I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 109

Living in the Forest of the Four Seasons, I’ve gone through a lot of hardships.

Whenever that happened, I would be utterly exhausted, staying holed up in the cave all day or resting in my own ways.

I rested using my own methods, and occasionally practiced my Mental Cultivation Method.

But I don’t smoke cigars often.

I made it a rule not to smoke unless both my body and mind were completely worn out.

Chiik!

And right now, I was in that exact state. I lit the end of the cigar with an Ignition Stone.

Soon, as smoke began to slowly drift from the tip, I put it in my mouth and took a deep, cool drag.

Far from harsh or acrid, a refreshing scent penetrated deep into my lungs, clearing them out.

"Phew."

Holding the World Tree Cigar in my mouth, I blew out smoke. The rising plumes slowly dispersed.

Smoking the cigar seemed to clear my head a bit, though my thoughts were still tangled.

I wanted to keep my distance from smoking if possible, but it was hard to resist right now.

’I have to clean up the gorilla corpses, and those bastards might retaliate... Haa...’

Thanks to the Elixir, my broken ribs had recovered to some extent.

My stamina hadn’t been depleted too severely, so my body felt quite fresh, but my mind was a chaotic mess.

It was to untangle these chaotic thoughts that I had put the cigar to my lips.

And for good reason—there was just far too much to think about regarding those gorillas.

’Who on earth taught them martial arts?’

The fact that gorillas used tools was something I could let slide. Allfather had warned me in advance, after all.

Besides, the gorillas’ obsession with tools had actually made them somewhat easier to deal with.

But the gorilla that executed martial arts was a different story. It was an extremely tough opponent to handle.

A fusion of a gorilla’s inherently powerful physique and fluid techniques. Every single one of its attacks was lethal.

It was fortunate that I had done reaction speed training with Speed Sloth; otherwise, my head would have been split open.

’Considering the circumstances, it’s definitely the owner of that palm print stamped on the tree who taught them.’

I gathered my thoughts with the cigar held in my mouth.

To confirm the exact facts, I needed to enter their territory.

Even if I caught the leader gorilla, it wasn’t like the guy could speak anyway.

They just couldn’t speak, but they were creatures with quite high intelligence.

Going beyond using tools to mastering martial arts was proof enough of that.

’Just how smart are they to be using martial arts?’

In martial arts, the teacher is important, but the student receiving the instruction is equally crucial.

The word "talent" didn’t exist for nothing. Without talent, one would just be running in place.

Could that gorilla actually have more martial arts talent than me? The thought suddenly crossed my mind.

’...Seriously, this forest is nuts.’

I couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief.

I took another deep drag from the cigar and exhaled the smoke.

Setting aside thoughts about the gorillas for now, it seemed best to get to work.

’Wonmo is... sleeping.’

Wonmo, who had been injured for the first time in his life, was sleeping soundly on his mat after receiving treatment.

Originally, he used to sleep spread-eagled, but now he slept curled up into a ball.

It seemed he was staying alert so he could spring up at any moment, given that intruders had invaded his territory.

’I can’t feel safe at home anymore either.’

There was no telling when the gorillas might raid us again.

They had even looted all the Fasting Pills. This wasn’t a problem to take lightly.

I couldn’t just leave someone behind to guard the place either. Even for Speed Sloth, it would be dangerous.

’In the end, installing a door is an absolute must.’

And it would have to be an extremely sturdy door.

A door that even those gorillas couldn’t easily break down. For that, it would need to be crafted out of steel.

My only option was to ask Passing Dwarf. Assembly would be on me, though.

’Would giving him a few lumps of Orichalcum be enough?’

Taking one last refreshing drag of the cigar, I opened the wooden crate.

Then, I tapped the ashes into the ashtray and cut off the lit end with a dagger.

I could still smoke it a few more times. Since I didn’t have many cigars left, I had to save them.

’It really does taste good, though.’

If I ran out later, I’d have to ask Let’s Grow Trees.

I didn’t know what that person wanted, but I’d at least hear them out.

I picked up various tools, including a shovel, and headed outside.

Stepping outside, I witnessed the scene of the gorilla pack lying dead.

Among them, the most striking sight was the decapitated gorilla—the one Speed Sloth had killed.

’First, let’s take a few photos to post on the Gallery.’

