[{"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-756":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},1328110,1764,"Chapter 756: Hostage (1)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-756",756,"\u003Cp>“So what you're saying is... the Marquis Tertherion is coughing up blood and collapsing on the brink of death?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord of Noark was at a loss for words after receiving the report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, maybe “at a loss for words” wasn’t quite accurate—what he felt first was just “Are you fucking kidding me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And who wouldn’t?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you actually think this makes any sense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many knights were assigned to protect the Marquis? How many mages?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them had been raised by the Marquis since childhood, brainwashed until the very concept of “betrayal” had been erased from their minds. Human golems, in every sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At one point, the Lord of Noark had even envied the Marquis, thinking If only I had subordinates like that, I wouldn’t fear anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re telling me someone actually broke through that kind of guard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An impenetrable wall of defense—broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And not even by some grand assassin, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By some seventh-grade navigator, one of Yandel’s comrades?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the Lord’s point of view, it didn’t make sense no matter how many times he heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, the navigator might’ve had some unknown third-grade essence, but come on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was the Marquis thinking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even bind the guy with a psychic shackle before bringing him right up to his face?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well... I suppose they were a little too confident in their own intel...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if I grant that the Marquis was that arrogant, you're telling me not a single one of his guards questioned it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The subordinate shut his mouth tightly at the Lord’s anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it wasn’t that he had nothing to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the perspective of someone loyal to their lord, it was more likely that the Marquis’s guards had anticipated the possibility of an assassination attempt by the navigator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But probably something tame—like a fireball or a hidden blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that case, they'd be waiting by his side, and when the “navigator” tried something, they’d stop it with a single blow, then mutter something like ‘What foolishness... Are you alright, my lord?’ while earning brownie points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, honestly...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a bad little plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since no one would actually get hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis could take pride in having invested wisely in his subordinates, and the subordinates could feel more justified in their next paycheck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s what makes the Marquis’s men so cunning—clever and conniving. I should remember that for later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s the sort of reflection he should have been having.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it got cut short for one simple reason:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because what should have been an impossible assassination attempt...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>actually succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You fucking idiots.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the Marquis’s entire inner circle were just a bunch of clowns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, unlike them, the Lord wasn’t a clown. So he kept those thoughts to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For one very simple reason:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one he's yelling at isn’t me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And really, what good would it do to know the pathetic details of his subordinates’ screw-ups?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huu...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as expected, it wasn’t long before the Lord let out a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was an intelligent man. He didn’t take his frustrations out on the wrong people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a touch of frustration, he simply asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So tell me. The assassination attempt succeeded—I get that. But what the hell do you mean the Marquis is ‘on the brink of death’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From his perspective, it was a reasonable question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not like the Marquis was some lower-class wretch who couldn’t afford a priest’s healing spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s either dead or he’s alive. What’s with this ‘brink of death’ nonsense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, the subordinate closed his eyes like a man facing the inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be precise, he’s not exactly on the brink of death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d never said that, not exactly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d realized early on that a misunderstanding had taken hold—but it hadn’t been the right moment to correct it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, rather than drag out the awkwardness by clarifying things too late, he chose to explain before the Lord could speak again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Marquis possessed an artifact. It saves you from a fatal injury, but in exchange it puts you into a coma for two days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He left out the name and serial number of the artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not exactly important right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Should I be relieved, or not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intelligent superior finally grasped the full situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The mana weapons are still under the Marquis’s authority, correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So we won’t be able to use Urae for two days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ancient war machine, considered more strategically valuable than even the Orkulis commander, had just turned into a pile of scrap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of one seventh-grade navigator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happens to the operation, then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t specify which operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the man who had served a single superior for more than a decade understood instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Temporary command and execution rights for the plan to capture Bjorn Yandel using Ainard as bait have been transferred to the eldest son, Eltora Tertherion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...And if something happens to him too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then things would get complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the ever-prepared Marquis probably hadn’t thought to appoint a stand-in for his temporary stand-in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The right answer was: We don’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is, unless someone interfered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the cause would be external, not internal, there was a clause in the alliance agreement that could be interpreted—creatively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, my Lord, you may temporarily assume command authority.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the answer he wanted, the Lord seemed visibly pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And finally, with some of his curiosity piqued, he asked a personal question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what happened to the navigator?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that his superior seemed to be in a better mood, the subordinate answered more comfortably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auyen Rockrove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he opened his eyes in a dark underground prison, his first thought was:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why am I alive?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this world, failing to pay your taxes got you executed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was common sense to fight tooth and nail to survive, every single moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as one of its denizens, Auyen Rockrove knew better than most the value of life—or more precisely, his own life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Seriously, why am I still alive?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than relief, confusion ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) took the lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not that he wasn’t relieved—but the confusion was stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he had closed his eyes after seeing a meteor slam into the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now he was waking up in one piece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thought wouldn’t be “I survived...” but “Why am I alive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he retraced the last moments before blacking out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kugh—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis had collapsed, vomiting blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[M-My Lord...!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mages and priests—those precious elites—rushed to his side, panicking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A-An assassination...!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knights, those who lived to use their bodies, all lunged at him like one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, his body was crushed to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And “crushed” wasn’t metaphorical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arms, neck, legs, ankles, index and middle fingers of his left hand, ears, etc. etc.—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if sealing away a great demon, dozens of knights tied him down, binding every limb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In hindsight, it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Marquis collapsing like that, who the hell wouldn’t panic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t some situation where you could just stand back and say, “Well, they’ve got it covered...