I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 39

There’s a saying: "If you don’t have teeth, use your gums."

It means if your best option is gone, work out a second-best plan.

Now that my optimal option of magic had vanished, I needed to pick a secondary alternative.

A magic that was magic, but with a bit of physics mixed in.

Similar to Fireball, but a magic with slightly different properties.

Pop!

I laboriously pulled out the cork stopper that was jammed deep into the bottle neck.

Thanks to the dwarf giving me an opener alongside the liquor, I was able to uncork it.

"Keu...!"

The moment I popped the cork, I couldn’t help grimacing.

I didn’t know how on earth to describe this sensation.

A feeling as if a hideous stench of alcohol was violently pummeling my sense of smell.

Like hired thugs barging in and forcibly shoving aside every other scent.

"Keu-eo!"

It was so bad that even Speed Sloth, clinging to my back, gasped in horror.

Seeing the usually silent fellow holding its nose meant it must be truly appalling.

’He gave me this to drink? It feels like straight poison?’

I was deeply curious about the alcohol proof. It must be astronomically high.

At this level, it felt like I’d only need to mix in a tiny bit of oil.

’Should I just take a tiny sip to taste?’

It was a waste to just throw it away, so I intended to try just one mouthful.

Even if I got drunk, there was no problem. Because I had the Internal Cultivation Art.

I had vaguely heard that operating the Mental Cultivation Method chased away intoxication.

I stared at the alcohol still spewing out a hideous stench of spirit, then quietly raised it to my mouth.

Gulp—

Taking a single gulp, surprisingly, I tasted sweetness.

While there was the signature bitterness of alcohol, the sweet aroma was stronger.

’This is actually pretty good?’

At this rate, I could drink it like a soft drink. That’s what I thought.

For exactly two seconds.

"Heu-eo! Eu-heo-o-o-o!"

Weird. I clearly swallowed a liquid, so why does my throat feel like it’s ablaze?

Did I swallow fire? No, did I drink hydrochloric acid instead of fire?

I clutched my neck in agony. And then I realized.

That dwarf bastard actually gifted me straight-up poison!

Right after that realization came a mortal crisis. I couldn’t die like this.

Just as I fumbled around the ground searching for an Elixir, before long, the pain gradually began to subside.

If the pain hadn’t subsided, it was severe enough that I would have consumed an Elixir.

"Ughhh..."

I caressed my throat, which was still stinging. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Whatever that dwarf gave me, it was poison itself, not alcohol.

Otherwise, my throat wouldn’t hurt like I had severe acid reflux.

Without exaggeration, drinking pure hydrochloric acid wouldn’t hurt this badly.

’The dwarf wouldn’t have given me poison out of insanity...’

Do they actually drink that as booze? A profound sense of respect welled up within me.

I let out a sigh and stepped outside for a moment to drink water.

After drinking water from the hose, the burning agony finally subsided.

’I bet even just that liquor would catch fire easily?’

It didn’t seem necessary to fill it completely with oil.

The muscle mushroom was ultimately a mushroom, so it would catch fire easily.

If I filled it with oil and the fire spread out of control, it would be troublesome.

’Let’s check if it ignites well first.’

After returning inside the cave, I poured a small splash of liquor on the ground.

Next, I brought an Ignition Stone against a wooden stick I picked up. Since it was dry wood, it ignited quickly.

Directly applying the Ignition Stone might have been dangerous, so taking this extra effort was essential.

Fwooosh!

"Oh."

The moment I brought the flame close, it burst into bright flames.

Being extremely high proof, it seemed to catch fire exceptionally well.

With this, tossing the booze outright wouldn’t pose any problem.

’Come to think of it, the bottle is glass too? Awesome.’

Now that efficacy was verified, all that remained was crafting.

Making a Molotov cocktail was simple yet surprisingly tricky.

If I messed up, my own body could burst into flames. The power was no joke either.

I remembered hearing it was used effectively to destroy tanks in wartime.

’First, let’s get some oil.’

I planned to mix oil and alcohol in proper proportions.

As I said earlier, filling it entirely with oil might lead to unpredictable hazards.

At the very least, I should be able to extinguish it easily when needed.

’And add some sand too.’

A combination of sticky oil and sand sounded like the perfect touch.

For oil, I got vegetable oil. They were selling it on the Auction House.

For sand, I gathered whatever was scattered around, dried it, and put it in.

Finally, the most important element: the wick. This part was a bit confusing.

’If it burns too fast, I’m in danger.’

It needed to burn reasonably slow while igniting easily.

Considering all that, cloth was the best choice. Still, I had to test it out.

I bought scrap paper, old newspapers, cloth, and other flammable materials from the Auction House.

’As expected, cloth is the safest.’

The test results proved that cloth was the most suitable.

