WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Got a Gallery in the Wild ◈

Chapter 102: Territory (1)

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I put aside the rumor that Allfather was actually Kadir and got on with what I had to do.

That newbie(?) with the incredible gimmick had eaten up some time, but it had only been ten minutes.

It hadn't affected my overall routine. I'd just been messing around on the gallery.

‘Today is day thirteen. In two days, it'll be exactly fifteen days.’

Time felt slow, yet it was passing quickly.

It would probably fly by if I were living the same routine every day, but I was currently going through all kinds of hardship.

‘A little hardship is fine, but there should be a limit.’

Grumbling to myself, I began training. After practicing my Inner Energy Cultivation Method, I moved on to swordsmanship training.

In two days, when fifteen days had passed, I planned to consume the Inner Core.

I'd already told Heavenly Demon about it, so she'd given me a more in-depth explanation.

[Heavenly Demon]: It seems you have built up the basics to some degree.

[Heavenly Demon]: You truly have outstanding talent.

[You]: How long does it usually take to finish building the basics?

[Heavenly Demon]: The beginning is difficult in all things.

[Heavenly Demon]: The time it takes to sense the Internal Energy within one's dantian differs from person to person.

[Heavenly Demon]: On average, it takes from one week to fifteen days. Yet you sensed it after only one day, so you may truly be called a genius.

[You]: I'm a little embarrassed.

[Heavenly Demon]: There is no need to be embarrassed. You may be proud.

[Heavenly Demon]: I, too, am pleased to be teaching someone with talent like yours.

Mm. This was what a real adult was like.

Someone who didn't envy the achievements of those beneath them(?) and sincerely praised them.

This was why, even if I resented the heavens, I didn't want to resent people.

There were bad people, sure, but there were also good people like Heavenly Demon.

Smiling happily, I sent Heavenly Demon a message.

[You]: I couldn't have come this far without you, Heavenly Demon.

[You]: The formula you gave me has especially been a huge help whenever I've been in danger.

[Heavenly Demon]: A carp living in a lake grows larger than one living in a pond.

[Heavenly Demon]: Yet even a carp that lives in a lake means nothing if it cannot survive.

[You]: Heavenly Demon Divine Art is the lake, and I'm the carp?

[Heavenly Demon]: You understood at once. How gratifying.

The poetic way she spoke really did make her sound older.

She occasionally said strange things, but I could just assume she'd been corrupted by the gallery.

[You]: When will you teach me the second formula?

[Heavenly Demon]: You said you would consume the Inner Core soon, so I shall teach it to you then.

[Heavenly Demon]: If the first formula is entrusting your body to the heavens, the second is sensing the power of the heavens.

[You]: Rather than controlling that power, I entrust myself to it?

[Heavenly Demon]: To control power, one must first know its nature.

[Heavenly Demon]: Can you forcibly twist the violently flowing waters of a river?

[You]: That would be difficult.

[Heavenly Demon]: The heavens are the same.

[Heavenly Demon]: The closer you draw, the farther away they appear. It is all for the sake of approaching the heavens, even by a little.

It was an explanation that made perfect sense. Listening to Heavenly Demon, I nodded.

I knew all about the side effects caused by the eel I ate before.

Back then, I thought I was really going to burst, but I had somehow managed to disperse the power.

Wouldn't it work if I proceeded similarly to that time? It felt like I'd unintentionally gotten some advance practice.

‘Even better.’

After receiving all sorts of basic knowledge from Heavenly Demon, I practiced my cultivation method.

I was starting to understand the basics, so the time I spent practicing it had also grown longer.

You could argue that it should be getting shorter, but as Heavenly Demon had compared it, the basics were roots.

The deeper and wider the roots grew, the more water they needed.

‘If I want to raise the purity, I have no choice but to increase my lung capacity.’

That, too, could only be done by consistently training my breathing.

As I practiced the Inner Energy Cultivation Method, my lung capacity could increase alongside it.

