I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 363

Thanks to the Sky Whale putting out all the fire, we were able to enter the forest once again.

Unlike before, bright sunlight streamed in, illuminating the area.

However, the smell of burning and oil wafting from every direction was harder to endure than expected.

Particularly, the burnt stench was so intense it made my head spin.

"This won’t do. Only Cain-ssi and I will go from here. The rest of you please wait here with the kids."

"Understood."

Deep inside the forest, I had no choice but to accompany only Cain.

He was one of the strongest among us, and above all, he possessed a horse.

"Bbareumbo. Put on a gas mask too."

"...."

"...I’ll put it on for you, so make a sign if it’s uncomfortable."

I had brought gas masks specifically for situations like this. I personally fitted the gas mask onto sluggish Bbareumbo.

After placing it on Bbareumbo, I checked if he had any discomfort and whether the mask functioned properly.

Fortunately, the gas mask didn’t seem defective. A narrowed field of vision was unavoidable, but we just had to tolerate that much.

"Nothing uncomfortable, right?"

"...."

Bbareumbo, wearing the gas mask, gave a slow nod.

Though Bbareumbo was the strongest here, toxic gas could be lethal regardless of physical strength.

This wasn’t just my opinion, but that of numerous experienced veterans like Ludwig.

’Even if you can hold your breath, living without breathing entirely is impossible.’

Before Immunity to All Poisons, it was a fundamental matter of breathing. As long as one was born human, living without breathing was impossible.

After double-checking the gas mask’s performance multiple times, I headed to the location where the Shadow Tree had been.

’No beasts ambushing us.’

Perhaps because the shadow covering the whole forest was gone, no beasts or monsters ambushed us.

A relief if it was one, but we couldn’t let our guard down. There might be creatures like those white birds again.

Moreover, since the gas mask narrowed my vision, I had to keep my senses on high alert.

[The Sky Whale must have sprayed a lot of water. Every tree is thoroughly drenched.]

Just as Cain said, the entire forest was dripping wet.

The water cannons shot by the Sky Whale didn’t seem like much to it, but that was strictly by the Sky Whale’s standards.

From the forest’s perspective, it was no different from a pouring waterfall, far exceeding a mere downpour.

’Just how much water did it spray to extinguish oil-soaked flames?’

While a few spots still smoldered, the whole forest was already damp, so there was no danger of fire spreading.

Still, just in case, I covered them with dirt. It was absolutely NOT because I was walking on eggshells around the Sky Whale.

[You were gleefully splashing oil earlier, is your conscience pricking you now?]

"Quiet down."

Cain smirked and teased me, but I ignored him lightly.

Passing through the progressively thickening smoke and oil stench, we reached the spot where the Shadow Tree... or rather, where the Shadow Tree used to be.

The Shadow Tree, which like the Immortal Herb was hard to tell apart as plant or animal, had vanished without a trace.

Only wood fragments—whether charred or originally black—were scattered everywhere.

No life signs could be detected at all. The white birds were nowhere to be seen either, having fled or died in that explosion.

’Are there any by-products left behind by this guy?’

This thing had blanketed the entire forest in darkness. There ought to be at least something akin to an Inner Core.

’Is this it?’

There was one. But it was a bit strange.

Usually, an Inner Core radiated light from concentrated powerful energy, but this was the exact opposite.

It was identical in being a round sphere, but it was almost like it had a matte finish.

Pitch black as night, who knew what consequences swallowing it would bring.

"Hmm... It’s not a black pearl, right?"

└ Sword Matstar: Black pearls aren’t that jet black.

└ Passing Dwarf: Blacker than stout beer.

└ Starlight Lady: Why do you compare everything in the world to alcohol?;’

└ Passing Dwarf: ’Cause it’s easy?

└ Heavenly Demon: It appears to be steeped in murky energy. It would be best to absorb it after purifying it if possible.

"Is there a way to purify it?"

└ Heavenly Demon: If I could, I would do it myself, but unfortunately the situation isn’t suitable. If you wish, I shall ask an aide.

└ Smart Demon: Just ask me instead. I’ll handle it quickly for you.

Other regulars replied one after another, offering to solve it.

I deliberated on whom to ask before postponing it for later.