I immediately stuffed a piece of cloth into the mouth of the bottle. Even using chopsticks, it was quite tough to jam it in.

Finally, I inverted the bottle to verify if the liquid inside leaked out.

Thanks to the thick fabric, there didn’t seem to be any leaks.You are reading on novelpi⁠ng.com, the official source.

Learned Fireball.

(Picture of a improvised Molotov cocktail)

Call me the Fire Mage from now on.

L Passing Dwarf) ??? Isn’t that the liquor I gave you?

L Wild Grylls) Yeah, it is. It was fucking strong lol

L Passing Dwarf) Don’t tell me you threw it out without even drinking it?

L Wild Grylls) Nope, took one gulp. Thought I was gonna die lol

L Passing Dwarf) Damn, assassination failed

L Wild Grylls) Are you insane lol who drinks that as booze? I’d rather drink rubbing alcohol.

L Passing Dwarf) It’s pretty expensive though kek

L Why did you make a Molotov cocktail? What are you gonna do?

L Wild Grylls) To catch the Mushroom Person. If its body catches fire, won’t the spores burn up automatically?

L It is a straightforward approach. Didn’t expect you to make a Molotov cocktail though;;

L Wild Grylls) How do people usually catch it? Mages?

L Usually just toss an oil bottle then toss a torch. That’s safer.

L Since Grylls is alone, that might actually be better for him.

L Mage (Physical) kakaka

L Starlight Lady) Fireball is really easy though... It’s not hard...

L Wild Grylls) Teacher?

L Starlight Lady) No, nothing. I’m just a bit bummed out. Realizing the mystery of magic step-by-step feels incredibly gratifying.

L Is this magic (math)?

L Magic has always been advanced math study

L What did you mix? Did you put in oil?

L Wild Grylls) Filled half with oil, the rest is booze and sand. If the fire spreads elsewhere, I’d be fucked.

L Don’t tell me you plan to burn everything then pour water?

L Wild Grylls) I’ll cover it with sand. I’m not that stupid.

L You know your stuff? Almost reported you as an arsonist lol

L Wild Grylls) Go ahead and report me. That’d be awesome for me kakaka

L Euk lololol

L kakaka

L lol

L Allfather: If the Mushroom Person catches fire, you’d better be careful. The moment it scatters spores, it will explode.

L Wild Grylls) I’ll be careful. Are spores really weak to fire?

L Allfather: They are weak, but it’s more like an instinct. Scattering offspring when life is in danger is a basic instinct of living creatures.

L Wild Grylls) Thanks for the advice. Heading off to hunt it right away.

L Do you really have to hunt it?

L Wild Grylls) Yeah, rabbits pass through there so I have to clear it to lay traps.

L Can’t be helped then.

L Praise the Sun: Are you gonna use the Golden Shield I gave you?

L Wild Grylls) Gotta bring it for now. Even blocking just one hit helps.

L Praise the Sun: I’ll give you a better shield later. Hang tight.

L Wild Grylls) I’m fine though...

L Praise the Sun: Well, I’m not fine with it.

Preparation was complete. All that remained was gearing up properly.

Crossbow wasn’t needed, so I packed everything else.

However, the Molotov was somewhat awkward to carry, so I felt I’d need to buy a small bag.

’Let’s just get any decent one.’

I acquired a small pouch from the Auction House. A pouch that could be strapped to the waist.

Inside, I stored the Molotov cocktail and the Elixir. Just in case, I also tucked in the bottle containing extra oil.

I thought that was all, but an unexpected item popped into my mind.

’Ah. I need a shovel too.’

A shovel to smother the fire. That was necessary.

Sword and shield in each hand, shovel slung across my back—and finished.

Now it was time to hunt the muscle mushroom.

"Guard the house well."

"...."

Entrusting the house to Speed Sloth, who had climbed down from my back at some point, I stepped forth.

Wonmo was peacefully taking an afternoon nap even as I departed. He’s cute, so I’ll let it slide.

All preparations were complete. With a slightly nervous heart, I set out.

Only by defeating the muscle mushroom could I lay traps and catch small animals around it.

Along the way, I could also inspect the inside of the cave blocked by the mushroom.

’What’s inside?’

Truth be told, traps were traps, but I was also curious about the inside of the cave.

There had to be a reason the muscle mushroom was blocking it.

’It’s not something like a dungeon, right? With the mushroom being a literal gatekeeper.’

If so, it would be no different from poking a hornet’s nest.

As the old saying goes: curiosity killed the cat.

Half filled with anxiety and half with anticipation, I headed toward the location of the muscle mushroom.

Rustle—

On the way, something popped out from the bushes.

Long ears and a cute, dainty appearance.

"Kki-ik?"

It was a rabbit. A rabbit had suddenly appeared.

The moment it saw me, it raised its posture tall. Its long ears stood upright too.