Since I had a mountain of questions to ask, capturing the scene was essential.

After snapping photos down to the tools the gorillas had used, I began cleaning up.

Given the gorillas’ massive build, even clearing the bodies was a struggle.Enjoying the story? Read on at novelp‌ing.com.

’Should I just bury them in the ground?’

Digging a pit and tossing them in—burial—was the most convenient method.

There was no need to haul each corpse all the way to the river to dump it.

If I were ambushed while trekking up to the river for no good reason, it would be disastrous.

Especially since the escaped leader gorilla might bring another pack for revenge.

’Dismembering... them feels a bit uncomfortable too.’

Unlike beasts like the Saber-toothed Tiger, these were primates, making butchering them unpleasant.

Besides, some corpses were already heavily mutilated. It was better to just dig a hole.

Gathering the bodies in one place was step one. Incidentally, I had a hard time finding the severed head for the decapitated corpse.

’I should dig the hole somewhere far away.’

I wasn’t crazy enough to bury them inside my Shelter. I’d bury them somewhere decently far off.

Just in case other beasts came digging around, I planned to dig as deep as possible.

’Roughly around here should do.’

Behind the cave. A suitably spacious spot.

In a spot that wouldn’t be out of place to call a backyard, I dug a deep pit.

Carrying each gorilla over one by one was annoying, but I had to deal with it.

Only after about an hour had passed was I finally able to bury all the gorilla corpses.

Thankfully, my physical stats—including strength—had increased; otherwise, it would have taken at least two hours or more.

Title) Gorilla Pack Cleared

Wild Grylls

(Photo of dead gorilla)

(Photo of gorilla collapsed on the ground)

(Photo of gorilla lying dead in a pool of blood)

(Photo of gorilla cleverly concealing its severed neck)

(Photo of tools used by the gorillas)

(Photo of gathered gorilla corpses)

I took care of all the gorillas that came to rescue the hostage I captured.

There was a leader gorilla, but that guy ran off.

Also, the leader gorilla was using something like martial arts—is this even possible? ;;

ㄴHeavenly Demon: A gorilla used martial arts? Describe roughly what kind of martial arts it displayed.

ㄴWild Grylls: It’s hard to describe in detail, but I’ll start with the stance. It held its left hand forward with the palm facing out, and its right hand was clenched into a fist pulled back to its waist.

ㄴHeavenly Demon: That alone is insufficient. Could you tell me a little more in detail what kind of martial art it performed?

ㄴWild Grylls: It frequently used palm strikes. Its speed was incredibly fast too.

ㄴHeavenly Demon: Hmm. There are far too many martial arts that utilize palm strikes. We need a few more distinguishing features...

ㄴSword Matstar: Before that, aren’t you guys shocked that a gorilla used martial arts? ;; Something completely absurd just happened.

ㄴHeavenly Demon: That is true as well. Though I have seen countless fools worse than monkeys, to think an actual monkey could execute martial arts.

ㄴSword Matstar: You do know the difference between apes and monkeys, right?

ㄴHeavenly Demon: Is it not whether they possess a tail or not? To this venerable self, they are all the same monkeys anyway.

ㄴSword Matstar: Fair point. Anyway, are you hurt anywhere?

ㄴWild Grylls: I almost died getting hit in the ribs, but luckily I survived. The leader gorilla got its arm broken too.

ㄴHeavenly Demon: A rare occurrence indeed. However, it could not have cultivated martial arts entirely alone. This venerable self suspects someone taught it.

ㄴWild Grylls: (Photo of the tree trunk stamped with both a gorilla palm print and a human palm print) Looking at this, it’s definitely clear someone taught them.

ㄴHeavenly Demon: That is a reasonable deduction.

ㄴAllfather: Perhaps there may still be a survivor alive out there. If someone taught martial arts to a pack of gorillas, they must have won the battle against them.

ㄴPraise the Sun: I’m more amazed by the fact that they used tools, though? Aren’t they literally evolving into humans at this point?

ㄴAllfather: That is a highly plausible hypothesis. Either it is an individual with abnormally high intelligence, or the Forest of the Four Seasons is accelerating their evolution.

ㄴJust hearing about it sounds creepy AF shudder shudder ;;

ㄴThat’s why all kinds of spiritual medicines are overflowing there. Surviving is just that hard.

ㄴGrylls just got lucky.