What I wanted was to breathe as if I were practicing my cultivation method, even in daily life.

According to Heavenly Demon, this wasn't so much building the basics as strengthening my roots.

In other words, it was still far beyond me. Still, I could get there if I worked at it.

‘Next, swordsmanship training.’

Once I was done practicing my cultivation method, it was time for swordsmanship training.

I had been progressing step by step while reading SwordTasteMaster's post, but there was a part where I kept getting stuck.

Other people said they could become mass-produced(?) Swordmasters just by reading this post, but I had no one beside me.

A teacher was incredibly important in martial arts. It was a little depressing to be figuring everything out from scratch.

[SwordTasteMaster]: So which part are you getting stuck on?

[You]: It feels like I lack stability.

[You]: Like the sword keeps wavering?

So I asked SwordTasteMaster directly.

Before, I had to make a post whenever I wanted to ask something, but now I could send messages.

SwordTasteMaster was as good a teacher as Heavenly Demon, so I listened closely.

[SwordTasteMaster]: I know what you mean.

[SwordTasteMaster]: But as long as Mr. Grylls uses a sword one-handed, that can't be helped.

[SwordTasteMaster]: It's only natural for one hand to be less stable than two, isn't it?

[You]: Is there no way around it?

[SwordTasteMaster]: There are plenty of ways.

[SwordTasteMaster]: Here's one tip. Step forward with the foot opposite the hand you're extending.

[SwordTasteMaster]: You're right-handed, Mr. Grylls, so step forward with your left foot.

[You]: I've been doing that until now, though?

[SwordTasteMaster]: Even during training?

[You]: Oh.

[SwordTasteMaster]: Another tip, stop thinking about cutting your opponent in half.

[SwordTasteMaster]: Stability is important with a sword, but when you use one hand, your stability will inevitably drop and you'll end up putting more force into it.

[You]: Does that mean I'll have to throw away my shield later?

[SwordTasteMaster]: That's a matter of personal preference.

[SwordTasteMaster]: You can make up for lacking cutting power with aura.

[You]: So the only way to survive is to practice aura.

[SwordTasteMaster]: That's right.

[SwordTasteMaster]: If you work hard, you'll shine someday.

[SwordTasteMaster]: And one more tip, practice thrusting a lot!

[You]: Thank you!

[SwordTasteMaster]: :

[SwordTasteMaster]: Hurry up, become a fine man, and marry me!

Teacher?

Hearing a joke that didn't fit their gimmick made my head spin.

Come to think of it, I'd neglected thrusting. I got a lot out of this conversation.

Following SwordTasteMaster's advice, I trained my swordsmanship and aura.

I trained to shore up my wavering stability, using aura to make up for the shortcomings I could not avoid.

‘And practice thrusting too.’

Not just thrusting, I needed to gradually revise my fighting style as well.

Until now, my fighting method had been to wait for an opportunity, limit the opponent's mobility, then slowly chip away at their stamina.

Since I had mostly faced large monsters, it worked surprisingly well.

Still, that had only been possible because I had Heavenly Demon’s Sword, a ridiculously overpowered item.

I also needed to think of ways to deal with animals that weren't large.

‘What happens if a fight drags on?’

That probably wouldn't happen often, but who knew? This was the Forest of Four Seasons.

I was probably vulnerable in a prolonged battle. It wasn't like there was much I could do here to build endurance.

At least practicing my cultivation method had increased my lung capacity. But who knew?

There might be animals in the Forest of Four Seasons with better lung capacity than mine.

“…”

“…What are you doing?”

“Phew…”

When I asked Fast Sloth what it was doing, the thing let out a sigh.

Rather than a sigh, it seemed like it was just breathing. I laughed because it was so absurd.

It couldn't possibly be doing the breathing technique I'd taught it before, right? No way.

‘I’d sooner believe a gorilla learned a breathing technique.’

Gorillas were animals that could literally tear people in half.

What if an animal like that learned a breathing technique? There could be no greater disaster.

