I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 724

To start with the conclusion, I accepted her confession-that-wasn’t-quite-a-confession.

That I would have a private duel with her after the Heavenly God Martial Festival ended.

Of course, since there was no telling when I would return, it was highly likely to remain a vague promise.

When I mentioned this, Ash said she didn’t care, replying that the mere fact that we made a promise was what mattered.

’Come to think of it, didn’t Ash say she would marry a man stronger than herself?’

Perhaps that duel would be her final test for me.

Given her personality, there was absolutely no way she would go easy on me, so it would be a truly blood-curdling match.

Until then, all I had to do was quietly wander around the Heavenly Demon Cult. And so, two days after my descent.

"We shall resume the Heavenly God Martial Festival."

The Heavenly God Martial Festival, which had been suspended due to my unexpected ’descent’, resumed.

Since only the Heavenly Demon Palace had been damaged by the pillar of light, the martial arena was deemed perfectly fine.

Furthermore, Yoo So-wol had steadily gathered her internal energy over the past two days, recovering enough internal strength, even if not her full power.

She had recovered most of her depleted internal energy, but the exhaustion resulting from the process had lingered.

"Have you ever experienced symptoms of exhaustion, gwigong?"

"Of course I have. I suffered from exhaustion when I took down a mythical dragon—well, a Bone Dragon."

"Hmm. I saw that as well. Wasn’t that when even the live video broadcast cut out?"

"Exactly."

"How many days did it take you to recover after that?"

"After resting a bit, I was able to move around."

"...."

When I answered like that, Yoo So-wol stared at me as if looking at a strange person—no, a bizarre animal.

Her expression asked if such a thing was even possible, since even she couldn’t do that. Since I was used to this look by now, I just shrugged.

Thus, the Heavenly God Martial Festival resumed. I sat in the spectator seats to watch, rather than next to Yoo So-wol.

This was because sitting next to Yoo So-wol would cause various complications. Surprisingly, this opinion was shared not only by Asella but also by Wi Seol-ak.

"The Heavens will not be overshadowed by the Heavenly God, but people might view it with the wrong perspective."

"What kind of perspective do you mean? I do not care as long as I am with the Heavenly God."

"The Heavenly God will feel a great deal of pressure."

"Then it cannot be helped."

Yoo So-wol accepted it immediately once it was framed as me feeling uncomfortable.

Although it was no different from using(?) me appropriately, Wi Seol-ak drew the line with exquisite precision.

If he had just used me this way and that, I would have felt offended. But he had arranged things so that I felt thoroughly ’cared for’.

’No wonder he acts as the strategist by Yoo So-wol’s side.’

His experience and tact were no joke. On top of that, he even secured practical benefits, so he wasn’t just merely competent.

Having someone like him by her side must be why she could engage in power struggles with the imperial court. It felt like Zhuge Liang from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms had been reincarnated.

’But do they even know who Zhuge Liang is here?’

Anyway, putting that aside, I sat quietly in the spectator stands and watched the Heavenly God Martial Festival.

Since I was sitting in the general admission seats rather than the VIP section, I didn’t stand out.

After all, there were people wearing black martial robes and satgat scattered here and there, just like me.

I heard they were personnel deployed by the Heavenly Demon Cult, prepared for any unforeseen situations.

It was easiest to think of them as being in a position similar to security guards.

[Winner! Ludwig!]

Among the participants of the Heavenly God Martial Festival, there were faces I knew well. One of them was Ludwig.

He was now using his prosthetic leg, made of solid Mithril, as if it were his own foot.

Beyond simply using it, it had become one of his primary attack patterns.

Every time I saw an opponent get blown away by a single kick, I gasped in admiration.

"Watching True Silver Leg’s duels is always a treat for the eyes. I thought he’d fight nobly since he’s a Paladin, but not at all."

"Tell me about it. Those kicks he throws out from time to time are incredibly threatening."

It seemed he had acquired a martial moniker now. True Silver Leg, meaning a silver foot.

Usually, in the Central Plains, martial monkers are given based on the target’s characteristics.

The moniker True Silver Leg suited the current Ludwig perfectly.

’Yoo So-wol’s moniker was Yaksha Blood Flower, right? They said it becomes a sea of blood whenever she fights.’

It was a truly terrifying name, but at the same time, it was a moniker that showed how beautiful she was.Read this novel at NovelPing for the best experience.

If she had an ordinary appearance, she would have been called Blood Yaksha; they wouldn’t have attached the name of a flower.

A similar example was the Blood Demon. The Blood Demon’s original moniker was Blood Tiger, meaning a tiger of blood.

’The Central Plains really loves giving out monikers.’

I wondered what my moniker would be, but I just brushed the thought aside. I didn’t have a very good feeling about it.

You might ask if I didn’t already have the respectful title of Heavenly God? That and a martial moniker were two different things.

Just look at my combat style. Unless I was using my innate archery, I fought like a literal dog.

Kwagwagwang! Kwagwang!

"Aaaargh! That crazy witch!"

"What’s the matter? Entertain me more!"

...Or, like that Demon Princess Kaylin, just spamming raw firepower.

Kaylin toyed with her opponents to her heart’s content while floating in the sky with magic.

One might ask if it made sense for a mage to participate in a martial artists’ tournament, but apparently, it was allowed in the Heavenly God Martial Festival.

Since they said there was no issue as long as one didn’t use underhanded tactics or ethically compromised powers.

Mages other than Kaylin were also among the participants.

’There were Taoist masters too, not just mages.’

I couldn’t help but marvel when I saw a Taoist performing Taoist arts.

It exuded a mysterious aura that was similar to magic yet distinctly different.

Kwagwagwang! Kwang!

"Guh..."

"How boring. To think you’re only at this level."

