I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 129

After installing the signpost flawlessly, I returned to the Shelter.

It feels a bit weird saying this when I’m the one who built it, but I really made it feel like human civilization.

Besides, since I already ’advertised’ (?) it on the Gallery, everyone should be able to spot it.

’Though I don’t expect to meet them anytime soon.’

I took every measure within my power, but I didn’t set my expectations too high.

The Forest of the Four Seasons is a land area roughly equivalent to a small nation.

Above all, since the space shifts constantly, no one can predict how or when we might cross paths.

If luck is on our side, we might meet right away; if not, we might never meet for the rest of our lives.

’Or maybe they’ll settle somewhere else....’

The absolute worst-case scenario is that they’re already dead. That’s what worries me the most.

Can the investigation team really make it all the way here unscathed? There’s no way to know.

At least I can gauge their survival chances through Orange Badge’s location tracking.

’I just need to keep a close eye on Ludwig’s location.’

The named user who announced his entry into the Forest of the Four Seasons. I plan to keep tabs on his whereabouts.

Conveniently, Orange Badge seemed worried about that named user too, so I can just ask her often.

If his location can’t be tracked, that would be really sad.

’Not that I’m completely safe myself, though.’

As much as I have my hands full surviving, I have reliable allies on my side.

Speed Sloth, who presumably went toe-to-toe with the boss gorilla.

And Wonmo, the owlbear cub who works wonders for my peace of mind.

The investigation team has nothing.

In particular, whether or not one has a companion with overwhelming combat prowess like Speed Sloth makes a massive difference.

’I really pushed through when I was weak.’

Now, I have the strength to weather crises, but on Day 1, I had nothing.

When I got bit by a Mad Dog, I thought I was screwed, and during the Saber-toothed Tiger incident, I almost legitimately died.

Feeling grateful for being alive to this day, I arrived back at the Shelter.

’Got to do what needs to be done.’

Since I gifted a sword to Ludwig, I don’t have a spare. I need to forge a new one.

Coincidentally, I had just produced a large batch of charcoal, so crafting wasn’t difficult.

I also had extra materials, allowing me to use them without hesitation.

’I should steadily gather Mithril and Orichalcum.’

I never know when, where, or to whom I might end up giving a sword.

Crafting two blades in total—including one to give away—should suffice.

Though I plan to consult the Dwarf first. Mindlessly sending items over isn’t polite.

Hey.

[Wild Grylls: Imma send over another sword in a bit, can u sharpen it?]

[Passing Dwarf: Don’t mind, but did u srsly give away a sword?]

Yeah, felt like I should give him smth since he’s entering the Forest of the Four Seasons.

It’s better for me if he survives somehow anyway.

Passing Dwarf

You naive clueless bastard.

What if that named user killed everyone else and ran off?

When it’s already a bloody terrifying sword.

I can see what the Dwarf is worried about. The so-called ’take the loot and run.’

A sword that even Heavenly Demon deemed dangerous because its performance was too absurdly high.

So his assumption is that Ludwig grew greedy and deserted the investigation team.

Everyone said he’s a good guy though?

Orange Badge said she knows him too.

[Passing Dwarf: Aigoo. U did that just trusting other people’s words?;;]

Haah, what’s done is done, can’t take it back now.

[Wild Grylls: But u know what?]

[Passing Dwarf: What?]

[Wild Grylls: Honestly it makes zero difference to me lol]

[Passing Dwarf: Holy fuck lmao]

Enjoys consequence-free pleasure all by himself lmao

I say that, but Orange Badge’s request was a huge factor. Without her request, I would’ve hesitated.

I already knew through the Gallery that a guy named Ludwig was included in the investigation team.

But combined with proof similar to Ahjussi’s and Orange Badge’s request, I somehow felt it was okay to hand it over.

’Hopefully this increases the odds of escape even by a little.’

The more the outside world pays attention to the Forest of the Four Seasons, the higher my survival rate will be.

I plan to put in maximum effort (?) so that I draw attention too.

The simplest way among them is spreading Mythricon.