Besides, breathing techniques, meaning cultivation methods, required a certain degree of intelligence.

Unless the Forest of Four Seasons had evolved monkeys to be as intelligent as humans, it would be difficult.

‘And nobody would have taught them in the first place.’

With that thought, I got up. It was almost time for lunch.

I'd made an oven, so I should use it. I'd also be getting the items from Passing Dwarf.

“Wonmo, let's go.”

“Kyuu!”

Wonmo had gotten up at just the right time, so I took him along.

Of course, I attached Fast Sloth to my back too.

Looking forward to seeing how many fish the Fish Trap had caught, I started walking.

Splash! Splash!

“Nice.”

Two again. I was incredibly happy.

As I pulled up the Fish Trap, I looked forward to the feast I'd have for lunch.

Rustle!

I was pulling the Fish Trap back when I heard something brushing through the bushes.

The moment I heard it, I went on alert like I had that morning.

But after that, I heard nothing.

‘Am I overreacting?’

Or maybe I'd been through so much lately that I was hearing things.

I rubbed my face, then looked at Wonmo.

Wonmo was staring intently at something, specifically up in the trees.

“Wonmo, was there something there?”

“Kyuu?”

“No. Let's go.”

There was no point worrying about it and giving myself a headache.

Even if something ambushed us, I could feel a little safer with Fast Sloth around.

I put the two fish caught in the Fish Trap into the metal drum and began preparing lunch.

[Passing Dwarf]: Here's the barricade, lid, and tray you wanted.

[Passing Dwarf]: The lid and tray are pretty heavy, so be careful.

[You]: Thx thx. I'll send you some food in a bit.

[Passing Dwarf]: I'm already drooling just thinking about it lol

[You]: You too? Same here.

I installed the barricade I received from the dwarf where I wanted it.

My basic strength was much greater than before, so moving it wasn't difficult.

Next came the steel tray made to the right size. I planned to place the fish on top and put it in the oven.

‘They thoughtfully raised the edges so oil wouldn't leak out.’

I tested its performance by repeatedly putting the tray into the opening and taking it back out.

The weight was a downside, but that was something I had to accept.

It was still excellent. It felt like my quality of life was gradually improving.

Crackle! Crackle!

I started a campfire at the bottom and slowly preheated it.

While it heated up, I cleaned the fish. Having an oven didn't change the preparation itself.

I just needed to spread them flat so they would cook evenly. I didn't forget the salt either.

Slide. Clack!

Finally, all I had to do was put the fish into the preheated oven.

The tray's length and height were a perfect fit. The dwarf had given me something good.

‘They said it would take around fifteen to twenty minutes, right?’

Until then, I should play with Wonmo. It was training to improve his hunting skills.

Calling it training was a bit much. I just tied a rope to a branch and hung a fish head from the end.

It was closer to playing with cats. The similarity was that they were both cute.

It could also improve my reaction speed, even if only a little.

“Kyuu! Kyuuu!”

“That's it! Good job!”

As the fish in the oven cooked away,

“…”

Fast Sloth only stared blankly at the trees.

Rustle!

* * *

Rustle! Crash!

Several beasts swiftly moved through the spaces between the trees.

They traveled quickly by lightly stepping on branches rather than running beneath the trees.

Their forms looked somewhat human, but their long arms and fur-covered bodies made it clear they were not people.

Before long, the beasts raced through the forest and reached a certain area.

The first thing they saw upon arriving was an ape lying lazily atop a tree.

It generally resembled a gorilla, but there was something unusual about its bearing.

“Ooh! Oooh!”

“Oooh!”

The gorillas that had gone out to scout(?) began crying out as if trying to say something.

The gorilla lounging atop the tree slowly rose to its feet.

Unlike before, when it had radiated an easygoing air, its expression was deadly serious.

“Ooh?”

“Oooh!”

“Ooh…!”

A strange wind began to blow through the forest.

Footnotes:

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