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pinned beneath dozens of knights, he couldn’t breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And eventually, his consciousness faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when he opened his eyes—here he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Seriously... why am I still alive?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human mind is a strange thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even while dying of suffocation, he could still clearly hear—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Marquis has lost consciousness...!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What a monstrous bastard...!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why are you restraining him? Kill him immediately!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hatred and fury directed at him—the Marquis’s would-be assassin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still unclear whether this was real or a dream, or if he’d somehow landed in the afterlife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold silence filled the underground cell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auyen Rockrove kept wondering why, and that question slowly evolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From “Why am I alive?” to “Why did they let me live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just when the question reached that point, he got his answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a mysterious man who appeared deep in this underground cell of some unknown building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eltora Tertherion,” he introduced himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis’s son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have something I’d like to ask of you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Auyen thought it would be some twisted request to suffer through torture before dying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But instead...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please... please help me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took him a while to respond—when he finally did, it was in a dazed voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Excuse me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t understand a damn thing either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waiting might seem passive at first glance, but in truth, it's open to interpretation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You don’t even need a philosophy book to know that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passive: when the subject is acted upon by an outside force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Active: when the subject acts on its own will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So if you wait because you chose to, it’s an active behavior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if someone holds a knife to your throat and tells you to wait, that’s passive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia Rainwales fell into the former category.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body still wasn’t in perfect condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from the looks of it, the rescue target was also still intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jumping in right now wasn’t the best move. It made more sense to wait for a better opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, unless something suspicious suddenly happened. Then she’d have no choice but to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having made that decision on her own terms, Amelia waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t feel bored or restless at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was used to this. Her countless infiltration and assassination missions, forced upon her by others, had made her an expert at waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drrrrrrrrrng—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a bit irritating that the person she was supposed to rescue was snoring away in that situation, but still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mission hadn’t changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She held her breath. Erased her presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listened to the enemy chatter, absorbing it all and organizing it carefully in her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seemingly trivial details would later help her make rational decisions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And sometimes—she’d overhear something important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t get why we’re even guarding this woman. Why not just kill her and be done with it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk, that’s a really shortsighted way of thinking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shortsighted...? What’s that supposed to mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It means you can’t see far ahead. You only focus on what’s right in front of you. Think for a second—why do you think the higher-ups captured the lancer and locked her up like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Just say it already.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s bait. For a much bigger fish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A bigger fish... oh! They’re trying to catch the giant guy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Otherwise, there’s no reason to assign this many people just to watch over one subdued barbarian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who heard that explanation stayed quiet for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, staring at the speaker, he asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.........Did you actually figure that out yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, of course not! A friend of mine in command whispered it to me after I got this assignment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...And that ‘shortsighted’ line—he’s the one who said it too, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, naturally! These educated types always use those fancy words, I’m telling you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Amelia’s position hidden in the ceiling, that wasn’t something she could ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on the context, it wasn’t some idle speculation. This was the official plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So they really did use her as bait to lure Yandel...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was glad she hadn’t listened to Auyen’s advice and had come to rescue Ainard anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the realization also made her a bit anxious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because now there was a time limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had to do something before Yandel walked straight into the trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was sure of it—if that barbarian found out a comrade had been taken, he’d charge in even knowing it was a trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The best outcome was to get this done before he ever arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No doubt about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer came from a completely unexpected place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, leave us for a moment. I have business with the woman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man approached Ainard’s holding cell, clearing out the heavily guarded area with a single command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Eltora Tertherion...!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crouched in the darkness, Amelia’s eyes gleamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know what kind of “business” he had in mind, but it couldn’t be good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was the son of the Marquis—a man who might as well be evil incarnate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He definitely came here with something sinister in mind—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Auyen...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shit. He got caught?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia spotted the man following behind the Chancellor’s son and clenched her jaw, calculations racing through her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If they don’t know I’m up here right now...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then not only could she slit his throat—she could subdue him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if she could subdue him, she could threaten and manipulate him afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s no way I’m getting a better chance than this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t need much time to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Split-second decisions, driven by instinct, often had the highest success rate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia released her stealth and dropped nimbly from the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eltora looked up, just barely noticing her presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was too late to draw his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Landing, Amelia trapped his neck between her legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with her only free hand, she drove a dagger—brimming with cold, sharp aura—straight at his face like lightning—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade halted just short of Eltora’s widened eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you make a sound, you die. Move without permission—you die. Even think too hard—you die. If you understand, kneel down, slowly—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“L-Lady Emily!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank me later—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“H-He’s on our side! That man...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Huh? Our side?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell is he talking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait. No way...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve already been brainwashed, haven’t you...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Brainwashed? N-No, it’s not that...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unbelievable. The bastards...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, seriously! I’m totally fine!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took quite some time before Amelia fully grasped the situation and came to accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...So what you’re saying is, this guy ditched his dad and wants to join us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-Yes...! That’s right!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auyen nodded fervently.\u003C\u002Fp>",2289,"2026-06-05T19:33:19.606Z",1,"novelbin.me","4889f8a6b41855bb99519d097d6dc6db6e42efaa960f369260bf304bae3bbdab","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-578","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-577",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]