But if things go wrong, just as the Dwarf said, a full-blown war could break out.

A metal so rare people would kill to get their hands on it.

Everyone is desperate to obtain it as it is.

If too much spreads, tragedy will surely follow.

The fortunate part is that without a specialized furnace, processing it is completely impossible.

I intend to utilize the trait that only I can craft it.

Weird people might try to cling to me, but I’ll ignore them as much as possible while building up a deterrent force.This chapter was copied from novelрing.com without permission.

Finished crafting.

Sharpen it for me pls.

Passing Dwarf

The more I think about it the more ridiculous it is.

Some people won’t touch this metal once in their lives, while for someone else it’s littered all over his house and front yard lmao

[Wild Grylls: U jelly? lol]

[Passing Dwarf: Fuck off lol]

From the Dwarf’s perspective, it really must seem like easy mode / just a click of a button. And in reality, it pretty much was just a click.

The overwhelming heat was the hard part; the process itself wasn’t particularly difficult.

Even if I failed, the chances were infinite, so I could craft with a peaceful mind.

I inspected the newly returned sword back and forth before leaning it against the cave wall.

Made one more.

Sharpen it.

[Passing Dwarf: Holy sh*t how long has it even been since u made the last one?]

Just put ’em together, melt, and pour, isn’t that it?

[Passing Dwarf: Lmao srsly ridiculous.]

Hey kid. You know how fucking hard even that is?

Nope, no idea?

I just did what u told me to.

Hammering is the hardest part isn’t it.

[Passing Dwarf: I mean true... sigh.]

I don’t even know anymore.

I’ll take the sword for now.

And so I crafted one more blade. A backup for the backup.

As much as I wanted to forge one more, time was tight, and materials were running low.

Besides, I now wanted to forge other tools rather than swords. A pickaxe, for example.

I had the pickaxe the Dwarf gave me, but I wanted to mine Mithril more easily.

Since I had created a new metal anyway, I felt like owning a fresh tool made out of it.

’I should forge the pickaxe directly rather than casting it.’

Raising my skills bit by bit like this.

I could give good stuff to the Dwarf in passing and get advice while I’m at it.

Without a master, leaps and bounds in skill were impossible, but as mentioned earlier, opportunities were plenty.

’It’s already evening.’

Busy with work, the sun slowly dipped, and darkness began to fall.

Time to prepare dinner and browse the Gallery while I’m at it.

Out of those, browsing the Gallery is the priority. Important posts might have gotten buried while I was working.

’Has Ludwig still not entered?’

I also kept in mind the possibility that he stole the loot and ran, just as the Dwarf feared.

Because this world isn’t as kind as I think.

There are plenty of good people, but just as many with rotten temperaments.

Heard the investigation team scattered in all directions?

It was when I was browsing the Gallery after dinner and mental cultivation.

So many posts were being generated that while checking mostly Recommended Posts, one caught my eye.

A post saying the investigation team dispatched by El Dorado had scattered.

A post title I couldn’t possibly skip, so I opened it right away.

Heard the investigation team scattered in all directions?

My priest friend who just returned told me. Said the investigation team scattered at the entrance of the Forest of the Four Seasons.

According to my friend, the leader of the investigation team staged a rebellion and escaped, though I don’t know the details. Anyway, it’s a fact that the investigation team ran away.

It’ll be in the newspapers soon anyway, but I’m spoiling it in advance so you gallery folks don’t freak out lol

Ah. Spoiling such major news, damn it

If u don’t like it become a priest too

I’d rather be a rich unemployed guy than a priest lol

Honestly I wanna be a rich unemployed guy too. It’s so scary here T_T

But if so, did all of Grylls’s friends vanish?

Lmaooo true that haha

What’s Grylls gonna do being lonely... he even built signposts.

Better to stage a rebellion than die.

They basically forced them in, I’d fight back too lmao

Wasn’t there a sword Grylls gave them?

Yeah, heard descriptions saying it holds a green galaxy? Hearing that made me doubt if this guy was capping lol

What kind of sword glows green? Lmao

A thoroughly bewildering piece of news. The fact that the investigation team had scattered.

