[{"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-613":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},1327990,1764,"Chapter 613: Mystery (6)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-613",613,"\u003Cp>Pointed ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Short, stubby legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Animal ears and scaly skin...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those surrounding us had appearances reminiscent of the heteromorphic races of Lapdonia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly are these?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows. Probably monsters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were distinctly different from the heteromorphic races.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closer to an uncanny valley, perhaps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They resembled heteromorphic races but possessed differences so alien they were unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are... the most horrible monsters I’ve ever seen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One with pointed ears had horns sprouting from its forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had stubby legs but normal upper bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One had animal ears yet was covered entirely in scales like a dragonkin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had extra arms or legs growing from strange places; others were fine except for an abnormally large head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them had severely asymmetric faces, so at first glance it was clear they weren’t normal...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the gods created life from clay, maybe if they shook it together with monsters in a pot, something like this would come out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone muttered, and that seemed apt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like everything was rolled by random dice at birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few more traits:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kyahaaaaaak—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had enough intelligence to lure enemies but seemed to have no language system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Begin combat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone hold your positions! First, we need intel on the enemy... huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contrary to their threatening appearance, they were incredibly weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk! Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heads shattered by hammer strikes swung in defense fell like autumn leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...What’s this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I expected difficult opponents since they surrounded us while dodging even Amelia’s and the scouts’ senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These guys are not much at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill them...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once each squad member realized the enemy was insignificant, they began attacking more aggressively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to caution them not to become careless... but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack! Slash! Kraaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No unexpected events happened until the area was cleared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why are they so weak...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their physical abilities were superior to normal humans, but that was all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t summon spirits like the elves, didn’t use Number’s items like dwarves, nor wield the powers of contracted souls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also didn’t use essence power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only one unusual detail existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Raven, did they cast any distortion magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. They didn’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But their bodies remain...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of crushed monsters lay sprawled on the clearing, heads, arms, legs all mangled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are they alive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not breathing, and their hearts have stopped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I approached cautiously, and aside from the corpses not disappearing, they were definitely dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Check them out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Putting remaining forces on alert, I ordered the mages to investigate the bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For proper study, preservation magic would be needed before returning to base...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No wonder none looked like barbarians.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even from a brief investigation, one obvious fact emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides looking like an 8-ton truck ran over them, these monsters shared one more thing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hearts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very similar to a barbarian’s heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had warrior hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thoughts grew heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had learned a secret from talking with the vampire man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Duke... what race do you think I am?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...Obviously human, right?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the duke’s era, ‘heteromorphic races’ did not exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lapdonia’s history wrote that heteromorphic races lived on this land even before the witch’s curse blanketed the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among many possibilities I thought of, the most plausible was this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Similar but different worlds.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Earth’s parallel world theory, maybe that was it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A world accessible through dimensional gates where labyrinthine exploration is possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t sound impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, things were slightly different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Alchemy started as a science to create ‘humans’.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alchemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Oh, didn’t know? Ancient records sell for high prices to royalty.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ancient history was actively collected, yet strangely much was lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Humans can wield any power: aura, divine power, magic, spirit arts.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans’ trait is potential for all races.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It was different from magic or essence. It was like the voice itself held power, imprinted from birth in my blood and soul. That one is my king, my master.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the king’s mysterious special ability was veiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Oh, and the old man of the magic tower only revealed his identity after we knelt and followed suit.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many bits of information gathered during the journey pointed to one possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just maybe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five heteromorphic races besides humans were artificially created.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone’s need.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or more precisely...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The royal family. It can’t be anything but the royal family.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I felt like a conspiracy theorist, thinking backward made it somewhat convincing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a way, heteromorphic races are slaves to humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slaves who enter the labyrinth, mining mana stones based on superior physical abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even their taxes are high.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the high taxes had historical reasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I even doubted that history itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not doubting the history existed, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did that history have no mastermind behind it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone secretly pushing heteromorphic races forward, orchestrating events from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t be hard for a royal family with countless agents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Why do you suddenly think like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was just wondering what kind of jerky to eat later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dodged Raven’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I was convinced, it was still only a possibility...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If true, it was a heavy secret better left unspoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem, anyway, cast preservation magic on all the remaining corpses and store them well. We’ll return to base for proper research.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you planning to return immediately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not. Exploration continues. We haven’t figured out much here yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the battle and preliminary investigation, I led the troops to resume ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) surrounding exploration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day, two days, three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expanding the search widely to make maps, we encountered many monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Numerous mechanical monsters from the Panthelion Ruins, and several mechanical giants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them were ‘Doppelers.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, ‘Doppler’ was Raven’s name for monsters resembling heteromorphic races...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its etymology was simple in the ancient tongue:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Different beings.