I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 389

Ash crossed her arms and looked up at the sky.

In the sky, right above the Magic Tower, a colossal vessel floated serenely.

Having once been a soldier, she knew a fair bit about types of ships, but her knowledge was not particularly deep.

From the beginning, the army and navy were fundamentally different. As an army veteran, Ash only knew about naval vessels on a surface level.

’Should that thing even be classified as a ship in the first place?’

In appearance, it was definitely a ship. However, ships were generally means of transportation that floated on the sea.

Flying through the sky was supposed to be impossible. Seeing that impossible reality unfold right before her eyes brought out nothing but awe.

Since she had already pieced together the situation, she roughly knew the cause behind the ghost ship’s appearance.

Without a doubt, Grylls must have tampered with something.

’It would be best to return to the Empire for now, but...’

The ghost ships had appeared not only in the Iris Kingdom but also in the Messiah Empire.

In fact, perhaps because the Empire’s territory was so vast, as many as two had appeared there.

Accordingly, returning immediately just in case was the proper course of action, but that too was ambiguous.

Ash was someone who had already stepped down from the front lines. Unless it was an extraordinary crisis, she had no reason to step up first.

If she stepped forward unnecessarily, people might think she was returning to active duty, which would be its own headache.

Thus, she intended to wait quietly until the Empire reached out through emergency communications.

"Kadir-nim. Is this really fine? Don’t you need the King’s permission?"

"Hoho. It is quite fine. We will simply talk and be done, so do not worry too much."

While Ash watched the ghost ship, Selena and Kadir were making preparations.

Specifically, preparing to converse with the ghost ship. Ash could not comprehend these two geniuses.

Kadir was one thing for causing trouble, but Selena didn’t actively stop him either.

Even the part she was worrying about wasn’t conversing with the ghost ship, but obtaining permission from the Iris Kingdom.

’Honestly, it’s not like I’m completely uninterested, but...’

A precedent had already been set by the Elf Queen. Ash checked the Gallery.

No matter what kind of magic she pulled off, the Elf Queen, Elia, had reached an agreement with a ghost ship.

Because of that, one of the ghost ships had currently ’settled’ in Alfheim. This proved that communication was possible.

Besides that, in Mountain, the ghost ship was providing significant help to miners and handing out tools.

Though called a ghost ship, evidence that it possessed intellectual capabilities was emerging one after another.

Wiiiiing—

It was while she was quietly watching that the ghost ship took action.

A thin mechanical arm stealthily descended. At that sight, Ash instinctively raised her guard.

The same went for Selena and Kadir, who were preparing to board the ghost ship.

Even though Kadir harbored curiosity, he did not lower his caution.

"...What is it trying to do?"

"I am not quite sure myself. It might be conducting a scan."

The mechanical arm extending from the ghost ship soon approached Kadir’s vicinity.

A lens was attached at the end of the mechanical arm, and it seemed to observe through it.

Wiiing— Wiing—

After scanning Kadir for a long while, the mechanical arm turned toward another location.

The destination the mechanical arm reached was surprisingly toward Ash, who had been watching them from a distance.

As the tentacle-like mechanical arm approached, Ash drew up her mana.

She intended to react immediately the moment it took any unexpected action.

Jiiiiing—

A strange light was projected from the mechanical arm’s lens. It was a green light.

A horizontal green line swept down Ash’s body, starting from the crown of her head to her feet.

It was as though it was analyzing her body. At this, Ash furrowed her brows.

"...What on earth is this?"

[Verification complete. Closest match to pure humanity.]

"What are you talking about..."

[Translating. Presumed to be the language of primitive humanity. Initiating translation and interpretation.]

Wiiiiing—

It was while a sequence of words incomprehensible to Ash continued.

A peculiar light shone from the lens, and soon a single figure materialized.

The light wasn’t pointing at Ash, but directed toward the ground. And that light soon transformed into a human form.

[Pleased to meet you. I am Jaina, a secondary vessel under Gigas.]

"Huh? Our language..."

