[{"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-761":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},1328120,1764,"Chapter 761: The Secret Garden (2)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-761",761,"\u003Cp>The stage came together shockingly fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As people stepped back, a circular arena formed, and a few final touches were added by some spectators with special talents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Reit Nymon has cast 4th-tier defensive magic [Barrier of Flowing Water].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Kelde Rius has cast 4th-tier black magic [Wall of the Dead].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Murta Elverita has cast [Skyward Guardian Seal]...」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of layers of overlapping barriers, as mages and psychics activated their skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some skills obstructed the view, but those were swiftly removed thanks to complaints from the audience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey! Are you kidding me? I can't see because of that corpse wall!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it’s not transparent, don’t cast it at all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, I mean... everyone else was doing it, so I thought... it’s safer this way...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cut it out! If anything breaks through the barrier, you're getting your ass beat!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some would-be show-offs looked visibly deflated after being shut down, but the market's law is ruthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others quickly took their place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rise forth! [Veil of Twilight]!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh! Bit yellowish, but way better than the last one!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But why'd you say 'rise'? Looks more like fog gathering...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Difficult question.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, the impromptu duel arena that emerged was surprisingly high quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, minus the barriers, it looked no different from a village market square.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ooooooooh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Deputy Commander! Show them your power!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m finally seeing the 'Evil Eye' with my own eyes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheers erupted from beyond the barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some were for me, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one person, actually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Maybe two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"BJOOOOOORN! GREAT WARRIOR!!! Auyen! What are you doing?! Yell already!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-I support you, Commander...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auyen seemed to say something, but it was hard to hear clearly through the barrier and Ainard’s thunderous voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that it mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Slip.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head slightly to glance at Amelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I stared at her with a look that clearly asked Why aren’t you cheering?, she sighed and muttered something quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reading her lips, it looked like: Do your best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Really, she’s fun to tease.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave a faint chuckle in response, then tilted my head up to check the rooftop of the three-story building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment our eyes met, he grinned and shouted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you waiting for?! Fight already!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked exactly like one of those punk kids who pit two quiet classmates against each other just to watch the drama.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In hindsight, it was pretty ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deputy Commander of Orkulis vs. me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this fight had turned into street entertainment thanks to some chaos agent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Seriously, what a goddamn wildcard...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At a glance, he might seem childish, but I never underestimate him. Because I know his childishness is calculated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not unlike when I deliberately act like a brain-dead barbarian to get what I want.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If something's more efficient, you do it—no hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Problem is, I have no clue what he’s trying to gain here, and it’s driving me nuts.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked away from Ibaekho, who was lounging on the roof chewing on jerky like he was at a movie theater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking about it wouldn’t help. Not right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I left that problem to my future self and—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Focus.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to pour all my attention into the immediate issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland Banossant, the Evil Eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not much is known about him publicly, except that his class is \"Psychic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Taurobrude.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He possesses a Tier-1 Essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taurobrude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This monster is similar to a “Doppelgänger” in some ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not in ability, but because it doesn’t appear in regular fields—it only spawns in specific rifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Hell Fortress.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taurobrude is the guardian of one of the ninth-floor rifts, the “Hell Fortress.” In other words, like the doppelgänger, it only exists as a “guardian essence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how the hell did he get it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'So this is why people keep hyping up the ‘Golden Generation’...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a few decades ago, there were clans in this city that routinely explored the eighth... even the ninth floors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, leveling was easier. High-tier Essences were cheaper too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I mean, it was a time when punks like the “Dragon Slayer” could hit level nine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, one dimensional collapse wiped out the whole generation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look calm, but I can tell you’ve been driven into a corner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Evil Eye spoke from a short distance away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To accept this duel despite knowing it’s unfavorable... you must’ve had no other choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Took me a moment to understand what he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He actually believes that.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Makes sense, in his position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy is a veteran, one of the top elites from the legendary Golden Generation. No matter how well-known I am now, to him I probably still look like some rookie who hasn’t even touched the ninth floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'And yeah, there’s also the class matchup problem.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanks suck in 1v1s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, you can build for PvP, but at that point, what’s the point of being a tank?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tanks exist for team play. Their strength shines when backed by allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s common knowledge—well, old knowledge, anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then, shall we begin—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before that ancient boomer psychic could finish—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“BEHELL—RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I charged in with a roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After activating [Giant Form], my massive body surged forward in giant strides, closing the distance in seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has used [Swing].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a boxer tossing out a jab in round one, I threw a basic attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are things that cannot be overcome by sheer will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the hit didn’t land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Roland Banossant has used [Green Evil Eye].