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The expedition, sir...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll leave the main force here. Having too many people can be cumbersome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I judged it wasn’t too late to lead the main force across the river after confirming what lay beyond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, and this time I’ll be going too, so don’t try to stop me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes... Then I’ll prepare suitable personnel from those you mentioned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swift scouts with keen senses were naturally all included, and we added mages, priests, and combat personnel to form a 36-member task force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, Ainard filled one of the combat slots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pnnelin should probably stay behind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scout captain Amelia seemed uneasy about Ainard, but I couldn’t help it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just having him nearby was helpful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We didn’t know what kind of new monsters might appear, so ‘beginner’s luck’ to increase essence drop rates was needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deputy commander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Don’t worry; I’ll take good care of the main force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I trust you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t just polite talk—I really trusted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deputy commander would ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) manage well without incident in my absence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scout captain, speed up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the expedition began, we moved quickly like a speedrun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’d already confirmed there was no immediate danger nearby...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we didn’t hurry, it would take ages just to reach the river mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop! We camp here today and depart again tomorrow morning!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We adopted a style of moving all day, then setting up camp at night to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for your hard work today, Baron!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey! I’m a commander, not a baron! Don’t you know I smile brightly every time you call me that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right, Commander! Then I’m going to rest first because I’m tired!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the journey was long, everyone’s faces had become familiar, though it still felt a little strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only three members of Clan Anabada joined this expedition: Misha, Amelia, and Ainard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn. Can I ask you something... is that okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While patrolling the camp, the secretary quietly handed me some late-night food and cautiously spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ask away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you leave that kid behind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean Elwen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secretary Misha nodded and spoke softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By ability and everything else, I don’t see any reason to leave her behind. That’s why it seemed a bit strange.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elwen had keen senses perfect for exploration and top-tier combat power—she was very suitable for this mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She said she wouldn’t come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could I do if she chose to rest in the main camp?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it felt unlike Elwen, she probably needed the rest after recent hardships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh... I see?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha seemed surprised by my answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, she didn’t press further and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see... then, see you tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, rest well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Misha left, I ate my late-night meal alone, sorting my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, I heard voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Checking, I saw Amelia quietly speaking to scouts in a remote spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t catch the details, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, captain. Understood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last shouted salute reached my ears clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When did she get such discipline?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was quite skillful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she seemed clumsy at times, she never shirked any orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it over? Looks like she was scolding them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not scolding. Just warning them about the formation breaking during today’s movement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We considered that “scolding,” but there was no reason to argue, so we let it be...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, did you decide to keep wearing the eyepatch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked as I saw her toss it off with one hand; Amelia flinched and replied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Only during exploration.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? Wouldn’t it be better to get used to wearing it all the time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The [One-Eyed] effect that enhances vision doesn’t consume resources, so there’s no need to remove it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, constantly activating it reduces sensory error.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seem to wear it only during combat and live without it otherwise. Is there a reason?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A question asked out of pure curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia sighed deeply, then answered with a bitter tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it strange? For a woman like me to wear an eyepatch...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an unexpected answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on the other hand, very Amelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was surprisingly shy about many things and seemed to care about others’ gazes despite appearing blunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickly changed the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...But why didn’t you bring that kid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Elwen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia tilted her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that kid. The... cute one...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, she meant Hamshik.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about three days of travel, we arrived at the river mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But seeing it in person made me question whether it deserved to be called a river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s really as black as they said...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the Taean Sea covered with spilled oil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You couldn’t even drink from it safely, and you’d better avoid touching the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s about as wide as the Han River...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the river had been known for some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the reason we hadn’t crossed it yet was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We wanted to study the river first before expanding our search area...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They say the depth is extremely deep.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The depth was disproportionately deep compared to its width, so it took a long time to confirm nothing was below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed they even investigated the black water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not dangerous to touch, but be careful not to come into contact just in case.