[{"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-688":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},1328065,1764,"Chapter 688: Mystery (2)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-688",688,"\u003Cp>Without anyone taking the lead, confused expressions spread among us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before making any judgment, we decided to hear Ibaekho’s story first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, just tell us. Maybe you have some info that could help us understand the situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t really have anything special... After waking up in the Poisonous Lava Swamp, I wandered around to see if anyone had fallen here. I didn’t find anyone, so I crossed into the Primeval Land. A few days ago, I found that cloth tied up, and then I ran here to the monument as fast as I could. That’s about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no other clue that could help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said that except for finding the cloth tied and rushing to the monument, nothing else had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what’s this? When I arrived, there were traces of people staying here, but no one was around?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a strange new entrance that wasn’t here before appeared, and our traces lead there—according to Ibaekho, they just entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tada! That’s my story here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ibaekho stretched like waking up, then suddenly changed expression, looking us over with a low voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, where’s our archer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dead, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blunt question left me speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not like it was my fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Briot’s dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I found his corpse on the way to the Primeval Forest alone. Seems like monsters got him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Is that so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ibaekho fell silent after saying that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it wasn’t for long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, but if only one person died, that’s still not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ibaekho regained his usual energy as if nothing happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone must have had a hard time. Honestly, I thought everyone except the Baron and our Old Doom Grandpa might’ve died.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what do we do without an archer? He was a bit timid but good at his job.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t figure out what was really going on inside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is he really that unaffected?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a comrade for over three years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knows, but that was the end of the Briot talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, that’s not the main point... So none of us hung the cloth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. Unless you’re joking, Baekho.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why would I joke? Ha... This is really a ghost’s curse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this really something a ghost would curse over?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could there be a traitor among us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ibaekho’s eyes started to glare fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not! I’m totally innocent! I couldn’t plan anything that complicated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aures immediately started defending himself once Ibaekho looked at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn’t some mafia game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to waste energy on pointless arguments, so I jumped in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop suspecting your own comrades first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Isn’t that a reasonable suspicion—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reasonable suspicion my ass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If none of us hung the cloth, shouldn’t we suspect the other side first?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The other side...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you forgotten already? We’re not the only ones here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my words, Ibaekho, who was confused, suddenly seemed to realize something and parted his lips slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! That bastard who lured us! That, that name was... Han... What was it? Ah right! Dailan! Han—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly cut him off before that cursed name was completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Jaina spoke from the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But that guy’s already dead, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right! He was turned into a Bayon and was dismantled by Lord Ruingenes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aures nodded enthusiastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could say anything, the Old Doom Grandpa spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I agree with the Baron. It’s likely that someone who had evidence of deliberately luring us is involved. Han—.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please call him by his proper title.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They weren’t ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) exactly close friends, were they? Show some respect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Old Doom Grandpa shot me a look like he thought it was nonsense, but didn’t want to argue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Anyway, I think the mysterious ‘Han’ is really someone disguised as a man named Dailan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what’s the goal of that mysterious someone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. But as we explore this place, we’ll naturally find out why they called us here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Old Doom Grandpa said, we will find out in due time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We are already trapped here, and all we can do is continue exploring this mysterious space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, then, that’s roughly settled. We search this space carefully while watching out for that bastard. Right, Baron?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s about the size of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s get moving. We might meet that bastard while we’re at it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ibaekho said that and approached me as if eager to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t budge and stayed still, making him tilt his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why aren’t you going down? Oh right, you were going up when we met earlier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally noticing the oddity, Ibaekho asked the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One reason you don’t want many rowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others followed me reluctantly, but Ibaekho didn’t seem like the type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought something might appear if we go up, so I wanted to check.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I added that explanation casually, and Ibaekho seemed to think for a moment before slapping his knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Going up because you don’t know what might appear... Oh! Now that you mention it, this looks like the ‘Golden Ruins’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phew, maybe because I played original mode a long time ago?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy knows a lot despite breaking the cheat map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, so that’s what you were after? Okay, I admit. Worth checking out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um... What are you two talking about...