I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 607

Adventurers existed everywhere, regardless of whether it was the Eastern or Western Realm.

If there was a difference between the two regions, it was that while Western adventurers traveled around various places as their name implied, Eastern adventurers had escorting as their primary duty.

And for good reason: unlike the West, the East faced a relatively lower threat from monsters, making people the far scarier existence in those parts.

There was a reason a separate designation like the ’Murim’ existed. Thus, it was fair to say they walked entirely different paths.

Adventurers in the West were divided into five ranks.

The 5th Rank, which was the bottom and starting point, up to the 1st Rank, where one could secure both honor and practical profit.

Most of those who became adventurers chasing romance found themselves blocked by the wall of reality as time went on.

Because strict meritocracy was the rule, those with talent rose easily, while those without remained forever at the bottom.

If it were merely a matter of not earning money without talent, one could at least accept it with a shrug.

However, absurdity overflowed everywhere in the world, and the Adventurers Guild was no exception.

’What on earth is going on.’

In that sense, Brown, a 5th-rank adventurer participating in this exploration of the Forest of the Four Seasons, lamented his own plight.

Not wanting to die as a mere farmer’s son, he had rashly entered the city, but the result was miserable.

Far from having a gift for combat, he didn’t even possess an aptitude for it; all he had going for him was excellent carrying capacity and thorough preparedness.

Along with a knack for fleeing at top speed the moment he sensed danger. None of it was particularly useful.

Because of this, even though a year had passed since he became an adventurer, he had failed to build up any respectable achievements.

A dayfly living day-to-day on hard-earned copper. That was 5th-rank adventurer Brown.

And the Adventurers Guild’s absurdity reared its ugly head right here.

"What? You’re putting me on the Forest of the Four Seasons exploration team?"

"Got a problem with that?"

"How is that any different from telling me to commit suicide!"

"Then turn in your adventurer license."

"No, wait..."

The Adventurers Guild had forcibly drafted Brown. The reason was simple.

He was someone whose death didn’t matter, and whose gains could easily be confiscated if he somehow profited.

Since they also needed a porter, the Adventurers Guild’s decision was rational.

Except it was the absolute height of absurdity for the party involved.

"Don’t hold too much of a grudge. You know 2nd-rank adventurer Recol, right?"

"Recol-ssi?"

"He caused a massive incident last time, so we tossed him into this expedition. He won’t die easily."

Even Brown knew Recol. He was a skilled fighter who originally possessed more than enough ability to reach 1st Rank.

However, he had serious flaws in his character and a strongly impulsive streak that led him to cause trouble constantly.

The incident mentioned by the receptionist was likely a brawl he had staged at a tavern.

Unluckily, a civil servant had arrived for an unannounced inspection, and Recol had beaten the man within an inch of his life.

Normally, he should have been imprisoned or served a long sentence, but he was released after paying a massive settlement fee.

He was probably joining this expedition to make up for that loss. Brown roughly understood what the receptionist meant.

"Is there no one else besides Recol-ssi?"

"Who knows? It looks like they shoved in nothing but troublemakers."

"What about me?"

"I told you, if you don’t like it, turn in your adventurer license."

"Fuck."

In the end, Brown had no choice but to join the Forest of the Four Seasons exploration squad.

As it turned out, the Adventurers Guild seemed to have gathered only chicken ribs—useless individuals too wasteful to throw away entirely, yet too troublesome to keep around.

As if proving it was a gathering of nothing but troublemakers, the atmosphere was far from good.

’That guy got caught trying to assault a receptionist... and that guy is a gambling addict.’

Every single one of them was an adventurer with a bottom-tier reputation.

Was it a silver lining that their skills were undeniable?

Character flaws aside, their martial prowess left nothing to be criticized.

’Yeah. It’s actually better this way. My chances of survival will go up even a little.’

Thinking so, Brown made thorough preparations. First was the posts Grylls had uploaded to the Gallery.

Since he was exploring the Forest of the Four Seasons, he had consistently researched the footsteps of the man who could be considered his grand senior.

Grylls had also posted articles containing his know-how, so Brown read them thoroughly.

In truth, this was a preparation anyone could make, but Brown went a step further and obtained direct support.

And.

"Why is a grown man slathering that shit on? It’s just a few bug bites."

"No, didn’t you hear earlier? They said if we catch any disease, they’ll dispose of us on the spot!"

"Works out for me. I should catch a plague and infect everyone to wipe you all out."

"..."

He realized just how utterly rotten the personalities of this temporary team were.

He had heard from the Adventurers Guild that if anyone caught a disease while exploring the Forest of the Four Seasons, they would be killed immediately.

There was even talk that they wouldn’t just kill them normally, but cremate them on the spot.

That was only natural, as an unknown plague spreading by mistake could plunge the entire world into chaos.

This wasn’t just the Adventurers Guild; the Messiah Empire itself had issued an official decree, so they had no choice but to be careful.

"I’d rather get bitten by bugs."

"W-what kind of nonsense are you babbling now?"