ㄴForget all that, doesn’t this mean Grylls is worse than a gorilla?

ㄴWild Grylls: Shut up. I didn’t lose.

ㄴIf you lose, you’re a bastard worse than a gorilla lol

ㄴREAL TALK a bastard worse than an ape lol

ㄴWild Grylls: Don’t worry. I’m already a bastard worse than a sloth.

ㄴAh. Right, true. ROFL

ㄴI completely forgot about that lol

ㄴLMAO HAHAHAHA

After I posted on the Gallery, everyone started chatting away in their own styles.

It was shocking enough that a gorilla showcased martial arts, but it had used tools as well.

Why did humans rise to the top of the food chain? Precisely because they utilized tools.

Luckily they only used clubs; had they used spears, I would have struggled immensely.This story is hosted at novelp⁠ing.com.

’And the person behind them...’

A "master" who taught the gorilla martial arts undoubtedly existed.

But the question was whether that master was still alive today.

The gorillas currently perceived me as an "enemy."

If a human master were still around, they would have shown curiosity toward me at the very least.

’Besides...’

I turned my head and looked at Speed Sloth.

Was it because our Fasting Pills had been stolen, despite us teaching those gorillas a lesson?

He looked unusually listless today. But it wasn’t like I could conjure nonexistent Fasting Pills out of thin air right now.

Moreover, there was something I was curious about: just what kind of existence was Speed Sloth for a pack of gorillas to harbor such fear toward him?

Thanks to that fear, we were able to slash the gorillas’ morale. That was the biggest factor.

"Bbareumbo."

"..."

"Just how strong are you for those gorillas to be terrified of you?"

I became curious about Speed Sloth’s past.

Speed Sloth was strong. Way beyond what I had imagined.

He treated someone like me as mere ’scum’ and reigned as an object of terror among the gorillas.

What on earth had this guy been doing before I arrived? Today, I was even more curious.

"..."

Instead of answering, Speed Sloth stared fixedly at me. He had a look asking if I really wanted to know.

I quietly met his gaze and nodded.

Even though it hadn’t even been a month, I could read Speed Sloth’s intentions well enough by now.

Ssuk- ssuk-

Then, Bbareumbo began drawing on the ground. I focused on the dirt floor.

Given his sloth species trait, he was agonizingly slow, but I waited patiently.

’No, wait a minute. He’s drawing?’

I glanced at Speed Sloth. He looked like a sloth on the outside, but I wondered if a human was trapped inside.

Of course, just like the evolved gorilla example, he might have evolved in a different direction.

Nothing happening in the Forest of the Four Seasons would be surprising. So let’s let it slide.

Thinking about this and that would only give me a headache.

Ssuk- ssuk-

As ten minutes passed, the shape of the drawing gradually emerged.

What Speed Sloth first drew was none other than himself.

Short legs relative to long arms. Claws at the ends of his fingers. Finally, even a serene facial expression.

Anyone could tell it was Speed Sloth. However, it wasn’t just one.

Two, three, four... up to ten of them.

It was a drawing that looked like Speed Sloth’s "family."

Tuk- tuk-

Among them, he pointed his claw at the smallest Speed Sloth—no, sloth.

It seemed he meant that this small one was himself.

I nodded to indicate that I understood.

’Wait, but there weren’t any other family members...’

Just as that thought crossed my mind—

Geugeugeuk-

He slashed through one of the sloths in the pack with his claw.

Anyone could see that it implied death.

Geugeuk- geugeugeuk-

Speed Sloth slashed through every single remaining sloth in the pack with his claw, except for himself.

Only after finally scratching out the sloth standing right beside him did he cease his actions.

Based on this, I could form several hypotheses. First and foremost, Speed Sloth used to have a pack too.

And that pack was wiped out for some reason, leaving him as the sole survivor.

And finally, the reason they were wiped out was none other than...

"...Because of the gorillas?"

"..."

Speed Sloth gave no answer whatsoever. He simply stared down at the dirt floor.

But this alone was answer enough.

Speed Sloth’s pack... had lost to the gorilla pack.

Only Speed Sloth, the lone survivor, had lived through it.

’To destroy the pack of a guy this strong?’

It seemed the gorilla pack was stronger than I had imagined.

Or if not that...

’The person who taught them martial arts fought in their place.’

It wasn’t particularly hopeful news.