I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 571

A portion of the Forest of the Four Seasons had opened up.

This shocking fact was able to spread widely thanks to Asella’s quick information sharing.

At first, the rumor started in the Gallery, but because it was the Gallery, after all, it lacked credibility.

Even though there was even a photograph of Asella attached, believing the Gallery at face value made one unfit to be a leader.

[Holy Kingdom of Avalon Shock Announcement. A portion of the Forest of the Four Seasons has opened.]

[A section of the forest entrance bordering the Holy Kingdom remained open for approximately 3 hours, and...]

[Only the portion bordering the Holy Kingdom has been confirmed; nothing is known about other regions.]

However, if it was an official announcement made by the Hero, that was a whole different story.

With the Holy Kingdom’s international prestige rising even higher after recently establishing cultural exchanges with Mephisto,

let alone the fact that their faith had been proven through Cain’s advent and various other incidents, every single word Asella spoke carried immense weight.

Under such circumstances, after she made the truly shocking announcement that part of the Forest of the Four Seasons had opened, countless nations had no choice but to be thrown into turmoil.

Among them, the one that reacted most fiercely was the nation bordering the Forest of the Four Seasons just like the Holy Kingdom—the Messiah Empire.

In a way, their situation was even more serious than Avalon’s, as their shared border area was vastly larger.

Furthermore, because it even included undeveloped territories, they were bound to suffer a massive headache in many ways.

"Seriously, whenever this guy does anything, he always causes trouble."

Arnold, the Emperor of the Messiah Empire, let out a sigh and complained. He felt like downing a glass of wine right then and there.

Misfortunes never come singly; as if he didn’t already have a mountain of matters to ponder, the Forest of the Four Seasons had opened up on top of it.

Although it was only a partial opening, and even then lasted for merely a few hours, nothing was certain.

After all, the Forest of the Four Seasons was a giant lump of unpredictable variables itself. There was no telling what might happen.

In the worst-case scenario, an unmanageable monster from the Forest of the Four Seasons could pour out into the world.

’That’s assuming the worst. Looking at the bright side, there are plenty of gains as well.’

The opening of the Forest of the Four Seasons was no different from dropping a massive meteorite onto the whole world.

Just taking the soil from the Forest of the Four Seasons alone, there was immense potential to use it as top-tier—no, beyond top-tier—fertilizer.

Merely using the dirt could guarantee a bumper harvest for an entire year.

Not just the soil; simply catching fish from it could yield Inner Cores.

’The problem is whether one can actually enter the Forest of the Four Seasons.’

The aurora had merely cleared away; no case of anyone actually stepping foot inside had existed yet.

Of course, with his imperial authority, he could mobilize soldiers and push them inside.

’It’s not like I’m the Papal Court.’

Since this was an order that only the previous Papal Court would carry out, he naturally brushed it off.

So what was he to do? Arnold came up with a brilliant idea.

’Dungeons.’

Use the partially opened Forest of the Four Seasons like a dungeon.

So, what was a dungeon? Usually, it was a place like a cavern or an abandoned mine taken over by monsters.

Or it included undiscovered ruins. Usually, discovering a dungeon meant that the damage to the surrounding region was severe.

’Since it implies the surrounding monsters aren’t managed well enough to let a dungeon form.’

Ordinarily, monsters were taken care of by adventurers before a dungeon could even form.

However, when an exceptionally powerful mutant appeared, the story changed. Take the recent major Orc raid that broke out in the Cantata region, for instance.

At that time, it was resolved without issue thanks to Ash’s timely support, but the Forest of the Four Seasons was on a whole different level.

Because even Ash couldn’t guarantee survival in the Forest of the Four Seasons without mana.

’If only mana could be used, but...’

Aside from the opening itself, things to verify were piled up like a mountain.

The most crucial thing was whether mana could be used inside the opened forest.

If that were possible, adventurers would undoubtedly flock there without exception.

Of course, they would first have to confirm whether the opening times were regular.

’Our empire has a relatively small border area, but the Central Plains must be in absolute chaos.’

Unlike the West, where many nations bordered the Forest of the Four Seasons, the Central Plains had to handle it all by itself.

If there was any small comfort, it was that Mountain was also attached to it.

