The Barbarian's Path

"You've stepped onto the Giant Path of the barbarian? Aren't most who gain this kind of power adopted children of giants?"

Barbarians have more subclasses than Artificers; this long-standing class now boasts nine subclasses.

Besides the more common Berserker and Totem Warrior, there are also Path of the Zealot, Ancestral Guardian, Storm Herald, Wild Magic, Beast, and Giant as advancement directions.

Unlike how Artificers directly refer to their advancement directions as "subclasses," barbarians have a specific term for their own subclasses—Paths.

And the gigantic transformation Hopp just displayed was clearly a unique change of the Giant Path.

"I, I don't know. After I used my rage, I felt some kind of external energy connect with me, then I advanced to level 3 and became like this..."

As she spoke, Hopp's body suddenly shrank, gradually returning to her original size.

The undergarments she had been wearing were now completely torn into strings, beyond repair.

Having no other choice, Karl took off his own clothes and handed them to Hopp.

"Wear this for now. I'll start making clothes for you later."

Logically, the equipment of a Giant Path barbarian should enlarge along with them when they use their rage ability to grow.

However, Karl thought it might be because Hopp had only just mastered this ability, so the effect wasn't complete, leading to the mishap.

After Karl turned around, Hopp put on the upper garment Karl had given her.

The two of them were actually similar in size, but Karl, being male, had a slightly wider frame than Hopp.

So when Hopp wore Karl's upper garment, the hem of the clothing just managed to cover a small part of her thighs.

But if Hopp wanted to be completely covered, she could only hold the hem of the clothes with her hands.

However, if she did that, her tail would be exposed in the back due to its presence.

Pulling down on Karl's upper garment with her hands, one in front and one behind, Hopp didn't notice that the neckline was gaping open because of her actions.

"Do you mind if I measure your measurements? That is, bust, waist, and hips."

Back inside the house, Karl took out a Rope of Climbing he had recently made and requested permission from Hopp herself to take her measurements.

Even though the two of them had a life-or-death bond, some things still needed to be asked.

"Go ahead."

Slowly lowering the hands that were holding the hem of her clothes, Hopp spread her arms out to the sides, allowing Karl to proceed.

"78, 51, 82. All done, measurements complete. Do you have any preferred styles? If they aren't too complicated, I'll do my best to make them for you."

As an Artificer, Karl could basically make anything that could be drawn on paper.

Although the crafting of leather garments differed slightly from armor, the difference wasn't so great that Karl would be completely stumped.

Even taking a step back, Karl still had the Dream World for simulations.

"I don't have too many requirements, just something suitable for sports. Oh, and since I've advanced to level 3, once you've also advanced and gotten used to your abilities, let's go explore somewhere further."

Watching Karl begin planning on the leather, Hopp crouched down and suggested.

"Then let's investigate the place where that strange fluctuation came from first? I have a feeling there's something bad over there that's bothering me."

"Yeah, that works. Speaking of which, this bioluminescent mushroom forest is also quite strange. It's the only place nearby with so many large mushrooms, and Eberron Dragon Crystals can grow on mushrooms. Plus, I've stumbled onto the Giant Path. Could there be some giant treasure hidden here?"

"Now that you mention it, it's not impossible. Who knows where the giants' footprints reached before they were cursed?"

In ancient times, the giants waged war against the invading extraplanar realm known as the "Dream Realm." The elves, who were originally slaves to the giants, rebelled against their rule during that time.

The Giant King created drow elves from the shadows of the elves to assassinate these traitors, and he pulled down a moon from the sky to attack his enemies.

This also led to the thirteen moons that originally orbited Eberron being reduced to twelve.

That incident prompted the entire Dragonborn race, descendants of the Three Creative Dragons, to mobilize and seal off Xiandrick, the giants' homeland.

There are legends that the gods placed a curse upon that continent, leading to the decline of giant civilization.

After that, tales of giant treasures became an enduring topic among adventurers.

The unusually large mushrooms and the barbarian who accidentally stepped onto the Giant Path could indeed be seen as clues related to giants.

"Then let's go investigate that location you mentioned first. Things related to giants are never easy to deal with. Their racial abilities alone give them a minimum strength of level 4. If there really is a giant here, we'd be finished."

Although Hopp didn't know how severe the "malice" Karl mentioned earlier was, she felt that no matter how severe it was, it wouldn't be as bad as a giant.

Zhom also has some giants living there, and Hopp had a vivid memory of those terrifying beings who could shatter city walls with their bodies alone.

"It seems we've reached an agreement. However, I'm more inclined to believe that some remnant of the giants is left here. After all, if there really were giants in this forest, there's no reason we haven't encountered them yet."

Following the marked scratches, Karl cut the leather with a flint dagger.

After drilling a row of small holes along the edges, he took thread made from tiny bioluminescent mushrooms and tied them one by one.

Soon, a crudely made leather vest was fresh out of the oven.

Following the same process, he made shorts and a shirt. As the complete leather pieces dwindled, the finished products increased.

After putting on a vest and shorts, Hopp took off Karl's upper garment.

Although Karl had measured her, the clothes were a bit too large due to the craftsmanship.

But considering her own unusually rapid growth spurt recently, Hopp felt it was actually quite fitting.

Back outside the Rage Tribe, while Karl and Hopp were unlocking new crafting recipes, a group of barbarian goblins following the Path of the Berserker were hunting down the dire goblins who had come to seek refuge.

The strength of the two sides was completely one-sided. The dire goblin warriors, who only had melee weapons to rely on, were utterly defeated by the barbarian's throwing skills.

"My lads! Once we finish this fight, we'll go back and hold a ritual! I have a feeling we'll gain the gaze of Fury before long!"

At the forefront of the barbarian group, a dire goblin barbarian who appeared exceptionally devout towards Fury yelled this to his companions, brandishing a crude stone axe.

He was a barbarian of the Path of the Zealot, able to enhance himself through the power of the deity he believed in.

As he swung the stone axe in his hand, dark, corrosive energy would envelop the unremarkable axe.

"Guh!"

With just one swing, the attacked target had their entire arm severed.