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We carefully launched small boats we’d brought onto the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, the boats would sink, but thanks to some magical measures by the mages, they floated fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how much time passed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Thankfully, nothing happened.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No accidents occurred while crossing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the problem started after crossing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment we set foot on land and spread out, heavy vibrations rippled through the bushes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any experienced explorer would recognize the sound of a ‘large monster’ immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prepare for battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We secured a retreat route by boat just in case and got into combat formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distinct footsteps grew louder, and finally, the beast revealed itself from the bushes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A frame slightly larger than an ogre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike typical crustacean monsters, it had smooth iron-like armored skin and numerous hose-like tubes around its neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flash—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Red glowing eyes like infrared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...A mechanical giant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A grade 3 monster appearing in the Panthelion Ruins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, it wasn’t a new species.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though rare, I’d caught one before on Library Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One is not too hard to handle...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, we decided to be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one might have unusual abilities, or other enemies might appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Expand vision and keep alert!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, instead of pouring all our energy into the fight, we stayed vigilant for any surprises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though a high-ranking grade 3 ‘mechanical giant,’ it wasn’t particularly difficult. I’d leveled up a lot since arriving on the first basement floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Behel—laaaaargh!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aegis Barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its biggest weakness—anti-magic—was compensated by consuming Bellarios essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「The mechanical giant cast [Magic Beam].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「The mechanical giant cast [Support Request].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「The mechanical giant cast [Reactor]...」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what it did, I blocked it effortlessly and held it in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scouts guarded the surroundings and protected the dealers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to this, the dealers could unleash their power safely, steadily dealing damage until the battle ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Mechanical giant defeated.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battered mechanical giant’s body sparkled and vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Essence...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An essence dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I’d killed one before with Beginner’s Luck active, it hadn’t dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though a rare grade 3 essence, I didn’t feel much excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, I’d gotten several grade 3 essences just from the first basement floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, I’d lost count of how many seasons this was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No doubt the influx of supply would lower the price of grade 3 essences significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The high price was mostly due to leftover effects from the previous dimensional collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Store the essence in a vial.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ordered, and Raven, part of the exploration team, approached and collected the essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not as excited as when we got the Aegis Barrier, it was still somewhat fascinating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even if you work hard at farming, these are hard to get, but here we get one casually.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mechanical giant essence was quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the base stats and active skills, the passive skill [Mechanization] was valuable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With it, one can consume mana stones to recover MP. The efficiency was terrible, so it cost a lot of money...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But the potential peak was huge.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you had enough money, your MP could effectively become infinite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, there’s no sign of that human group?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need to search the area thoroughly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the battle, we earnestly expanded our map and territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But finding the human group the investigation team had spotted that day was difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They surely hadn’t mistaken it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And since killing the mechanical giant, no monsters have appeared...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please, just show up already—something, anything—.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel, come here! The scouts found footprints!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Raven, I immediately headed to the outer formation where the scouts were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, you’re here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia looked up from inspecting the ground, bending over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, footprints?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Checking, I saw a perfectly ordinary human footprint clearly imprinted in the soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not a group, just one person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are they heading?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll find out by following. The print looks fresh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia led the way, following the footprints, and we trailed cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They stopped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The footprints, which had continued for hundreds of meters, ended abruptly in the middle of a clearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did they notice us following and erase their trail?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked, but Amelia didn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just scanned the area with a focused gaze and muttered coldly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...It was a lure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are we surrounded?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most likely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Amelia, an expert, was uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the mystery was soon solved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s true—we’re surrounded.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Prepare for battle!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as we formed up, naked figures resembling humans emerged from the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing them, I exhaled deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They said they were humans...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they were not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had pointed ears, others were short and stocky, and some had animal ears on their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>",1753,"2026-06-05T19:33:18.084Z",1,"novelbin.me","e255b845ef688715ca48e26302b99addebad68da0c83e728e7eefc104d80e47f","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-613","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-611",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]