I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 53

If I was careless, I was careless; if I was complacent, I was complacent. That was my thought as I faced the golden eyes gleaming in the dark.

The most dangerous time in the forest is night. A night where all light has vanished and only darkness settles.

Still, I had relatively less penalty from the darkness.

For reasons unknown, I could see through the dark to a certain extent.

But right now, I couldn’t help but curse that ability.

’Son of a bitch. What kind of size is...!’

A pair of eyes gleaming ominously in the darkness.

Because I could fully take in the owner of those eyes with my vision.

Overall, it looked like a tiger, but long saber-like fangs protruded out of its mouth.

What was even scarier was its size. The fact that its eyes were visible above the barricade erected out front.

For reference, the barricade gifted by Dwarf was taller than my height.

Judging by height alone, its weight class easily exceeded at least 2 meters.

’A quadrupedal animal has an eye level higher than mine...?’

It was a nonsensical level. Well, that’s why it’s in the Forest of the Four Seasons.

Despair washed over me already, but there was an instinct pushing it back.

The survival instinct to live. I tightly gripped my sword and shield.

"Kreurung...!"

As if reading my momentum, the tiger threatened me.

Even though it was clearly a simple threat, my knees trembled and my body felt like it froze stiff.

Thank goodness I had prepared myself mentally, or else I would have passed out on the spot if I had encountered it unprepared.

"Phoo. Phoo. Phoo."

I deliberately controlled my breathing.

Without conscious effort, the pressure was terrifying enough that even breathing was difficult.

Could I really fight that monster and win? Just looking at it, it seemed far stronger than the mother owlbear.

’Could the reason the mother owlbear relocated her nest be because of this guy?’

High possibility. If it were scouting, she wouldn’t have brought Wonmo along.

This bastard is basically no different from a bully. And a bully whose encounter threatens your life, at that.

I wanted to turn and flee right this second, but I held it in firmly.

’Fleeing from here is even more dangerous.’

Wonmo is still sleeping in the cave, and it’s dark all around, so sunrise is far off.

Running away wouldn’t change the fact that it’s dangerous.

’Expecting it to back off is the best option, but...’

Predators that mainly hunt are cautious.

Because their energy efficiency is terrible, and if they get injured and lose their hunting ability, they easily starve to death.

So if they judge something dangerous, they tend to back off quietly. The problem is that the likelihood of that happening is drastically low.

Just compare my size to the tiger in front of me right now. The difference in eye level alone is at least a head or more.

Literally a single bite. What I can do right now is just one thing.

Shaaaaa-

Raising Aura in my sword and shield. Even in the darkness, a blue haze shimmered forth.

It’s like a porcupine raising its quills. Signaling that if it wants to hunt me, it better be prepared.

Sensing the unusual aura, the tiger didn’t rush in rashly and prowled outside the barricade.

’I’m really glad I set up the barricade.’

If not for the barricade, the tiger would have come right up to me.

Even if it attacks, it has to jump over the barricade, so there’s a big delay.

’Please go away. Please go away. Please go away.’

I prayed and prayed in my heart. But the tiger merely continued to prowl around the barricade.

Cold sweat streamed down my cheeks, and my hands were drenched in sweat.

How long did that tense time pass?

"Kreurureung...!"

The tiger halted abruptly and slowly backed away.

Seeing that, my face brightened thinking it was retreating, but I realized something was odd.

’Usually, if they leave, don’t they turn their whole body around?’

However, that giant tiger was only stepping backward.

As if backing up to leap right over the barricade.

"Ah."

Sure enough.

Tadat!

"Dammit."

The tiger that backed away dashed forward and effortlessly leaped over the barricade.

An agile yet smooth leap unbecoming of its massive physique.

Reaching right in front of me, the tiger exuded the overwhelming presence of the ’Mountain Lord’ itself.

"Kuheong!"

Arriving before me, the tiger opened its jaws wide and charged.

Was it because of the intimidation radiating from the tiger? Or was it out of pure fear of dying?

In an instant, my breathing stopped and my body wouldn’t move. My body didn’t feel like my own.

’Move.’

I have to move. But it wouldn’t move.

’I said move!’

I commanded incessantly. But my body rejected my brain’s orders.

Before long, jaws that looked ready to munch my head in one bite arrived right before my nose.

At this rate, my head will go straight into that mouth. And after that?

