Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Novel 2025 - Chapter 456
C456: Raid (1)
Dungeon & Stone is a farming game.
Its main appeal lies in strengthening your character by gathering experience points, consuming essences and acquiring equipment.
Normally, you consume essences to gain the experience points you need to advance to the next rank.
Experience points are only awarded on your first hunt.
If you don’t use essences to increase your rank, you won’t be able to get more experience points afterward…
‘Well, I didn’t encounter any real obstacles on my way to rank 7.’
Of course, this was largely due to the fact that I consumed a level 7 corpse golem essence, a level 5 vampire essence, and an orc hero essence early on.
This alone gave me enough stats to survive the lower floors by simply collecting experience points and moving on. In the middle of the game, consuming the ogre essence from ‘Restrained Desire’ also played a big part.
Oh, and the royal family being at war also helped.
I gained Transcendence from Bayon as a war contribution, and normally, I would only be starting to farm that essence around this time.
‘So in that sense, maybe this is the first time my growth has stalled…’
Well, actually, it’s not that my skills are insufficient. It’s simply that, to get stronger, I need to move above the 7th floor—but I can’t because it’s turned into a battlefield.
Honestly, if our clan were slightly more reinforced, we could start farming Bellarios right now without much trouble.
Therefore…
“Bjorn, how long are we going to wait here? The monsters that appear are too weak, and it’s no fun!”
Most of this month’s expedition is going to be a low-level raid anyway, and we’re going to have to spend time hunting these monsters, so we might as well collect their experience, practice teamwork, and if any essence drops during the raid, we can consume it.
Currently, all four of us have one essence slot left.
“Be patient. As I said before, the essence that drops here is something you need.”
The monster we’re aiming to hunt now has an essence that would be very beneficial to Aynar. It’s not enough for graduation essence, but consuming it now would make her around 30% stronger.
“Well, even so…”
However, Aynar didn’t seem convinced.
Well, it’s hard to believe that an essence from the 2nd floor would be helpful to her now.
“Isn’t it just a Level 5 monster? Why not just keep going up? Stronger enemies need to show up for me to show you just how much stronger I’ve become!”
Ah… so that’s what’s bugging her.
I half-listened to her complaint while focusing on chewing my dried jerky.
After some time…
“Jandel.”
Amelia, who had summoned her clones for automatic mob hunting, called me while resting.
At the same time, Erwin spoke up.
“There are people approaching.”
“Yes, just like you said, someone is coming this way. The number is—”
“Twelve.”
“…”
Sigh, Why do they need to make competition out of everything?
“They’ll arrive in about two minutes.”
“All right.”
After waiting briefly, a team of twelve explorers emerged from the darkness.
Hmm, maybe it will be more accurate to call them a clan?
They looked quite well-equipped for a party on the second floor.
“…”
“…”
We briefly sized each other up.
Soon, the man who must have been the team leader turned to us and spoke first.
“…Seems there’s someone here before us.”
That one line indicated that their goal was the same as ours. Well, the monster we were after was fairly well-known.
Since the goal was the same, the solution was simple.
“Yes, there are guests, so you should leave now.”
In professional terms, “this spot is already taken.”
“…”
As we claimed ownership of the area, their leader clicked his tongue and looked over at us.
In the past, I might have tensed up the moment I saw his look.
But now, it doesn’t bother me at all.
“How unfortunate.”
If they’re disappointed, what are they gonna do?
“Meeting a celebrity like this, I should consider myself lucky. May Raphdonia’s blessing be with you, Baron Jandel.”
Just as with the three previous teams we’d encountered, they turned and left without further complaint.
And some time later…
「The character has defeated a Sandworm.」
「The character has defeated a Sandworm.」
「The character has defeated a Sandworm…」
「…」
As I continued to hunt sandworms that only appeared in certain areas of the Rock Desert, finally the condition was met.
“Oh, the ground is shaking!”
The desert trembled, as though an earthquake had struck.
Whooooosh—!
A sandstorm swept in, blocking any escape route.
Soon, a giant worm burst from the ground with its mouth open.