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes turned green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ka-boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A translucent green wall materialized between us, blocking the hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Roland Banossant has used [Red Evil Eye].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment his irises turned red—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a mutant in a sci-fi movie, he shot a crimson laser from his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fweeeen—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t hurt too bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Felt like getting zapped by one of those toy stun guns you’d find in a stationery store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it stung on bare skin, so I raised my shield and guarded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“UWOOOOOO—!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I barreled forward, shield raised, and his eye color changed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Roland Banossant has used [Blue Evil Eye].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they turned blue, a swirling aura wrapped around his skin like a vortex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He vanished from sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not far—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zzzzzzt—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing a presence, I turned and saw him frying me with his red laser eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You cannot defeat me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Says the guy who’s barely been fighting for two minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to smash that mouth shut, but instead I focused silently, blocking with my shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It really is a broken Essence.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taurobrude’s Essence is unique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It has no passive skills—but seven active ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Green Evil Eye] for defense, [Red] for offense, [Blue] for movement. Basically, it covers offense, defense, and utility all in one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What did he pair it with...?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dungeon & Stone isn’t a game where you can coast by with just one Essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real key lies in what secondary Essences you equip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taurobrude’s is just top-tier raw material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could’ve stacked attack buffs for [Red Evil Eye], or focused on [Green] to boost survivability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what did this guy do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tough shield, just as they say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered, and his red eyes glowed brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew instantly what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Roland Banossant has used [Light Refraction].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tier-3 conversion skill that turns projectiles into light, allowing them to curve instead of traveling in straight lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the projectile is already made of light? Damage increases significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fweeeen—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like a homing missile in a game, the curved red laser avoided my shield and hit my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I realized—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I’m already under its effect.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, I already had a rough idea of his Essence setup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ainard had told me a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That red eye wasn’t real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It just looked red to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Roland Banossant has used [White Evil Eye].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...it was white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It casts “hallucinations” on everyone within line of sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, since it’s a tier-1 Essence, this isn’t just any illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Accumulated damage has exceeded a set threshold.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless I break out of the hallucination, all the damage I take here is real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the worst part?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He can use skills endlessly until I break free.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlimited—not in terms of cooldowns or mana, but in mechanics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the game, once hallucination is active, he can freely use up to nine tier-3-or-lower skills without cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Roland Banossant has used [Light Refraction].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So those curving lasers?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re not real skills—just illusions powered by his setup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He probably used the same trick to one-shot the last deputy commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, the important part is—this guy min-maxed his sub-Essences perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I didn’t realize I was under a hallucination until I’d taken damage—and my mental resistance is high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If he’s a true illusionist, he’d have [Reality Escape] slotted for sure... plus a few debuffs to reduce mental resistance.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most people wouldn’t even get the chance to fight back before dying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are ways to counter it, but they’re hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1. Overwhelm the illusion with raw power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>2. Survive until his MP runs out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>3. Break the illusion manually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew exactly which option I’d go with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Accumulated damage has exceeded a set threshold.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take hits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fweeen—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And take more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes I screamed and charged with meaningless hammer swings so he wouldn’t suspect anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Accumulated damage has exceeded a set threshold.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Took another hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I’d still ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) had [Aegis Dragon Scale] stacks left from when I got hit by Urae, I wouldn’t need to do this. But those fade over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been hours since then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Accumulated damage has exceeded a set threshold.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept stacking it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Okay. That should do it.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I reached the target threshold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I must admit, no one has lasted this long—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s this junkie talking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that your last words?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of responding, I reached into my subspace inventory and pulled out a piece of gear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Put it on my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still didn’t get what I was doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dungeon & Stone values gear just as much as Essences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has equipped No.???? – Crown of Anguish.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character gains bonus: Mental Immunity.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind, as clear as a sky after a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked ahead—and there he was, eyes glowing white, still staring at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Ugh, creepy.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like an alien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disgusted by the uncanny valley, I immediately activated the second item’s effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Character has used [Aegis Dragon Scale].」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Accrued damage is reflected.」\u003C\u002Fp>",1734,"2026-06-05T19:33:19.606Z",1,"novelbin.me","f88fe47025c5735b784246b14c2cef16b2d464e98fe38df9977ef81cc1285ba3","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-583","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-582",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]