Could a headless body even move?

Kkwaak!

"Kkeg!"

In the illusion of time flowing slowly, someone yanked my clothes.

Because of that, my balance shifted backward, forcing my body to move.

Kwak!

It was almost an instant. The tiger’s giant mouth bit empty air.

Had it been a split second later, it would have crunched my head instead of empty air.

Koong!

"Kkeug!"

Falling flat on my butt, sensation returned to my body.

Not only that, but I also bit my tongue as I fell.

That sharp sensation spread throughout my whole body.

"Kuheo-eong!"

The tiger’s roar piercing my eardrums. I frantically looked up.

Normally it would follow up with consecutive strikes, but the tiger didn’t. Quite the opposite.

It was shaking its head as if it were in pain.

It was hard to grasp what the hell was happening, but this was a chance.

I quickly got up from the ground and took a stance.

Thanks to that, I was able to see what was making the tiger suffer.

Chwaak! Chwak!

It was Speed Sloth. Speed Sloth had clung to the tiger’s face and was scratching it with his claws.

The tiger swung its forepaws to shake him off somehow, but who was Speed Sloth?

He’s a guy so agile with dynamic vision sharp enough to snatch fired arrows out of mid-air.

Even for a tiger, shaking him off easily would be tough.

Hwoo-oong!

However, it seems the innate weight gap couldn’t be overcome.

When the tiger violently shook its head, Speed Sloth was sent flying far away.

Fortunately, the direction he flew was toward me, so I could catch him without much issue.This chapter was copied from novelping(.)com without permission.

Well, calling it catching was just adjusting position so he could easily climb onto my back.

’So this guy was the one who pulled me.’

I realized who had pulled my collar. Speed Sloth saved my life.

After a brief moment of gratitude, I looked at the tiger Speed Sloth had clung to.

There were scratch marks on its face, but they were negligible.

’Yeah. I can’t die like this.’

I smacked my lips. Having bitten my tongue when falling, I tasted blood.

That taste awakened my body and mind. My body would freeze no longer.

"Kuheo-eong!"

The tiger glaring at us opened its mouth wide again and charged.

Up until just now, I was busy trembling in fear, but not anymore.

As calmly and rationally as possible, I judged and moved my body.

’I can’t get bitten. The moment I get bitten, it’s at least a severe injury.’

Looking at those sharp fangs alone makes it obvious. Plus, the weight difference is extreme.

Getting swallowed in one bite would happen in an instant. I better proceed with the mindset that getting hit once means death.

Kwak!

As the tiger’s jaws snapped shut, it made a terrifying sound.

Since I moved to the right just before the tiger pounced, I barely managed to dodge.

I didn’t forget Sword Matstar’s advice to the end: never stay still, keep your legs moving no matter what.

Just as it worked on the giant crab, it seems to work on this tiger too.

Teo-eong!

"Kkeug...!"

However, unlike the giant crab, this guy is agile.

Just as I was about to swing my sword, it swung its heavy forepaw.

I barely blocked with my shield, but the impact was monstrous.

’Don’t forget the breathing. Feel as though pulling out every ounce of power.’

While I was thinking, the tiger pounced fiercely.

Because the size difference was so severe, even a casual swing of its forepaw was a huge ordeal for me.

Especially whenever it slammed its forepaw down from above, I had no choice but to stumble.

Tadat!

At least every time I dodged to the side, it showed small openings.

Because its movements were large whenever it gaped its mouth to bite me, openings multiplied as long as I could dodge.

Kwak!

"Keo-eong!"

"Ah."

Different sounds erupted from the tiger’s and my mouth.

The tiger uttered a roar of pain, and I, a groan of regret.

Slashing with the sword was good. But I only managed to cut about halfway through.

The tiger’s hide was tough beyond imagination.

’Even with the Sword of the Heavenly Demon coated in Aura?’

No wonder the mother owlbear fled taking Wonmo with her.

Still, with over half of its forepaw cut through, its combat ability should drop to some extent.

If it swings its forepaw in that state, it’ll fall off...

"Kuaaa!"

"?!"

But something was wrong. Half of it was clearly cut through, so why was it swinging its forepaw?

Momentarily panicked, I hurriedly raised my shield to protect my body.

Kka-ang!

"Keo-heok!"

The impact was much stronger than before. My body floated into the air and was sent flying back.