「Death Worm appears.」
A Level 5 monster, Death worm.
It spawns on the lower floors but always appears as a higher variant, which is why it’s often among the first targets lined up on my“Exp run” route.
Screeeeee—!
With only the top half of its body erupting above the sand, the thing glared down at us with a spine-chilling screech.
“Bethel—raaaaaaaaa!!”
Aynar responded by leaping high into the air and unleashing a battle cry of her own.
Unfortunately, she was a step too late.
「Amelia Rainweilz has cast [Abyssal Power].」
「Erwin Fornacci di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」
Before Aynar could even swing her greatsword, the Deathworm, pierced by arrows and blades, fell onto the sand.
「You have defeated a Deathworm. EXP +5」
「Bonus for killing a higher mutation variant. EXP +1」
Unexpectedly, it was a one-second cut.
“It’s weaker than I thought?”
“Mister! I took it down!”
“What are you talking about? Didn’t you see my blade cut the creature in half before your arrow?”
“But my arrow took its head off completely.”
“Uaaaaaaaaaah! What is this! I waited so long for it!!”
Ah, no essence appeared.
***
After killing the Death Worm, we left the Rock Desert and returned to the 1st floor’s Crystal Cave.
The reason was simple.
“It’s been three months since we visited the ‘Green Coal Mine’.”
‘Now, this would be our chance to enter the first floor rift.’.
“Come to think of it, I still haven’t looked around this place yet.”
Actually, now that I think about it, I haven’t really explored every corner of this place. I pretty much skipped the lower floors, so the only rifts I’ve been to so far are the White Temple on the third floor and the Doppelganger Forest on the fourth floor.
We had hardly spent any time on the 2nd floor, so I hadn’t even opened or gone into its rifts yet.
“I wonder if we can go this time…”
Well, I’m not sure. The plan for this exploration included entering a 2nd floor rift, but a rift isn’t something you can just enter whenever you want.
“Hahaha! It’s been a while since I’ve been here! It feels somewhat nostalgic, doesn’t it, Bjorn?” Aynar exclaimed as soon as she reached the Great Sage monument in the center of the Crystal Cave.
Well, I suppose she could feel that way.
When I came here three months ago, I had that same feeling.
It was here that Aynar and I first opened the rift, and it was here that we first met Raven and the dwarf.
It was also the place where we were surrounded by the Noark bastards and suffered for days.
‘I guess that was all three years ago now…’
Even taking into account the time I lost travelling through the past, i could sense how much time had passed.
It still feels like it all happened only yesterday.
Thunk.
As I placed the Level 8 magic stone we had mined from the Rock Desert on the altar, a portal opened, and we hurriedly stepped inside.
「Your character has entered the 1st floor rift.」
The final rift on the 1st floor that I hadn’t cleared yet.
“This is ‘Tomb of Steel’…”
As Erwin lit our surroundings with her spirit’s help, a claustrophobic corridor stretched out before us.
It felt like stepping inside a pyramid you might see in a documentary, except…
Unlike an actual pyramid, every wall and surface in this place was made of metal, covered in hieroglyph-like carvings.
“Mister, what language is this?”
“Not sure. I don’t recognize it.”
“Haha! Wouldn’t Aruru have loved to see this?”
“That’s enough chatting—let’s move.”
There was no reason to waste time, so we began exploring the Rift.
Aynar insisted on taking the lead. Amelia and Erwin were also curious to gauge her abilities, so they didn’t object.
Frankly, I was curious, too.
“Betheeeeel—raaaaaa!!”
Charging at the front, Aynar cleared the Rift at lightning speed.
Normally, ‘Tomb of Steel’ involved carefully navigating and disarming traps to reach the final chapter of the tomb, but that was meaningless for Aynar.
After all, if your body is tough enough, stepping on and destroying traps is more efficient than disarming them.
“Aynar, turn left there!”
“Uwooooooh!”
Following my directions from behind, Aynar stomped on traps and smashed any monsters in her path with her greatsword.
Kwaaang! Kwaaang! Kwaaang!
It was quite a sight, befitting a greatsword warrior specialized in dominating weaker enemies.