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There is. You just follow us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, the opinion was unanimous, and with Ibaekho joining, we kept climbing the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some time later, when I started to wonder if this place was different from the labyrinth and no ‘event’ would happen—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, the stairs ended and a narrow passage appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There really was an end...? I thought it would be an illusion or something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s about to appear...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like they wanted an explanation, but without a word, I started walking down the passage, and everyone quietly followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step, step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After about 10 meters, the dark vision disappeared, revealing a stone gate at the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought about giving a quick briefing before entering, but skipped it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They easily kill grade 3 monsters anyway.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Golden Ruins, one of the fourth-floor rifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boss there is not a rift guardian but a hidden mid-boss, so the fight itself wouldn’t be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s begin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, I immediately took out my hammer and struck the stone gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraaaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gate shattered into pieces in one blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...What the—?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I was stunned after breaking it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the game, it was pretty durable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as a damage tank barbarian, I thought it would take at least five hits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swishhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The GM used wind magic to clear the dust and visibility was restored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cautiously entered and looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrain was a square-shaped enclosed room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better than the narrow corridor, but not very spacious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The walls were densely covered with creepy murals painted in a certain sinister style...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center lay a golden coffin about three meters long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the ‘piece’ found by going back up the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening that coffin would summon a grade 4 mid-boss monster named ‘Makairo.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defeating it grants a battle buff that lasts until leaving the rift, and with luck, you can get a very rare Numbers item...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kicked off the coffin lid and quickly stepped back to put distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraaaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raising my shield and preparing for battle, everyone cautiously took position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing’s coming out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after the dust settled, the boss monster showed no sign of appearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I covered my upper body with my shield and slowly approached to look inside the coffin, freezing in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ibaekho quietly came over and murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? It’s already dead?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the coffin lay only a completely bleached skeleton.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skeleton lay inside the coffin in a resting position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared blankly, Ibaekho called the Old Doom Grandpa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandpa, start looting. Even if the most valuable eyeballs have rotted away, Makairo’s bones should still be high quality, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need. These bones are worthless now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The value of monster bones comes from the mana preserved inside. But...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Old Doom Grandpa picked up a bone and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No mana can be detected here. These bones are worse than goblin bones now. They’re so rotten they can’t even be used as a staff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...It’s the first time I’ve seen no traces of anything from a creature’s bones. Normally, it takes time for mana concentration to reach zero.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Which means we should take a few anyway. As our friend said, this is a very unusual case.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Old Doom Grandpa picked up several large bone fragments and put them in his bag, and the GM followed suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, so after all this, the only loot we got are some bone fragments worse than goblin bones?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unfortunately, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, there are two possible reasons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Old Doom Grandpa held up two fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One is the monster’s cause of death. Sometimes black magic or Karui’s power absorbs life force and mana from corpses, causing this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So the bastard who lured us here could be a black mage or Karui’s lackey? Okay, noted. What’s the second?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The corpse has been here a very long time. All biological remains decay over time, mana disperses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what about making equipment from bones? I heard those auctioned off were from a famous explorer thousands of years ago and sold for a fortune.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s because the bones were magically processed to preserve mana.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So how long does it take for bones to become this useless?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a specimen currently being experimented on in the Magic Tower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you mean Jaymetal’s goblin bones? I heard the experiment started exactly 4,000 years ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? But it still retains mana.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bone talk went on unexpectedly long, but the key point was one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Simply put, this thing may have been dead for over 4,000 years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it wasn’t black magic or something similar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, none of that was a problem right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What difference does it make how or when it died?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...It’s a shame we didn’t get the buff?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I even hoped a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we defeated this guy, there was a very small chance to get an item—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Baron, what’s this? Looks like a ‘box’...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? ‘Box’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly turned toward the voice and saw Aures holding a black cube-shaped box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Where did you find that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Found it? It was just lying in that corner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Give it here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took the box forcefully and carefully examined all sides, finishing the appraisal quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was definitely genuine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly is that...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.777 Makairo’s Storage Box.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The item we usually call the mystery box.\u003C\u002Fp>",1792,"2026-06-05T19:33:18.642Z",1,"novelbin.me","d5e3ef5afd9742f22bf72549d420f597c3526ed2a0a268593b5d16cb01cd657a","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-689","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-687",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]