"I made a contract with the Magic Tower. If anything goes wrong with my body, they get to use me as an experimental subject immediately."

"Why on earth would you make a contract like that...?"

"Money, of course. Money. I piled up some debt that needs paying off."

"Pay off my ass. You’re just gonna throw it back into the gambling dens."

Another adventurer snorted, speaking dismissively.

As if he knew exactly what kind of degenerate Brown was talking to.

"My gut feels different this time. Surviving after entering the Forest of the Four Seasons is good luck in itself."Enjoying the story? Read on at novelpin⁠g.com.

"You already squandered that luck, you bastard."

"Better than a guy obsessed with drinking and whoring."

"..."

Nope. These people were completely hopeless.

Brown lacked talent in combat, but he was quite quick-witted.

Thus, he realized the moment he got involved with them, he would be sent straight to Aris’s side.

’O Aris, please do not take me, of all people. If I have any sin, it was not listening to my father.’

How could anyone be this unlucky? Brown prayed inward.

He hadn’t normally believed in Aris, but right now, he had no choice but to hold onto faith, however mercenary it was.

And so, time passed, and the hour of exploration arrived.

The adventurers checked their respective weapons and prepared to enter.

"Everyone got their Video Recording Orbs, right?"

"I got it, but why the bossy tone? Are you the leader?"

"Keep flapping your mouth if you want an axe split through your skull."

"If you’re gonna fight, do it quick. Fighting inside will just turn us into prey."

Look at this. Such a warm and friendly atmosphere right from the start.

Brown let out a hollow laugh and put on the hat fitted with the Video Recording Orb.

It was an item provided by the Messiah Empire, not the Adventurers Guild. Aside from forcing them inside, the Empire intended to gather information.

Thus, after finishing rough preparations, about eight adventurers stepped into the Forest of the Four Seasons.

"Huh. What? I can’t use mana?"

"Dammit. It’s true."

"I had my doubts, but for it to be real..."

They hit a snag right from the start. As soon as they entered the Forest of the Four Seasons, using mana became impossible.

It was expected, but experiencing it firsthand felt entirely different.

The energy flowing gently inside their bodies was suppressed, making their chests feel suffocated.

A sensation as if their bodies were being constricted like diving deep underwater.

"I knew this would happen, so I brought Mana Stones."

"What? You’re the only one who brought any?"

"I’m different from you people who lack even a shred of foresight."

A female mage puffed her chest out boastfully.

Even though the other adventurers were dissatisfied, it was their own fault, so they didn’t say anything.

Above all, using Mana Stones was a skill only mages could utilize, so robbing her would be useless anyway.

"At least you’ll be useful when lighting a fire later."

"How about you worry whether you’ll die before that?"

"You’ll die first."

What a harmonious environment. The adventurers strolled through the forest making blatant noise.

Of course, experience didn’t vanish into thin air, so they didn’t forget to maintain a perimeter watch.

Though it was a team of troublemakers, their skills were flawless.

"But is it really okay if we can’t use mana...?"

But anxiety was unavoidable. Brown asked in a cautious voice.

Hearing his question, the adventurers glanced at Brown, smirked, and consistently ignored him.

Still, it wasn’t as if nobody answered. The female mage beside him spoke up.

"What rank are you?"

"Huh? 5th rank..."

"Have you ever properly learned a Mana Cultivation Method?"

The Mana Cultivation Method was something anyone could learn, but it was a low-quality technique as a result.

However, while inferior in quality compared to internal cultivation arts taught in prestigious families, the fact that anyone could learn it was a huge merit.

It was merely split by variations in ’talent’. Without looking far, even Ash had reached the pinnacle through a Mana Cultivation Method rather than an internal cultivation art.

"I did, but I didn’t have any talent for it..."

"My, I have no idea what you were thinking becoming an adventurer."

The female mage spoke in genuine astonishment at Brown’s answer.

Brown felt a surge of anger at her words, but he didn’t show it. He was the weakest person here.

"Even if you can’t use mana, a body strengthened through mana retains some of its power. Besides, most adventurers only train External Arts."

"Why? When I see high-ranking adventurers, they unleash Aura Blades so easily..."

"Hey. If we could use that stuff, we would’ve become knights long ago."

"We became adventurers because we couldn’t learn it. Those guys are real geniuses. Did you become an adventurer with such naive thoughts?"

Only torrents of scolding and mockery returned. Brown felt embarrassed for no reason and couldn’t lift his head.

"Well, a party of this level should be able to explore easily enough."

"The guy who was originally stuck there only failed to escape; he’s surviving easily, isn’t he?"

"I’m telling you, it’s all gear-carried. Seeing how the weapon he had from the start was insanely good."

The adventurers chatted as they walked through the forest. Belittling Grylls along the way was a bonus.

Saying Grylls only survived thanks to overpowered items, or that the Forest of the Four Seasons was just hard to leave while survival was easy, and so on.

At a glance, it sounded plausible, but Brown didn’t think so.

