I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 498

Whenever a major battle took place and I lost consciousness from the aftermath, I seemed to dream.

Experiencing this repeatedly brought me to a state of certainty.

However, the confusion every time I dreamed remained unchanged. Especially in this dream, I was able to see nostalgic faces.

The priest who took care of me when I was wandering after my parents passed away. The friends I had been close with since school.

Me, who voluntarily walked into purgatory even after the war had ended.

’What kind of mindset made me do such a thing?’

Enlisting as a soldier, discharged, re-enlisting as an officer/NCO. Serving in special forces until war broke out.

Stopping a war alone was impossible, so let’s set that aside. But what came next was the problem.

Accepting a scout offer after the war ended to serve as an agent. Was there any other lunatic like this in the world?

Even while suffering severe trauma from the aftermath of war, stepping forward personally just to protect those around me.

’It’s not that I don’t understand, but....’

Even if I berated him as a crazy lunatic, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

Because even if I were in that situation right now, I would have willingly endured it. Just like I did here.

That personality of willingly taking on a task if only I could do it was no different past or present.

Ah. Should I call the era experienced in the dream ’the past’? I wasn’t sure.

Anyway, learning about my past through dreams changed nothing.

It was merely a mindset of ’Oh, such things happened~’. Mana didn’t even make an appearance.

Alex had mentioned before that mana was discovered as AI developed to the extreme.

Mana was utilized as a new energy source like electricity, but at some point Earth was destroyed.

I’d probably find out about that process eventually. Of course, that was assuming I passed out after a fight.

’Rather than fainting... it might be that my realm needs to advance step by step.’

When hit by the flame wave, I recovered with Elixirs and various herbs. Afterwards, I mastered potent regenerative abilities.

Same this time. My realm rose to escape the crisis.

I’d have to ask Heavenly Demon or the Sword Master for details, but a rise in realm was certain.

’It could be reasoned that I slowly regain memories only when there is noticeable growth....’

The issue was that unless it was a crisis, such occurrences were rare.

Tracing back the past required risking danger, but in this forest, survival had to be prioritized.

A contradiction of contradictions, but since crisis lurked everywhere in this forest anyway.

Meaning the probability of such an event occurring again anytime, anywhere was exceedingly high.

’...By the way, why can’t I open my eyes?’

What was more important was my present self. I remembered dealing a blow to the Colossus and hearing some roar in my ears.

Having heard the bones in my waist as well as both legs shattering, I must be gravely injured—no, in critical condition.

Consciousness was clearly present, yet I couldn’t twitch even a finger. I wanted to break free from this state.

Was the silver lining that I wasn’t dead and remained intact? If I had truly died, I couldn’t even dream.

Yet the situation of flailing in water remained unchanged. There was only one way to escape this state.

’Let’s move from the fingers first.’

Slowly moving from the tips of fingers or toes.

The easiest method, yet also the hardest. At the same time, the most effective method.

Even amidst the sensation of floating atop water, I circulated the mana within my body.

Since only my consciousness had awoken, this was the best I could do. And then I realized.

’...What’s wrong with my body?’

That my current bodily condition was far worse than imagined.

There were the Conception and Governing Vessels, something Heavenly Demon had taught me before. The pathway called Mana Circuits in the West.

Whether these had widened or my realm had risen, mana circulated more smoothly than before.

The problem wasn’t here, but the bones. My bones had shattered into pieces like brittle crackers.

Not only my limbs, but down to my spine. My spine in particular was a total wreck.

While other places retained some form, my spine was practically reduced to shrapnel.

At this rate, walking properly would be impossible. I couldn’t help but be terrified.

’The flame wave only burned skin and muscle so it was fine, but this is bone....’

Hardened as my External Arts were, taking a blow from the Colossus seemed to have been too much.

But I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t become a cripple like this.

Possessing extraordinary regenerative power, my bones would surely regenerate as well.

Ttududuk- ttuk-

As expected. Shortly after circulating mana, the fractured bones began interlocking.

Bones scattered like glass fragments slowly regained their original form.

Kkumteul!You are reading on novelping . com, the official source.

’!!!’

As the bones set, nerves naturally reconnected. An agonizing pain surged through me, almost snapping my eyes wide open.

Yet because my body was such a battered wreck, twitching was utterly impossible.

Thus, very slowly, bones began setting, and sensation returned.

The inability to move the tips of my fingers and toes seemed to be because the nerves were damaged.

Shaaaa-

That wasn’t all. Something flowed into my mouth. Surprisingly, I could taste it.

A taste balancing sweetness and bitterness harmoniously. The taste of the Elixir I drank right before losing consciousness.

The moment I recognized it as Elixir, my body’s regenerative force surged dramatically. Whoever provided it gave timely assistance.

Thus, as bone fragments clicked back together, sensation returned and my mobility gradually increased.

Though the increased mobility was merely wiggling finger and toe tips, it was enough.

’Feels like sleep paralysis.’

Just moments ago it was a hopeless mess, but now a pinhole of light had opened.

Squeezing through that pinhole would allow me to open my eyes. I waited patiently.

A short while later, when the sensation of setting bones ceased and only mana circulation remained active:

"...."

Eyes that refused to open despite effort now opened naturally. Perhaps because they had been closed for so long, my vision was blurry.

Blurred as it was, something flickered in front of me. A colossal entity filling my vision.

Blinking several times, I checked what it was. My vision gradually brightened.

"...."

"...."

"...Tyranno?"

The head of a giant reptile. That head was gazing intently down at me.

The only reptile head I knew was Tyranno. But something was strange.