It wasn’t urgent, nor had it harmed me yet.

’Still, just in case, let’s store it in the Subspace Backpack.’

I placed the black pearl into the Subspace Backpack and looked around.

Due to the explosion earlier, an open clearing had been generated around the spot where the Shadow Tree once stood.

Searching the perimeter yielded the same results. Though animal corpses were visible occasionally, there was nothing significant.

’At this rate, it should be fine to bring the others over?’

With that thought, I took off my gas mask to test if breathing was clear.

"Ugh...!"

And the moment I caught a whiff, I nearly threw up everything inside my stomach.This chapter is updated first at NovelPing.

Calling it simply foul wasn’t enough. A stench that terrible literally battered my sense of smell.

I hurriedly put the gas mask back on and calmed my breathing. Dizziness washed over me instantly.

"Uggg..."

[Is the stench severe?]

"Yes. Beyond imagination."

It wasn’t just a simple bad smell; sheer repulsion washed over me.

Everyone knows the foul stench of burping after indigestion.

Take that and concentrate it tenfold. That’s the best my descriptive powers can do.

’We can’t explore here, if only because of the stench.’

Seeing how dizziness set in immediately upon smelling it, this was no ordinary foul odor.

It seemed at least a day would have to pass for it to thin out.

’Seriously, without gas masks, we couldn’t have even come this far.’

I extended my heartfelt gratitude to Princess Chaenggu.

Princess Chaenggu, seemingly pleased by my gratitude, gave a soft giggle.

└ Princess Chaenggu: If you’re grateful, what should you say?

"Go Chaeyu!"

└ Princess Chaenggu: Haha, thank you!

└ King Reor: Speaking of which, isn’t the match tomorrow? If they lose, they can’t advance to the Master Cup lol

└ Princess Chaenggu: Grylls-nim cheered for them, so they’ll definitely win, hehe.

Did she think I was some kind of fairy of victory?

I chuckled softly and returned to the party to offer a rough explanation.

Explaining that passing through this forest was impossible because the stench was far too severe.

I proposed ending the exploration here or looking around elsewhere.

"Since we have the boar, going back is best. It’d be a waste if that rots."

"Agreed. A substantial amount of food went into procuring it, so preservation is essential."

Lackey and Ludwig voted to end the exploration.

There was no need to rush around, and preserving more food was necessary.

"Ah, right. Dwarf. Did you finish making the items I requested?"

└ Passing Dwarf: Yep, finished everything. Go receive them.

Just in time, the items I requested from the Dwarf were also completed.

Accordingly, I decided to return immediately. The dizziness still hadn’t faded.

"Lackey. By any chance, is there magic to reduce weight?"

"Wait."

Before transporting the wild boar, I asked in hopes of moving it more comfortably.

Hearing my words, Lackey took out a grimoire from the Subspace Backpack. The grimoire given by Necromancy is Love.

Lick—

Licking his finger the moment he opened the book. Observing his actions, he was undeniably humanlike.

While I let out a dry laugh watching him, Lackey pointed at a section with his finger.

"There is. But it is difficult magic."

"That means you can do it, right? Give it a try."

"I will take out the staff."

Was it magic so difficult he needed to pull out the staff? Being ignorant of magic, I quietly watched.

└ Starlight Lady: Weight reduction magic should be easy though?

"Isn’t that strictly by your standards, Starlight Lady-nim?"

└ Starlight Lady: Ah.

Leaving Starlight Lady’s cute response behind, I watched Lackey’s magic.

Using the grimoire as a cheat sheet to perform calculations looked quite bizarre.

Then again, where would magic-casting gorillas be common? I should just watch.

"#%% @#$!"

Paat!

Lackey chanted incantations while clutching the national-authority-level staff.

Light emanated from the staff and soon began enveloping the giant boar.

Just when I wondered if this was really all, a change occurred with the boar.

Float—

"Uh, uhhh?"

The massive wild boar began floating up into the sky.

Flustered for a second, I managed to grab it somehow. Wonderfully, no weight could be felt at all.

"What kind of magic did you cast?!"

"Zero-gravity magic."

"I told you to reduce the weight, why use that?!"

"Isn’t this better?"

Lackey scratched his head in confusion. Put like that, I was left speechless.