[Aynar Pheneline has cast [Repeating Slash].」
「Hit on the same spot.」
「[Explosive Scar] is activated.」
A basic combo that synergises with [Repeated Slash].
Even amidst this combo, her growth over the past few years was vividly clear:
[The power of [Explosive Scar] is doubled by [Mendel Oil]
This effect triggers whenever a fire-based passive skill is used—an essence from a Level 5 monster, Smug.
And…
「[Residual Heat] is activated.」
「Inflicts additional damage proportional to the damage dealt.」
Now came a Level 4 essence that dealt a 50% damage bonus when flame damage is applied to multiple targets in a short period.
Kwaaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Each time Aynar swung her sword, dozens of explosions followed in rapid succession. I watched her from behind, feeling oddly proud.
‘I really didn’t expect her to have gotten all the essences I’d recommended.’
It was like seeing a student who’d completed all their vacation homework perfectly. Every essence I’d suggested offered solid boosts to defense and resistance, so stepping on traps or taking direct hits from monster abilities hardly affected her.
Well, even if she did get hurt, she’d heal quickly.
[Aynar Pheneline has cast [Wings of Greed].」
「Natural regeneration greatly increases.」
Because Aynar’s damage comes primarily from her passive skills, she doesn’t need to spend a lot of Soul Energy.
Aside from the basic [Repeating Slash], she has only one finisher move.
So she can easily keep her healing ability active without any burden.
[You have defeated a Level 8 monster]
[Recovers Soul Energy proportional to the monster’s level]
Thanks to the [Devour] ability granted by the third level of Slayer Imprint, she was able to replenish both her HP and MP.
And looking at it, it seems she has already reached the 6th stage.
[Aynar Pheneline is currently fighting a level 8 monster」
[Her Physique increases in proportion to the monster’s level]
Seriously, she even got [Combat Study] already?
The more she fought, the stronger she became, the perfect form of a barbarian warrior I had envisioned.
‘…It must be fun fighting like that.’
Watching her exhilarating battles, I felt a strange sense of envy.
But I let go of that feeling right away.
Shield barbarians have their own flavor, after all.
[Dungeon & Stone] is a game where you can’t do anything if the main tank doesn’t support you properly.
It is possible to raid without priests, mages, or archers, but a main tank is irreplaceable.
“Bethel—raaaa …
Anyway, we simply followed Aynar, and as time passed, we steadily accumulated that precious first-kill experience.
「You have killed a mummy. EXP +1」
「You have killed an Iron Soldier. EXP +3」
「You have killed a Buried One. EXP +2」
「You have killed the Guardian’s Eye. EXP +2」
「You have killed an Iron Lizardman. EXP +3」
「You have killed the Riddle Keeper…」
「…」
Additionally, we found two hidden pieces along the way and shared them among ourselves.
「Your character has consumed Mercurial Liquid.」
「Magic resistance permanently increases by +3.」
「This effect does not stack.」
「Your character has received the Iron Blessing.」
「Physical resistance permanently increases by +3.」
「This effect does not stack.」
Since this is a 1st-floor Rift, the stat boosts are relatively small, but they really add up over time.
「Your character has entered the Tomb of Steel.」
Despite completing various tasks during the exploration, it didn’t take long to reach the boss room.
Hmm, maybe it took about 3 hours.
‘Soloing in 3 hours is definitely a fast hunting speed.’
It was already plenty to prove what she could do, but Aynar still wasn’t satisfied and ended up soloing the boss as well.
And then…
「You have killed Iron Ildium. EXP +4」
「Bonus for killing a higher mutant variant. EXP +1」
「Guardian kill bonus. EXP +3」
The moment the brief boss fight ended, everyone’s gaze turned to the body that began to fade into a burst of light.
Swaaaaa—!
There was no essence. The Rift Stone, which would have sold for a decent price, didn’t drop either.
But then…
“…A flower?”
“Huh? Were there flowers among the Numbers items?”
A Numbers item had dropped:
No.9999: Beginner’s Luck.
And it was incredibly rare.