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven’s characteristic flair for dramatic naming showed, but the meaning fit well enough—.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Make some noise if you’re here. Have you finished scouting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia nodded and got straight to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We found a strange artificial structure connected somewhere during scouting. We should go check it at dawn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An artificial structure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked Amelia for details. After everyone heard, I felt a strong intuition that we finally had some results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since everyone was tired, we agreed to rest well and inspect it in the morning per Amelia’s advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, following Amelia, we arrived at an ordinary jungle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No different from any area we’d explored so far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Need to watch the ground more carefully from now on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We were lucky to find this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearing brush up to knee height revealed something previously hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hatch resembling a manhole cover installed directly on bare ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had a handle on top, as if designed to turn open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We didn’t touch it, fearing it might be trapped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good call.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked the mages to investigate. Soon, a report came back saying no major danger was detected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phew, so it was really just a matter of opening it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click, click, creak, thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning the handle, I heard the lock release at a certain point, and the hatch opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was a cylindrical structure with a ladder on one wall leading downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Depth...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using a light orb spell, I checked: about 20 meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t see below due to the angle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then, I’ll—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nonsense. I’ll go down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could say anything, Amelia interrupted and stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t look like she’d back down no matter what I said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We locked eyes, an unspoken battle of wills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What strange worries you have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven chuckled and inserted himself between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll check it out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, with magic, of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia and I stepped back awkwardly as Raven summoned a recording crystal, lowering it down safely instead of risking a person going down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such tools have their limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a straight corridor below, blocked by an iron door at the end.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the door blocked the way, no further info could be gathered this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Don’t even think about going in first. I’m the scout captain of this expedition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was decided Amelia would enter first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Funny how she was mad about the weird name before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, Amelia climbed down, followed by a mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After securing some safety, I was to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after releasing [Giant Form], the narrow space made climbing down the ladder quite uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shoulders were so cramped they nearly touched the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Barbarian misery.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such racially discriminatory architecture exists in all eras.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This way, Yandel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a tough climb, Amelia called me from inside the corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unlike upstairs, there’s no locking mechanism here. And nothing gets scratched when I touch it with aura.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, if aura can’t even scratch it, that’s effectively physical damage immunity...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How about magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked, and the second entrant, a mage who was the expedition leader’s right hand, answered cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides the dimensional disruption, a weak special magical flow is detected. Its density is low, so it’s unlikely to be a trap. It probably just controls the door opening and closing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Interestingly, the dimensional disruption covers beyond the door, not the door itself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm, so the aura’s ineffectiveness isn’t due to the disruption?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s how it looks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A metal that aura can’t scratch...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knocked on the door like a tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t know what was hidden inside, but even this iron door felt valuable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deputy chief of investigation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Are you talking to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Can you remove this whole thing? I think it’d make excellent armor if melted down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh... I think it’s worth a try. Even aside from making armor, it’s clearly a rare mineral.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay, got it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I don’t know why making armor is ruled out, the mage agreed to attempt removing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a faint vibration echoed from the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel, step back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled by Amelia’s shout, I stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what happened next was unexpectedly minor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drdrdr, drdrdr.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something turned inside, and with a soft click, the round door smoothly opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Primary record access permission confirmed.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Entry permitted.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know why it opened suddenly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No idea. When we tried contacting it earlier, there was no response.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slightly dumbfounded, but now two possibilities existed: someone opened it hearing my knock, or—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Some condition unknown to me was met.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Personally, the latter seemed more likely, but it didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the mage used a message stone to report the situation upstairs, I slowly entered beyond the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A problem arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I looked back to see Amelia pressed right against the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had her palm flat in the air as if miming something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mouth moved but no sound came out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? You can’t come in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you get in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing something strange, I hurried outside and asked. After several tries, one fact was confirmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The door opened, but the dimensional disruption remains active as usual. I just don’t understand...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, only I could enter beyond that door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait here. I’ll check quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Wait—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Amelia’s nagging could start, I rushed back inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flare—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was dark inside, but activating Barbarian Candle mode helped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Feels like being inside a submarine...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every surface was covered in steel plates, with unknown pipes and cables everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clunk, clunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No forks in the path; only straight ahead. After walking about 100 meters, another ladder appeared to go down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But instead of descending blindly, I decided to open the iron door next to it first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, it opened easily without sticking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peeking inside, I slowly blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long corridor stretched out, seemingly endless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Test tubes filled with green liquid lined the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it was hard to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know why the genre suddenly changed to sci-fi...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Doppler.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Monsters resembling heteromorphic races named by Raven crouched in test tubes, glaring at me.\u003C\u002Fp>",1971,"2026-06-05T19:33:18.084Z",1,"novelbin.me","cfe524a80acfabef5a13922fb3c19fce868445a1ce8a03103ff81a9832434176","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-614","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-612",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]