Of course, it was meaningless in the face of Kaylin’s overwhelming firepower.

They said the Demon Race mainly used high-firepower magic, and that was indeed true.

I looked at Kaylin, the blue-skinned beauty.

She was currently one of the strongest candidates to win the Heavenly God Martial Festival, along with Ludwig.

Moreover, since she was known to be a top-tier powerhouse like Ash, even this display was likely just a fraction of her true power.

"...."

"...."

And that Kaylin looked precisely in my direction. It almost felt like our eyes met.

I couldn’t tell if she had actually noticed my presence or if it was just a coincidence. I pulled my satgat down to avoid her gaze.

Kaylin smiled as if finding my behavior amusing, then stepped down from the arena.

Due to Kaylin’s relentless barrage of firepower, the arena was covered in craters.

However, several members of the Heavenly Demon Cult brought something out and neatly filled in the craters.

It seemed to be something like cement, and though I didn’t know what magic they used, the construction was completed in an instant.

Although it was closer to a temporary fix, it looked perfect on the surface. I felt a bit greedy for that technology.

’Should I ask them about it later?’

While I was showing curiosity, someone quietly sat down next to me.

I assumed it was just another spectator and let it go. But that was only for a moment.

"It is the Rapid-hardening Mortar Construction Method. A technique where initial curing begins within ten to fifteen minutes."

"...?"

An elderly voice of some old man spoke, clearly intending for me to hear.

No, it wasn’t an old man, but rather the voice of a man who seemed to border between middle-aged and elderly.

Turning my head, I saw a middle-aged man with a long beard wearing a gentle smile.

A man who perfectly embodied the classic image of a ’mage’, wearing a thick robe and a wide-brimmed hat.

And what about his equipment? He held a staff topped with a skull, looking just like a necromancer.

After a brief moment of bewilderment at his slightly mismatched attire, I listened closely to his words.

"Is that a fairly well-known construction method?"

"Yes. However, that is only when curing begins; it takes one to two hours to fully harden."

"Then it’s basically no different from mud."

"It wouldn’t be difficult if magic is utilized. Especially since technology is highly valued in the Heavenly Demon Cult, such aspects are even more prominent."

The mage explained gently, almost like a professor.

Every time he spoke, the skull mounted on the tip of his staff clacked. For some reason, it felt a bit eerie.

Furthermore, he was glancing at me while pretending to look forward. It was the gaze of an observer trying to dissect me completely.

"I-I see. Thank you for telling me. What is your name? You don’t seem to be from the Central Plains."Follow the newest chapters on NovelPing.

"Please feel free to call me Kadir. I have no surname."

"Yes. Kadi... Pardon?"

My eyes widened at the name Kadir. It was a name I could never just overlook.

However, he let out a hearty laugh and spoke quietly.

"There are many people named Kadir in this world. Do not be so surprised."

"Ah. Yes..."

"And what is your name, young man? You look similar to a face I know..."

"I’m sorry, but it’s difficult for me to reveal my name. Just call me Park."

Grylls, Jong-hyuk, or finally Hurk.

If I revealed even one of these three names, my identity might be exposed.

Therefore, I used the alias ’Park’ derived from my surname. This was for the best.

Kadir nodded, seemingly without any suspicion regarding my introduction.

"Park... That is a peculiar name for someone from the Central Plains."

"It’s just a name I made up so people can call me easily."

"I see. Then, Mr. Park, who do you think will win this tournament? Personally, I believe Princess Kaylin will win."

The conversation returned to a normal topic: who would emerge victorious in the Heavenly God Martial Festival.

Honestly, in terms of sheer firepower, Princess Kaylin was the most likely candidate to win.

No matter how strong Ludwig was, as long as he had a prosthetic leg, he was severely lacking in mobility.

Wasn’t it the same when we were in the Forest of the Four Seasons? Agile movement was a distant dream for him.

"I also think Princess Kaylin will win... but I feel like Mr. Ludwig might land a surprising blow."

"You share the same thought as me. In that case..."

Kadir gently stroked his long beard and spoke in a voice only I could hear.

"If you were to face Princess Kaylin, Park-ssi, how do you think it would go?"

"Hmm..."

I couldn’t tell if he knew who I was and was testing me, or if it was just pure curiosity.

Still, I thoroughly analyzed Princess Kaylin. Living in the Forest of the Four Seasons had made analyzing opponents a habit.

The same went for the people who had participated in the Heavenly God Martial Festival so far. Among them, Kaylin was a highly troublesome opponent.

’No matter how great a mage is, in the end, the magic they prefer is limited. Lackey is a prime example of that.’

It wasn’t just Lackey; Elia was similar.

Even for highly talented individuals, their preferences and paths are ultimately limited.

Kaylin was crushing her opponents by spamming all kinds of magic, but if one analyzed it closely, there was a clear pattern.

To be precise, it was closer to a combat pattern. First of all, she unconditionally preferred a higher altitude than her opponent.

As if a bomber dropping bombs, she rained down magic below her.

Although it was a tactic that left opponents helpless, it wasn’t completely without a countermeasure.

’Either clip her wings, or endure the bombardment.’

I could satisfy both of those conditions. It was just that other people couldn’t.

After quietly pondering this, I spoke.

"If it were me... it would be tough, but I think I could win. Probably."

"I see."

Having said that, Kadir...

"I shall keep those words in mind."

"...?"

He uttered those cryptic words and moved to another seat.

The next day. I sat in the spectator stands of the Heavenly God Martial Festival as usual, and...

"I have brought a special guest today."

"Hello. I heard you had an interesting conversation with Kadir-nim yesterday?"

"...."

Kadir had seated the Demon Princess, Kaylin, right next to me.

"...Are you not participating today?"

"My opponent forfeited, so I won by default."

"...."

I was left speechless.