The problem was that the area Mountain bordered was a massive mountain range, making it largely meaningless.

’First, I should dispatch troops and then set the direction toward hiring adventurers.’

To some it would be a crisis, but to others, an opportunity to hit the jackpot.

Cleverly exploiting this would allow him to achieve his goal without lifting a finger.

It was a situation that made adventurers drool, and from the leaders’ perspective, it wasn’t bad either.

Rather than drafting military forces and forcing them to explore, it was far better to shed the blood of adventurers.

Normally, it was a place no one would dare dream of entering, but thanks to Grylls, a bit of information had been released.

’I should have Count Gorgon meet with the Adventurers Guild.’

The Adventurers Guild was a transnational power. There were many branches not only in the Messiah Empire but in other nations as well.

If the military was the bones, flesh, and muscle, the Adventurers Guild acted as the dense bloodstream.

Their role was to subjugate monsters in regions beyond the state’s reach.

Similar to yet different from the Central Plains’ principle of Non-Interference Between Government and Martial World, adventurers tended to avoid fighting humans.

One could call them monster extermination specialists, literally. Moreover, true to their name, they also discovered rare items through various explorations.

’I’ll need to reallocate the budget.’

Arnold clicked his tongue. Truthfully, from the perspective of a nation, the Adventurers Guild was a double-edged sword—a chicken rib, annoying to keep but too useful to throw away.

Preventing monster outbreaks in advance and covering territories beyond administrative reach was all good and well.

However, as their power gradually grew, it became inevitable that recruiting talented individuals for the state became harder.

After all, both soldiers and adventurers staked their lives equally. Above all, the barrier to entry was significantly different.

Suppose a commoner, not a noble, joined the military. Unless they had a letter of recommendation, starting as a private soldier was standard practice.

Only after grinding away for about two years to become an elite soldier did they finally earn the qualification to become a knight.

Even if they became a knight, many people failed to adapt to the unique control of the military.

Thus, it was common for most commoners to become adventurers.

’Though there are also many who can’t adapt to the territorial territorialism unique to adventurers.’

Furthermore, the Adventurers Guild was a place where all sorts of human trash gathered.Read this novel at novelpin⁠g.com for the best experience.

Backstabbers were littered everywhere, and it was a faction that swept irresponsible acts under the rug.

Wrapped in romance, the reality was filled with all kinds of filthy deeds.

’Looking at this, Father really designed the policies well.’

Recognizing Ash’s talent, he provided full support while simultaneously reforming the adventurer policies.

Instead of touching the individual adventurers, he targeted the organization known as the guild. The prime example of this was taxes.

He subtly manipulated the tax system to ensure the government profited.

The Adventurers Guild realized this too late, but they had already taken root in the empire.

Withdrawing meant losing a massive client like the Empire, leaving them no choice but to bite the bullet and pay taxes.

As a bonus, the adventurers’ compensation was lowered to cover the loss. Up to here, everything was fine.

’Until some bastard uploaded a complete compilation of swordsmanship to the Gallery.’

It was the post by Sword Matstar, famous for raising the continent’s average martial prowess.

Because of this post, even the average strength of adventurers shot up tremendously, causing the Emperor of that time, Robert, to grab the back of his neck in frustration.

Luckily, taxes remained unchanged so the balance didn’t collapse entirely. Still, caution was required.

’Should I take the risk and treat the Forest of the Four Seasons as a mine, or treat it as a dungeon?’

Even after formulating plans for each route, making a decision was tough.

Regardless of time or place, the price of blood was always extremely high. More than that, public opinion was the issue.

Forcing military forces inside could result in him wearing the dishonorable stigma of an Emperor who spilled blood out of greed.

’It’s best if the adventurers go voluntarily, but...’

There were likely adventurers already heading toward the Forest of the Four Seasons.

Even if Arnold hurriedly issued orders, it would take time for those commands to reach the military.

On top of that, it inevitably took a long time for the army to prepare and deploy.

Ultimately, the best direction was for the adventurers to cause trouble first and the state to clean up after them later.

’Since it’s still unknown where on our Empire’s side has opened up.’

Perhaps because of that, Arnold continuously browsed the Gallery.

Naturally, he searched for every single post related to the Messiah Empire.