In reality, trailing it along like a balloon was several times more convenient.

"What’s the duration of this, how many hours?"This chapter was taken from novelping(.)com without permission.

"5 minutes is maximum."

"Thank goodness. Let’s move fast."

Next, asking Cheongseol, we returned to the Shelter... no, first stopped briefly at the Cave of Clear Sky Stalactite Oil.

’Because I need to give it to Asella.’

Earlier, Asella sent me a message saying Empty Sky Stone Milk was far beyond Holy Water.

Beyond curing dementia, it cured patients suffering from intellectual disabilities altogether.

Such incredible effects astonished even me. It essentially meant curing almost all mental-related illnesses.

’Though it couldn’t be helped for PTSD.’

However, unlike other mental conditions, PTSD couldn’t be completely cured.

While symptoms stemming from PTSD improved, wounds of the heart couldn’t be healed.

Indeed, since that was closer to a ’scar’ than a ’wound,’ it was an inevitable limitation.

’Still, this is amazing.’

It was great that I could freely distribute it using the Hero’s name.

Even if suspected, feigning ignorance was enough.

’The only variable would be our soft-hearted Hero declaring a conscience confession?’

Even when that time comes, I plan to play dumb consistently.

Since its performance was practically a cheat, monopolizing Empty Sky Stone Milk might bring trouble, but I didn’t think Asella would sell it out of personal greed.

With her trademark gullible pushover nature, she was someone who’d give it away freely rather than charge money for it.

└ Passing Dwarf: Oh. Giving it to me? I happened to need a hangover cure.

"Just drink honey water and go to sleep."

Ignoring the Dwarf counting his chickens before they hatched, I returned to the Shelter.

Returning to the Shelter, the Hobgoblins were gathered harmoniously, eating something.

I told them they could take anything from the warehouse once work was done, so I didn’t mind.

"Sweet potato! Sweet potato kar hokra!"

"Kero! Kero!"

"Kero!"

Apparently, they were eating sweet potatoes. Seeing Lackey go wild confirmed it.

Sweet potatoes grow rapidly as long as you plant them, so why get so angry?

Besides, those might not even be sweet potatoes grown on our land.

Didn’t we give seeds and crop stocks to the Hobgoblins too?

’Greedy as always.’

Still, satisfying that greed yielded loyal service, so it was a net gain.

Commanding top-tier labor and magic expertise for a few sweet potatoes? Anyone would hire him.

"Lackey. Cut it out and get ready to butcher..."

Rustle— Rustle—

Just as I was about to disembowel the wild boar still floating like a balloon...

A rustling sound caught my ear, and I looked back.

Paseuseuseu—

"Uh..."

Branches were reaching out from the World Tree.

Previously it extended roots, but this time it was openly reaching out with branches.

As I stared blankly at the sight, the World Tree stealthily rummaged through my Subspace Backpack.

Soon, it pulled out the Shadow Tree’s Inner Core lying quietly inside the Subspace Backpack.

Woooong!!!

The matte black Inner Core vibrated intensely. Just like the Immortal Herb’s core I saw before.

Was it a core rather than an Inner Core? I watched the scene silently.

Sliiiip—

A moment later, the World Tree wrapped its branches entirely around the Shadow Tree’s Inner Core—no, core.

The core struggled frantically to escape, but the World Tree didn’t budge an inch.

Maintaining that grip, it pulled its branches back, bringing the core into its lush foliage.

[Burp.]

"...?"

What did I just hear? Did it just burp?

While I was stunned by the unbelievable phenomenon, black energy flowed out from the World Tree.

No, it was closer to powder than energy. It was like shadows completely dispersing.

Thud! Roll, roll, roll—

When the powder completely scattered and vanished, something fell from between the lush leaves.

A round sphere-shaped object rolled over and touched my foot.

Gleam! Gleam!

Unlike the dull, matte core, this was an Inner Core radiating a beautiful color.

I picked up the Inner Core and stared at the World Tree. Did it undergo a purification process all on its own?

While harboring such thoughts, a massive transformation occurred in the World Tree.

Sssuuuk—

On the branches, something other than leaves seemed to wriggle, and then...

Paat! Pat!

Soon, colorful flowers began to bloom one by one.