[Could you inform me of your name? O one who is closest to pure humanity-isiyeo.]Follow the newest chapters on novelping(.)com.

Although they could communicate, setting that aside, incomprehensible terms poured out one after another.

Even so, Ash instinctively realized that the other party had no hostile intent.

In fact, unlike the other ghost ships, it had initiated a request for ’dialogue’ first. It was strange.

"My name is Ash Menethil. A knight of the Messiah Empire."

[Confirmed. Ash Menethil. I wish to present a proposal to you.]

"A proposal?"

When the ghost ship presented a proposal first, Ash’s eyes widened.

This was the same for Selena and Kadir. It was difficult to grasp what on earth was happening.

[Please assist me in achieving the primary objective assigned to me: returning to the mothership.]

"Mothership? Do you mean the ship carrying the commander?"

[Similar. Currently, a signal from the mothership indicating the discovery of pure humanity has been received. However, it cannot be located at present.]

Following that, Jaina looked straight at Ash and extended the proposal.

[Genetically, you are the most similar to pure humanity. You can serve as a compass.]

"Pure humanity? A compass? Could you please explain in terms I can understand?"

[The ones who created us are pure humans, while the humans who originally existed in this world are primitive humans.]

"Could you be referring to the gods by any chance?"

Selena, who was listening to the conversation, chimed in.

At that, Jaina glanced at her and quietly replied.

[Correction. They are not gods, but pure humans.]

"So they’re gods in the end. In that case..."

"..."

Selena stared at Ash with wide, surprised eyes. Ash also wore a visibly flustered expression.

What Jaina was saying amounted to this: You are a descendant of the gods.

To be precise, it had declared her as the human closest to the gods.

It was a highly dangerous statement, and one that could be the truth.

Especially given Ash’s personality, which despised getting wrapped up in troublesome matters, this was absolute chaotic confusion.

After a brief moment of her mind going faint, Ash asked in an urgent voice.

"...Just what about me looks closest to them? Give me a reason."

[The gene friendly with the miracle energy, mana, has manifested most strongly. You are the result pure humanity desired.]

"This damn constitution..."

Ash grimaced. She understood why it treated her as a pure human.

A constitution where mana accumulated steadily just by breathing. It was this constitution that caught the ghost ship’s eye.

"That means the gods desired a constitution like Ash-nim’s."

Kadir summarized based on the information revealed so far.

[Correct.]

"What on earth is the reason?"

[That is Class 1 Classified. I cannot inform you.]

At the mention of Class 1 Classified, Kadir voiced deep disappointment.

At the same time, it was intriguing. It felt as though he had learned one of the gods’ objectives.

Moreover, it was declared that one of those results was Ash. It was impossible not to be excited.

Of course, apart from that, Ash’s own intent was what mattered most. This was something Ash herself recognized as well.

"So, are you saying you want to take me with you?"

[That is correct. I propose that you return to the mothership with me.]

She knew where that mothership was located. The Forest of the Four Seasons.

Since the ghost ships appeared after Grylls heavily damaged the Mechanical Kraken, she caught on instantly.

That being said, telling it the mothership’s location? If she did that, it could cause harm to Grylls.

In addition, it could inflict considerable damage on the Empire. It was difficult to follow blindly.

"I must decline. Even if you are a creation of a god, what cannot be done, cannot be done."

[Is there anything you desire?]

If there was something she desired, it was just one thing: finding a suitable marriage partner for herself.

She couldn’t very well say that out loud. Ash waved her hand and replied.

"Nothing at the moment. Don’t be a nuisance and go on your way."

[Understood. After returning to the mothership, I shall propose again.]

Wiiiiing—

Fortunately, as the ghost ship stepped back obediently, no bloodshed occurred.

Ash looked up at the ghost ship retracting its mechanical arm.

The ghost ship had uttered enigmatic statements in many ways. Questions arising were far more than just one or two.Read the latest chapters at NovelPing.

’Pure humans... does that mean the gods all had a constitution similar to mine?’

Come to think of it, if that wasn’t the case, they wouldn’t have been able to defeat the dragons who ruled the world.