Occasionally, there were posts claiming the Forest of the Four Seasons had opened, but most were lies.

The funny thing was that someone had even uploaded a picture of themselves fishing as bait. A hollow laugh burst out of him.

’As the saying goes, make haste slowly.’

Perhaps because all kinds of events had erupted recently, he had been too hasty.

However, if there was one thing he couldn’t afford to be laid-back about, it was the Forest of the Four Seasons.

Thus, he simultaneously drafted orders to be sent to the army and browsed the Gallery.

His head throbbed as if it were about to explode, but he had no choice but to endure. Right at that moment...

[Forest of the Four Seasons Pro-Tips Unlocked]

"Huh?"

As he continuously browsed the Gallery, a familiar fixed handle caught his eye.

The culprit behind all this chaos and the person enjoying it the most—Grylls.

As soon as he saw the post uploaded by Grylls, he hurriedly opened it.

Title) Forest of the Four Seasons Pro-Tips Unlocked

Wild Grylls

Writing this since I heard the Forest of the Four Seasons has opened.

Honestly, even I haven’t explored the entire forest. Plus, the Forest of the Four Seasons is so fucking crazy that this is probably just a drop in the bucket.

Anyway, as you can tell from the posts and videos I uploaded, there are all kinds of bizarre plants and animals in the Forest of the Four Seasons.

Among them, rather than large animals, you MUST be careful of ’small animals’. It’s the most important thing, so I’ll say it twice.

I saw an armadillo before, and spikes popped out of that bastard before it spun at high speed and charged straight at me.

If even an armadillo is like this, imagine the other animals. Even rabbits explode, so definitely be careful.

Especially ’snakes’—these motherfuckers can stealth too, so be super careful. If there are fallen leaves under your feet, check without fail.

Also, make sure to keep bug repellent on hand at all times. Getting bitten even once by a bug will leave you groaning in bed.

Not only that, there’s something called a gun, a weapon used by ancient gods. Just think of it as an upgraded superior version of a bow.

Since crab-monsters had them strapped to their backs, anyone who knows will know. Getting hit by even one shot means you’ll need surgery, so watch out.

Below, I’m sharing the illustrated field guides I’ve written so far. Apologies in advance if the drawings suck.

(Photo 1 of a roughly drawn Forest of the Four Seasons field guide book)

(Photo 2 of a roughly drawn Forest of the Four Seasons field guide book)

(Photo 3 of a roughly drawn Forest of the Four Seasons field guide book)

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(Photo ?? of a roughly drawn Forest of the Four Seasons field guide book)

Honestly, just staying far away from the Forest of the Four Seasons is the best choice.

But if you really insist on going, at least read this post before you go.

If you’re curious about anything, ask in the comments. I’ll answer if I can.

P.S. 1. If the ground starts shaking, it means you’re about to get fucked, so turn around and run without looking back.

P.S. 2. Bird chirps sometimes produce the same effect as a Siren’s song. Don’t let your guard down.

P.S. 3. Trust your gut as much as possible. If something feels off, set fire to the forest first. The whole forest might be a giant antlion trap-like monster. I’ve experienced it firsthand.

L Heavenly Demon) Such information commands any price it asks. In a sense, is this not your own unique Internal Cultivation Art, my lord?

L Wild Grylls) Saving human lives is more important. Besides, if people get familiar with the Forest of the Four Seasons, wouldn’t I be able to escape sooner?

L Heavenly Demon) Those words are indeed true as well.

L Sword Matstar) Information is good, but whether mana can be used seems to be the crucial factor.

L Do we have to ignorantly train External Arts like the Blood Cult?

L Even so, they got wrecked by Dolsoe.Read this novel at novelping(.)com for the best experience.

L Unless you have a weight class like Grylls, External Arts don’t mean much either...

L Die ugly and slow VS Die fast.

L By the way, why is that post written in the Holy Kingdom’s language?

L Wild Grylls) Ahjussi Ludwig wrote it for me.

L Also, isn’t this bastard Grylls’s handwriting fucking terrible? I saw it once before, lol.

L Yeah, it was at a level where you had to decipher it rather than read it, lol.

L Don’t Abandon the Hero) It’s not bad handwriting, it’s a handwriting filled with power!

L Orange Badge-ah... You don’t need to defend even something like this...