’That man killed a Bone Dragon recently, though...?’

And not a regular dragon, but one that lived during the Mythic Era.

The difference between a dragon from the Mythic Era and a current dragon was as vast as that between humans and apes.

Not only that, but he had slain countless monsters purely with his own abilities. He was someone who had accomplished undeniable feats.

"Then that means you can subjugate a Bone Dragon alone too, right? Want to show us?"

"You gotta give me time too. That guy survived by clinging onto a sloth like a parasite."

"Ah. So what you’re saying is that without clinging to a powerhouse like that sloth, he’d die instantly? Is that it?"

"Are you looking for a fight?"Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping dot com.

"I just called a coward a coward. Got a problem with that?"

Ah. So very harmonious. Brown turned his head back.

Before he knew it, they had moved far from the entrance, making it invisible. He checked the forest around them.

An area with almost no leaves on the bushes, let alone the trees. Yet, it wasn’t as if a fire had occurred.

It was a bareness reminiscent of a locust swarm passing through. It wasn’t that there were literally no grass or leaves.

It was just that insect-bitten marks stood out everywhere. Because of that, he applied insect repellent even more meticulously.

"You said that was insect repellent, right? The stuff you got from the Icon Merchant Guild."

"Yes."

"Can you give me some too? I heard it doubles as a moisturizer."

"Give me some too. I was flustered earlier and didn’t get any."

Did they hate bug bites that much? Quite a few adventurers received insect repellent from him.

Except for one person. Recol, who clung stubbornly to his pride.

He acted as if it were no big deal and strode forward.

Flap- flap-

Then, a small bug flew right in front of Recol.

He waved his hand, but the bug naturally landed on the back of Recol’s hand.

"What’s this?"

"What is it?"

"It’s just a ladybug."

What landed on Recol’s hand was a ladybug. A thumbnail-sized ladybug at that.

Recol flicked his hand violently, as if it were nothing. The ladybug gently flew away.

Where the bug flew was a spot with thicker bushes than elsewhere. Recol snorted and moved forward.

Rustle- rustle-

However, before long, the thicket where the ladybug had entered shook violently.

At that shaking, every single adventurer immediately drew their weapons.

Though troubled, their accumulated experience and veteran instinct hadn’t vanished.

Brown hastily drew his weapon as well, preparing for any emergency.

"Huh? What’s that in your hand?"

"M-Molotov cocktail."

His weapon was merely a self-made Molotov cocktail. A weapon Grylls favored.

The female mage wore an absurd look for a moment before staring closely at the shaking thicket.

Rustle! Scuttle-scuttle-scuttle-

Soon, a giant insect emerged from the bushes.

Realizing the identity of that insect, the adventurers couldn’t hide their dumbfoundedness.

"Isn’t that... a ladybug?"

"How could a ladybug be..."

It was indeed a ladybug. But it was the size of a large dog—no, much bigger than that.

On the outside, it looked endlessly cute, which was precisely why Recol couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

"Dammit. We chickened out over a single bug like this?"

"Wait. Don’t touch it yet..."

"What’s an oversized bug gonna do anyway!"

Bam!

Saying so, Recol kicked the giant ladybug irritably.

Unusually, perhaps because it was light despite its size, the ladybug flew back helplessly.

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, it didn’t end up flailing on its back.

But Grylls had repeatedly said: If you don’t know what it is, don’t touch it.

If you mess with it, an unknown variable you can’t handle will burst out and invite disaster.

Buzz-buzz-buzz!

The kicked giant ladybug began to vibrate violently. At that movement, Recol and the other adventurers flinched back.

Following that, changes occurred on the spots on the ladybug’s back.

The spots opened up just like missile silos.

And what came out of those opened ports was...

BZZZZZZZZT!!!

An overwhelming number of ladybugs. Reminiscent of a massive swarm.

Recol stumbled backward upon seeing this. The other adventurers were the same.

Instinctively, they couldn’t shake the feeling of ’we’re fucked.’ And then.

Patter-patter-patter!

The massive swarm of ladybugs began clinging to Recol’s entire body.

Recol hurriedly shook his body and tried to tear them off with his hands, but it was already too late.

Crunch-crunch-crunch-crunch-crunch!

"Gwaaaaahh!!! Hwaaaaahh!!! Aaaaagh!!!"

There was a detail many people overlooked.

"W-what? Ladybugs eat humans?!"

"Forget it, just run! It’s the fault of the idiot who touched it!"

Ladybugs, alongside mantises, are carnivorous insects.

It’s just that people didn’t realize it because their usual prey were pests like aphids, but they ate flesh all the same.

The adventurers didn’t even entertain the thought of saving Recol as he was devoured by the ladybug swarm; they ran for their lives.

Crunch-crunch-crunch-crunch-crunch!

"Arghhh!!! Ughhh!!! Gerk...!!"

And so, with his flesh and internal organs ripped apart in real time by the ladybug swarm, Recol’s end was:

Thud!

Nothing remained except blood-splattered bones and a few scattered entrails.