My heart sank, wondering if the Dwarf’s fear had come true.

Most users were skeptical, but I had no choice but to believe it.

Because the description of the sword was identical to the one I gave away.

’Th-Then where is this Ludwig guy?’

I immediately sent a message to Orange Badge. She must have read this post too.

As I expected, Orange Badge replied instantly, having read the post.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Just in case, Ludwig-ssi isn’t the type to take someone’s goodwill and run!]

He’s a man who always prays to Goddess-nim and performs good deeds!

Set that aside,New chapters come out on n⁠ovelping.com first.

do you know where he is right now?

I wanted to hear his location, not his defense.

After seeing that post, what mattered was his current location.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Um... I’m sorry, but]

his current location cannot be tracked right now...!

[Wild Grylls: What’s that supposed to mean?;;]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: It’s true!]

A system message pops up saying he is in an untrackable location!

Then what about me?

It doesn’t make sense.

Is Orange Badge lying? A moment of suspicion crossed my mind.

Before, Orange Badge tracked my location just fine. Dead center of the Forest of the Four Seasons.

But being unable to track Ludwig’s location? That’s a total contradiction.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: I can swear to Goddess-nim!]

Location tracking is impossible, but sending messages is still working!

[Wild Grylls: What does that have to do with anything?]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: If a named user dies, it displays a message saying ’Non-existent user’!]

Therefore, there’s a high chance he has entered the Forest of the Four Seasons!

[Wild Grylls: Still, location tracking not working is pretty weird;;]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: In the first place, Grylls-nim could use the Gallery from the very beginning!]

It’s much more likely that Grylls-nim is an exception to the rule!

That’s remarkably convincing.

Not being sarcastic, it really is. It’s better to treat me as an exception.

How many times have others been shocked by every single thing I’ve done so far?

Judging my situation solely by the standards of this world would be bizarre in itself.

’Anyway, that means there’s a high probability he entered the Forest of the Four Seasons...’

In this case, there’s nothing I can do right this second.

Since real-time location tracking is impossible, I just have to wait patiently.

[Wild Grylls: Guess there’s nothing to do but wait.]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Um...!]

I know it’s a tough situation, but could you possibly look for Ludwig-ssi?!

[Wild Grylls: I can guide him to where I am, but actively searching for him will be difficult.]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: That alone is more than enough!]

I’ll help you as much as I can!

[Wild Grylls: How?]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: :]

Mmm...!

Orange Badge deliberated for a moment before carefully sending her reply.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Praying to Goddess-nim every time to ask that Grylls-nim finds Ludwig-ssi?]

[Wild Grylls: Does praying actually make her grant requests?]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Yes!]

She was so confident it left me speechless. Does the Goddess really answer prayers?

If that’s real, that is what you call a true single-click ’Ttal-kkak.’

’If that’s really true, I’m willing to close my eyes and pray too.’

Of course.

Swaaaaaaa!

"Ah, seriously? Again?"

I wish she would make this damn rain stop first.

Rain falling frequently due to the environmental characteristics of a forest.

Grylls, whose actions were restricted by that rain.

However, because prairies are split into wet and dry seasons, conditions differed from the forest.

During the dry season, activity is unrestricted, allowing animals to move freely.

Right now happened to be that dry season.

"...."

The newly entered Ludwig was in the same boat. He stood gazing quietly at a cave.

Normally, he would step inside to explore, but his current predicament made him hesitate.

A situation where using mana had become nearly impossible due to the intense external mana.

Fortunately, given his immense skill, he was still able to manipulate a miniscule amount of mana.

Shaaa-

Even with that tiny amount, the sword radiated a glowing green light.

Ludwig glanced back and forth between the blade and the cave entrance before nodding.

’It would be best to explore.’

With luck, it might be an empty cave. Holding onto that thought, he stepped inside.

A short while later.

"Keuaaaaaah!!!"

"...."

Ludwig began running for his life from a three-headed lion.