L Orange Badge over there would probably believe it even if Grylls claimed he created the world, lol.

In a timely manner, Grylls had released a massive trove of information regarding the Forest of the Four Seasons.

Every single piece of such information would be worth its weight in gold, yet he blithely scattered it in the Gallery.

Arnold realized the moment he saw it.

That there would be fools blindly charging into the Forest of the Four Seasons trusting this information.

Once those fools shed blood, he could casually scoop up the benefits afterward.

"...So he’s not entirely a nuisance after all."

It felt like one head-splitting problem was about to disappear.

Roughly three days had passed since part of the Forest of the Four Seasons opened.

During that time, while some discovered various rules, others couldn’t hold back and shoved themselves right in.

Most were adventurers, quietly waiting at the entrance of the Forest of the Four Seasons where the aurora hung like a veil.

Waiting endlessly was inefficient, but they had a plan in mind.

"Is that true? That the Forest of the Four Seasons repeatedly opened and closed in the Holy Kingdom?"

"I’m telling you! It opens at set intervals and stays open for about 3 hours."

Information gathered from the Gallery. Based on that knowledge, they waited in silence.

Once opened, the Forest of the Four Seasons opened at regular intervals.

And an entrance to the opened Forest of the Four Seasons existed in the Messiah Empire as well. They were waiting right in front of it.

Shaaaa-

Their prediction hit the mark precisely. The aurora slowly parted, and the Forest of the Four Seasons began to open up.

The color returned to the faces of the adventurers waiting quietly in front, but only for a brief moment.

Pboll-pboll-pboll-pboll-

"Hmm?"

"What’s that? A hedgehog?"

A tiny hedgehog of all things crawled out from the forest.

A tiny hedgehog that looked completely harmless to anyone’s eyes.

From the adventurers’ perspective, it was a size that would fly far away with a single kick.

"Wait a minute. Be careful. That person said to watch out for small animals..."

"Pfft, serious? For a mere hedgehog?"

Before one adventurer could finish issuing a warning, another stepped forward arrogantly.

He even made a gesture as if to kick the hedgehog crawling forward.

Truly a foolish act, ignoring the ’advice’ Grylls had carved with his own blood.

Of course, unlike the inside, mana could be used outside, but the stupidity of it remained unchanged.

Just as there were people who understood when spoken to, there were also idiots who failed to get it no matter what.

Humanity was such that even if beaten with fists, some would persist in their bizarre antics to the bitter end.

Bwoook!

Feeling threatened by the adventurer’s actions, the hedgehog curled its body and bristled its quills.

Outwardly, it was endlessly cute, but the situation that followed was anything but.

Pa-ba-ba-bak!!!

The hedgehog began unleashing sharp quills in every direction.

So fast and powerful was the speed that the arrogant adventurer in front suffered the greatest damage.

"Kuaaaack!"

Despite clearly bolstering his body with mana, the quills’ power lightly bypassed it.

Countless quills lodged all over his body, piercing not just his flesh, but his bones and internal organs.

Even with mana protecting his body, he couldn’t overcome the quills’ penetrative force. Nor was that all.

Wuuuung-

The quills embedded in the adventurer’s body vibrated violently, and then—

Kwagwagwang! Kwagwang!!

An explosion so immense erupted that even high-tier magic would bow its head.

As the quills lodged in his body detonated, the adventurer’s physical body vanished without a trace.

The problem was that the quills hadn’t just lodged in the adventurer’s body; they were scattered everywhere.

The adventurers were suddenly forced into filming a war movie.

Kwagwang! Kwagwang!

"Aaaaagh!"

"R-Run!! The quills are exploding!"

"What the fuck is that thing?! I’ve never heard of anything like that!"

Only Selena and her party, who had been studying the Forest of the Four Seasons continuously, knew a certain truth.

"I told you! I said to definitely be careful of small animals!"

"I-It seems way worse than what we saw in the Gallery?!"

"It’s probably just a far worse specimen!"

Creatures that lived in the Forest of the Four Seasons become even stronger upon stepping outside.

Pboll-pboll-pboll-pboll-

Regardless of the chaos, the hedgehog leisurely ambled outside the Forest of the Four Seasons.

As if this place was its brand-new territory.