Whether my eyes were faulty or perspective was skewed,

even though it wasn’t right up close and stood a bit back, the head looked exceptionally massive.

-It seems you have regained consciousness.

A voice echoing inside my head rather than entering my ears.

Thanks to that voice, my addled mind gradually cleared up. It was a familiar voice.

Blinking once more, I verified the identity of the reptilian head. A head resembling Tyranno’s.

Yet below it was a human-like body. Scaled though it was, it had arms and legs.

"...Vanir?"

I asked with a lingering sense of doubt. Perhaps because I drank the Elixir earlier, my voice didn’t crack.

As if affirming my question, Vanir nodded her head.

To grasp how things unfolded, I slowly sat up.

Ukssin!

"Kkeooo...."

The sharp agony felt the moment I tried to sit up forced me to lie back down.

I thought it was fine since all the bones were set, but I was mistaken.

-You would do well to lie down for a while. You were little better than a walking corpse and have only barely entered recovery.

Vanir spoke beside me in a scolding tone. Indeed, I seemed to have moved too hastily.

All I could do now was roll my eyes around. Tilting my head slightly, I surveyed the surroundings.

’It’s our home.’

Though pitch black because it was night, I instantly recognized this as our home.

The other companions were asleep, and Bbareumbo was resting peacefully as well.

Apparently Vanir was standing watch. I turned my head to look at her.

A dragon’s head on a human body—unfamiliar no matter how often I saw it. An appearance fitting for a dragon.

"...How long was I laid up?"

-Three days. Surprisingly, your bones began setting from the second day.

"...My bones started setting from the second day?"

Astonishing. Subjectively it felt like less than an hour, but in reality it took a whole day.

Actually, setting in a single day was shockingly fast regardless of perception.

-It seemed you were setting them artificially rather than naturally. So I did not speak to you.

"I was conscious back then... you knew?"Find the original chapter at nove‌lping.com.

-Indeed.

So she was guarding me all along. Thinking that, I looked up at the ceiling.

More importantly, I was curious. What happened to the Colossus?

As I looked at Vanir with that gaze, she answered.

-There is no need to worry about that giant; I dealt with it. I bit off its head.

"Are you injured anywhere?"

-Amusing. The victim most severely injured worries about me?

"...."

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I forced my gaze away. Vanir chuckled.

-I have no injuries, so do not worry. The sword you threw inflicted a fatal blow upon that thing.

A fatal blow. The Sword of the Heavenly Demon I threw in a desperate struggle at the end must have hit its mark.

Vanir said that had it not been for that, there was a high probability even she would have lost.

"It was that strong?"

-I cannot be certain, but that giant seemed meticulously designed to kill our kind. Neither breath attacks nor magic worked, leaving no choice but to battle with pure physical force.

Come to think of it, that city itself was built to defend against dragons.

Since the entire city transformed into a Colossus, it could easily subjugate a single dragon.

Had I given up early on, we would have entered the worst-case scenario.

-You committed quite interesting deeds while I slept. Growing back the World Tree that was burned down, bringing along some lizard hatchling.

"...Excuse me, but aren’t you a type of lizard yourself?"

Nidhogg was a lizard, and Vanir was also a type of lizard.

Dumbfounded, when I asked, Vanir brought up a somewhat plausible point.

-That is what gods stipulated. It is a meaningless concept to us.

"...."

-I warn you in advance, do not call dragons other than myself ’lizards.’ That is no different from us calling humanity a lower species.

"So it’s racial—no, species discrimination. I’m sorry."

-It is fine. Unintentional rudeness mostly stems from ignorance.

Vanir coolly pardoned my rudeness. I smiled.

More important than that was my recovery. Looking up at the ceiling, I waited calmly.

According to Vanir, not only bones, but muscles were similarly torn to shreds.

"Ughhh... E-Elixir... do you have Elixir...?"

Indeed, as time passed, the muscle agony felt across my body was no joke.

Beyond mere throbbing, it was to the point of trembling violently.

Fortunate that Vanir nursed me; had no one been around, I would have been steeped in agony.

-Ah, right. I forgot. Thank you for saving my child.

Vanir expressed her gratitude while placing Elixir into my mouth.

I had my life saved by Vanir anyway, so calling it even was enough.

"By the way, there aren’t more guys that big, right?"

It was when the pain-relieving effect gained through the Elixir rendered me manageable. I questioned Vanir.

The Colossus was an entity strong enough to match a dragon. Had Vanir not been there, I would have surely died.

If there were more things similar to that, exploration toward the World Tree would have to be halted.

-I cannot say there are none. However, there will be none that reign with such absolute power as that thing.

"Roughly how strong are they?"

-It would be easier to picture if you imagine creatures like that sloth over there scattered all over the place.

"...."

That’s a truly horrifying thought. Pausing exploration of the World Tree for the time being seemed wise.

This wasn’t my problem, but the other companions’ problem. Through this ordeal, they too must have realized it.

That they relied on me too much during crises. In truth, this was natural in the wild.

Because a pack’s leader must step forward first whenever external threats strike.

I was merely fulfilling that role faithfully; I couldn’t blame my companions.

-They are not bad, merely weak. Besides, there are many hatchlings.

"Even though you’re not criticizing me, my heart stings a bit."

-Whenever you explore dangerous places, it would be best to entrust them elsewhere. Originally, younglings are raised by the pack, not the leader alone.

In that case, did we have no choice but to leave them with the goblins whenever we explored? Just as I thought that:

-Instead, make sure to bring my child along.

"...."

Somehow, I feel like Nidhogg would say something very similar.