Luckily, I didn’t land on my back. Thanks to Speed Sloth hanging on my back acting as a brake.

"Kuheo-eong!"

"Eueak!"

The tiger’s attack didn’t stop. Just before the tiger pounced on top of me, I rolled my body to barely dodge.

Speed Sloth also escaped with his uniquely agile movements. There was no follow-up hit.

It seems splitting up made it hesitate on who to attack first.

During that time, I was able to stand up and reorganize.

’No way! Did it regenerate?!’

I opened my eyes wide and stared at the tiger’s forepaw.

The forepaw that had been sliced halfway was already completely restored.

Same for the face Speed Sloth had scratched earlier. Everything was clean.

On top of terrifying durability, it even possesses regeneration.

So that’s why it rushed in despite my threats. Because it could just make up for it with regeneration anyway.

"Fucking hell."

"Kuheo-eong!"

As I muttered softly, the tiger gaped its mouth wide and charged.

It seemed to have decided to kill me first rather than the hard-to-catch Speed Sloth.

Indeed a rational judgment. But I have no intention of dying obediently.

’When an opportunity comes, slash with all my strength.’

Not just cutting halfway, but severing it completely.

Even with outstanding regeneration, severe wounds like total amputations will be hard to restore.

If it recovers even from that, well... I’ll just have to go all-in, sink or swim.

Teong!

The tiger’s forepaw slammed into the Golden Shield.

Having prepared in advance, I was only pushed back slightly rather than sent flying.

But blocking once wasn’t everything.

Because the tiger’s fighting style was tenacity itself. It never backed down.

’Barricade behind me.’

Defending while retreating, my back eventually pressed up against the barricade.

Considering this an opportunity, the tiger raised its forepaw high.

The opportunity arrived. I watched the forepaw coming down until the very end.

Just before the forepaw touched my body, I swiftly pivoted to the right.

Kwajijik! Kwajik!

The barricade made of sturdy wood shattered to pieces.

If I had taken a direct hit from that, my head would have been flattened into mush.

But the thing flattened was the barricade, not me.

As the barricade took the hit instead, the tiger was forced to falter slightly.

"Euryaaaah!"

I attacked the forepaw with all my strength. I pumped mana into the Sword of the Heavenly Demon.

Not a hazy shimmer, but Aura fluttering like flames. This would be enough.

Seogeok!

"Kuheo-eoeong!!"

And the result was magnificent. The tiger’s right forepaw was sliced clean off.

Since the forepaw supporting its massive body was cut off, the tiger had to tilt and stumble.

"Kuaaaa!"

"?!"

But the tiger was still going strong.

Despite having its forepaw severed, it maintained its balance and gaped its mouth wide open toward me.

Having relaxed slightly, it was too late to dodge. Too late to block with the shield as well.

Instinctively, I thrust the arm holding the shield forward.

Kka-ang!New chapters come out on novelping dot com first.

"Keo-heong?!"

The Golden Shield went straight into the tiger’s jaws. The shield got stuck right in its mouth.

The tiger also didn’t expect a shield to get stuck in its mouth, looking quite flustered.

It tried to spit it out somehow, but as if firmly stuck, it repeatedly opened and closed its mouth.

’Now!’

I let go of the shield and gripped the Sword of the Heavenly Demon with both hands.

Subsequently, I thrust the sword toward the tiger’s neck.

Pook!

Even a tiger’s tough hide is weak against piercing.

As the sword pierced its neck, the tiger shrieked in pain.

However, because the Golden Shield was jammed firmly in its mouth, it only let out weird sounds.

Taking this as an opportunity, I forcibly twisted the sword embedded in its neck.

Jwaaaaak!

The sword began to slice the tiger’s neck very slowly.

Even holding it with both hands instead of one, it was like this.

With the tiger’s powerful regeneration and durability combined, even the Sword of the Heavenly Demon infused with Aura seemed to struggle to cut through.

"Keo-eoeong!"

"Aaak!"

The tiger began clawing at my body with its remaining forepaw.

The sharp claws felt like they were julienning my body into strips.

Fortunately, thanks to the uniform gifted by Princess Chaenggu, I was able to minimize the damage.

Even so, I could feel blood streaming down inside my clothes.

It was the pain of tiger claws tearing out chunks of my flesh.

"Euaaaaaah!"

Jwaaaaak!