Anyone could see it was on high alert. Yet its mouth nibbling away was undeniably cute.

"Whoa there. Go away. Shoo. Shoo."

Since I had no intention of hunting it right now, I nudged it lightly with my sword.

Did even that action feel like a threat to the rabbit?

Kkang!

The rabbit violently kicked the sword with its foot. Not the blade, but the flat of the sword.Get faster updates on novelp⁠ing.com.

As the crisp metallic ring proved, it was a blow carrying tremendous force.

It was so powerful that I lost my balance and stumbled.

"No, what the..."

Watching the rabbit bolt into the thicket, I couldn’t conceal my utter bewilderment.

I almost got knocked over by a single kick.

Even if it was a rabbit, a rabbit inhabiting the Forest of the Four Seasons was built different.

Getting hit directly by that kick would at least fracture a bone.

’Seriously, what kind of ridiculous forest is this?’

Now even rabbits were dangerous. Unbelievable.

Looks like if I set traps, I’ll need high-lethal types.

Otherwise, that rabbit fellow will smash all the traps to bits.

My head was already throbbing, but right now, hunting the mushroom took priority.

"...Found it."

Tracing the familiar path, I arrived at the location of the muscle mushroom.

It was still posted in front of the cave like a gatekeeper.

As long as I didn’t get close, it wouldn’t awaken. I carefully pulled out the Molotov cocktail from my bag.

Tadak!

Sparking the wick with the Ignition Stone, it began to burn intensely.

I stared at the muscle mushroom, which remained completely motionless.

As expected, it seemed to be the type that only stood up when approached.

"Euryah!"

With a spirited yell, I hurled the Molotov cocktail with all my might.

The Molotov flew through the air, spinning rings of fire.

Up until the moment the bottle flew near, the muscle mushroom remained rooted to the ground.

Shatter!

Before long, the Molotov slammed into the mushroom’s torso and shattered into pieces.

Fwooooosh!

A colossal inferno began engulfing the entire mushroom.

The highly flammable oil and liquor fed the raging flames bigger and hotter, while the sand stuck to it stickily.

"Kuu-uuu-uuu!"

Feeling threatened, the muscle mushroom began yanking its limbs out of the ground.

Without missing that opening, I rushed in as planned.

The fire was hot, but since it was just a quick strike, it was manageable.

Slash!

Before one leg could fully break free, I severed it with my sword.

Muscle-bound as it was, losing a leg meant falling down.

Thud!

Deprived of one leg, the muscle mushroom collapsed onto the ground.

The flames blazed even more fiercely.

Pau-bang!

"Ugh!"

Then, out of nowhere, small explosions detonated.

Thank goodness I had stepped back, or I would’ve been caught in it.

Even if the blast was only at firecracker level, burns were fatal injuries.

’It scattered spores.’

Allfather’s advice hit the mark.

It seemed that attempting to spread spores for offspring backfired as they all exploded in the fire.

It squirmed around for a while, settling down only after its entire body was enveloped in flames.

Perhaps because it was a mushroom, the smell of it burning wasn’t offensive, but surprisingly fragrant.

’Not that I plan on eating it.’

Thanks to the strategy devised in advance, it was defeated easily.

Still, I intended to wait a little longer to confirm the kill.

Crackle! Crackle!

Time passed, and the muscle mushroom was charred pitch-black. The fire gradually began to die out.

Thinking this was enough, I unslung the shovel from my back.

Next, I covered it with sand to extinguish the fire cleanly.

’Beasts might catch the scent and come over.’

Because of the fragrant aroma, it might draw the attention of wild beasts.

After pondering what to do, I decided to clear the mushroom away.

’There might still be embers, so I’ll shove it somewhere with less grass.’

Pushing it continuously with the shovel, I shoved it into a corner.

Even if beasts came, they’d be interested in the mushroom rather than the cave.

Cleanup complete, I peered into the cave that the muscle mushroom had been guarding.

Because the angle of sunlight didn’t align, the cave was pitch dark.

I could see ahead without issue even in dark places.

Still, for a proper investigation, a torch seemed necessary.

’Thankfully, I brought extra cloth scraps.’

I grabbed a thick branch off the ground.

Wrapping it with cloth, I ignited it using the Ignition Stone.

Fwooosh!

Lighting the torch, the interior of the cave brightened up instantly.

Overall, the inside was similar to where I lived.

Spacious in every dimension without lack, giving a sense of comfort.

’Not bad—’

Looking around the cave, I suddenly froze.

Thanks to the torch, I could discern what lay at the end of the cave.

It wasn’t a dangerous beast. It was just so eye-catching that it startled me.

Gleam! Gleam!

"...A mushroom?"

A golden mushroom was radiating a brilliant glow.

’Is it a poisonous mushroom?’

It looked so unappetizing that nobody in their right mind would want to eat it.