Even Aris alone fought battles against countless dragons, didn’t she?

’There’s a high probability Grylls has a constitution similar to mine too... I really don’t know.’

She had no idea what the purpose was. Ash scratched her head.

"...By the way, where did Kadir-nim go?"

"He flew up toward the ghost ship earlier."

"What were you doing without stopping him?"

"He flew off before I even had time to stop him."

"..."

Ash maintained a vigilant stance continuously until Kadir returned.

I monitored the movements of the ghost ships that had appeared across various parts of the world through the Gallery.

I couldn’t tell whether all of them had appeared to beat the crap out of me, or if it was simply because their mothership had been half-destroyed.

At least a stroke of luck amid misfortune was that they hadn’t been able to locate the mothership’s position.

If they had located the mothership, they would have charged into the Forest of the Four Seasons immediately.

’Even with space being unstable in the Forest of the Four Seasons, they’d probably locate its position eventually.’

No matter how unstable the Forest of the Four Seasons was, spatial transportation was possible if certain conditions were met.

Such as tearing through dimensions entirely like Nidhogg’s kind, or penetrating through the atmosphere.

In the case of ghost ships, they seemed capable of meeting both. First of all, the fact that a ship was flying in the sky was a problem in itself.

’Airplanes fly using powerful engines and lift, but those things...’

Honestly speaking, a flying ship was scientifically near impossible.

Yet Earth’s humanity had made it possible. What was even more shocking was that those weren’t combat vessels.

The moment a vessel built specifically for combat appeared, shit could truly hit the fan.

[Wild Grylls: Orange Badge-nim, you don’t have any issues, right? Other places are in total chaos right now.]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: Um...! Rather than a problem arising, a strange thing happened!]

[Wild Grylls: What happened?]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: (Photo of boarding the ghost ship)]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: (Video of walking around onboard the ghost ship)]

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: The ghost ship became my personal vessel!]

[Wild Grylls: ????]

What was even more shocking was Asella’s eccentric behavior—or lack thereof.

Even Alfheim had obtained consent from their ghost ship through a deal. But not Asella.

[Don’t Abandon the Hero: When I showed it the Holy Sword, it told me to do whatever I wanted! So I asked it to protect the Holy Kingdom!]

[Wild Grylls: What the hell;;]

Supposedly she transferred ownership through the Holy Sword or whatever.

Since the Holy Sword was Aris’s weapon, it was a highly plausible story.

Well, whatever... it was a relief that no major problems arose. Several nations were causing mass chaos fighting their ghost ships.

Fortunately, the ghost ships’ combat capabilities weren’t very high, so everyone apparently shot them down.

It seemed they were able to secure technological prowess through the shot-down ghost ships.

’I should just stick to my job.’

With the help of the hobgoblins, I rebuilt the collapsed house and food storage unit.

The goblin sent on reconnaissance to the gorilla territory had also returned. He reported that there were no notable changes yet.

Looking at it, that remnant of the Blood Cult, Gu-chil, seemed to be living quite well in his own way.

Of course, since I didn’t know how he might act later, maintaining vigilance was essential.

’Holding the gastrolith in my mouth...’

I closed my eyes while holding the gastrolith inside my mouth.

The effect of the gastrolith was truly amazing; simply holding it in my mouth caused the efficiency of my Mental Cultivation Method to skyrocket.

Should I say far more mana accumulated inside than before? Thanks to that, I steadily practiced my Mental Cultivation Method once a day.

As time passed and countermeasures for the ghost ships were established around then, I resolved to head out on exploration again.

’I need to stick to my main gig. Even if something weird pops up, let’s just brush it off.’

I started from the save point(?) I hit earlier. It was to return the books to Alex.

After returning the books like that, I continued my exploration. I wondered what would pop up this time.

"...I didn’t expect this."

[Did the world you used to live in happen to have a group prayer culture as well?]

"It existed, but it wasn’t a mess like this."

I stumbled upon a heap of bones that looked as if they were worshipping something.