I used every last ounce of strength I possessed to move the sword with both hands.

The feeling of cutting through hide and flesh. It was extremely disgusting, but my survival came first.

Pooshyuk!

Crimson blood erupted like a fountain from its neck. The tiger’s blood began drenching my body.

Now it was a battle against time. Whether the tiger slicing up my body would come first, or me decapitating the tiger’s neck would come first.

I clung onto the sword to the very end with the determination to completely decapitate the tiger’s neck.

Deolkeong!

At that moment, a metallic sound reached my ears. I unwittingly turned my head toward the sound.

It was the Golden Shield, crumpled beyond recognition and having served its lifespan. The Golden Shield that was stuck in the tiger’s mouth.

Which meant that the tiger had spat out the Golden Shield from its mouth.

"Kuaaaa!"

Kkwideudeok!

Meaning the tiger, its mouth freed, had more than enough capability to bite me.

I twisted my body violently.

"Kkeuaaaaak!"

It hurts. It felt hot and painful as if burning lava had been poured into the wound.

The tiger bit down hard into my shoulder. Its long fangs pierced through my body and poked out.

Fortunately, because I twisted my body, my head wasn’t bitten.

"Aaak! Euaak!"

"Kreurureok...!!"

Instead, my right shoulder was completely ruined. Even the bones must have shattered into pieces.

But having come this far, I couldn’t give up. I held onto the sword until the very end without letting go.

Since my right shoulder was ruined, I could only use my left hand, but that was fine. It’s not like both hands were ruined.

’Please die. Please...!’

Clearly, blood erupted like a fountain when its neck was cut. Yet this bastard struggled frantically to the bitter end.

Just how long do I have to keep doing this? I felt my consciousness fading farther away.

Just as strength was rapidly draining from my body, a sudden shift occurred.

Pook!

"Kuheo-eoeoeor!!"

The tiger biting my shoulder suddenly threw its head up.

As it raised its head, my shoulder where its sharp teeth had dug in was freed.

Wondering what on earth happened, I looked up.

Poo-ook! Pook!

It was Speed Sloth.

Speed Sloth was gouging out the tiger’s eyes with his sharp claws.

No matter how tough a tiger might be, if its eyes get stabbed, it has no choice but to go wild.

With only one forepaw left, shaking him off was impossible.

Momentarily dazed, I didn’t miss this opportunity.

Because my left hand was still steadfastly holding the sword.

’With this single blow...!’

The tiger whose forepaw was blown away had lost its balance long ago.

Meaning it was the perfect timing to target the head.

"Euaaaaaah!"

I aimed for the moment the tiger tumbled onto the ground.

Thrusting the sword accurately between its eyes. This was the absolute best I could aim for.

Speed Sloth seemed to notice my intention, leaping off and escaping just before the thrust.

Until then, the tiger was still frantic trying to recover its injured eyes.

"Kreung...!"

Before long, the tiger’s eyes recovered. Shaking its head, the tiger regained its senses.

But perhaps because it had bled too much earlier, its movements slowed significantly.

To me, it was a priceless opportunity.

Pook!

The Sword of the Heavenly Demon pierced precisely between the tiger’s eyes.

Normally it should have gone berserk, but as I said, it was exhausted too.

Especially having lost so much blood, it couldn’t even react.

Chwaaaaak!

I pulled the sword straight upward.

Then, the Sword of the Heavenly Demon broke out from the top of its head. The tiger’s head split in half.

Even for a creature with fast regeneration, if the most crucial organ, the brain, is destroyed, it will die.

Tremble rumble-

The tiger whose brain was split in half trembled violently.

Fearing that it might somehow regenerate, I decided to turn its head into honeycomb instead.

Pook! Pook! Pook!

How many times did I stab the sword into its face?

Even without a forepaw, the tiger staggered around maintaining balance before collapsing with a Koong!

Given its massive body, just falling sent vibrations trembling through the earth.

’N-Not yet. Confirm the kill...’

It’s a creature with powerful regeneration. It could pretend to be dead and revive.

Even while dizzy and out of it, I moved my sword. The first thing to do was decapitation.

Only by cleanly severing the tiger’s head would my mind feel at ease.

Jwaaak! Jjeojeok! Jjeugeoeok!

Around the time I was giving my all to decapitate the tiger’s head...

Teolssok-

My consciousness cut off right there.