WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Got a Gallery in the Wild ◈
Chapter 179: Arena (5)
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Once I realized it wasn't just something like an arena, but an actual Arena, I decided to gather information first.
Why had the kangaroos fought each other earlier? How had these animals learned about this place?
There was plenty I needed to find out, but an unexpected problem came up.
It was closing time. The moment the tournament ended, the kangaroos started dispersing.
It looked like they were closing because the sun would be setting soon. I had to get my answers before then.
“Kkobong. Think you can interpret for me?”
“Reward.”
“Want me to fry you with electricity?”
“Bad guy.”
Kkobong grumbled, but diligently carried out my request.
Kkobong stopped a passing kangaroo and asked every question I wanted answered.
Maybe the kangaroo realized we were beginners(?), because it kindly explained everything.
“Pooou. Poo.”
“Ooo?”
“Pooooh.”
Of course, it only made sense to Kkobong.
To me, it was just animals making weird noises.
That was pretty strange too. Animals had to have their own distinct cries.
Yet for some reason, they seemed perfectly capable of communicating with one another.
‘No need to ask about that too.’
Getting information came first.
After talking with the kangaroo for quite some time, Kkobong explained things to me.
Kkobong's Korean was still shaky, so the explanation came in broken bits and pieces, but it was helpful enough.
“So... the kangaroos fighting each other is a kind of coming-of-age ceremony and declaration of independence? A declaration that they have the strength to protect a family?”
“Right.”
“And the main event is fights between different animals. The rulers or strongest animals from each area bring food?”
“Right.”
“And the final winner gets to eat it all to their heart's content, like that deer?”
“You smart. As expected.”
Getting praised by a gorilla didn't make me feel good at all.
Anyway, to sum it up, the kangaroos fighting each other was just their coming-of-age ceremony. The main event involved the other animals.
The reason the Arena had been established was even more ridiculous.
“...What? It's been like this since ancient times?”
“Right.”
“It isn't even some kind of tradition...”
“Right.”
A tradition, apparently. I never would've thought animals had traditions too.
Though I supposed their “instincts” could be classified as traditions.
It went beyond common sense, but this was the Forest of Four Seasons. I decided to let it slide.
“What about the gorillas? Aren't there gorillas nearby too?”
“Oooo. Ooo.”
“Puhuhuhu.”
The kangaroo laughed at that question. Was there some kind of story behind it?
“Wiheuk's troop. Banned.”
“Why?”
“Banana. Brought it. Participated.”
“...”
“Stole to repay. Failed. Dragged away.”
“What the hell...”
I couldn't hide my disbelief. An animal actually understood the concept of stealing to repay a debt.
The situation was roughly this. Chief Gorilla had originally allowed Wiheuk's troop to participate.
Then one gorilla secretly brought bananas and placed a bet, only to lose in the tournament.
Thinking it was in serious trouble, the gorilla stole bananas to make up for the loss.
In the end, Chief Gorilla found out and banned the entire troop from the Arena.
‘How is that any different from gambling yourself into ruin?’
It was something between civilization and the wild. I had no idea what to call it.
“Open every day. Except winter. Bare hands. No clubs.”
I also learned the hours and rules.
It opened from when the sun was high in the sky until sunset. It didn't open during winter.
Weapons were forbidden as well. Fights had to be settled with bare hands only.
The moment I heard the rules, I made up my mind.
‘I should just watch.’
Why the hell would I participate in the Arena? I couldn't throw my life away so carelessly.
Never mind the deer, there were bears. Bears that could tear someone like me apart with ease.
A casual swat for them would be a fatal injury for me.
Besides, I didn't know the first thing about hand-to-hand combat.
I could at least imitate swordsmanship after reading SwordTasteMaster's posts, but I knew absolutely nothing about hand-to-hand combat.
‘Kkobong is the most suited for it, at least...’
Sending Kkobong would be the best option, but that was uncertain too.
No matter how strong Kkobong was, could Kkobong win without mana?
We hadn't built enough trust yet, so taking off the suppressor was out of the question.
Still, it might not be bad to let Kkobong participate at least once.
I could give Kkobong some tasty food as a reward.
“Fast Sloth.”
“...”
“Would you be interested in participating?”
Fast Sloth shook their head at my question. I had expected it, but it was still disappointing.
If Fast Sloth participated, they could wipe out not only the bears, but even the deer.
All Fast Sloth needed was Fasting Pills, after all.
‘I should come back tomorrow too.’
Rather than participating directly, I planned to visit for scouting purposes.
Or I could send Kkobong in. It was something to think about slowly.
‘It's like a neutral zone.’
No animal was allowed to kill another animal in the Arena.
The moment one did, every animal using the Arena would become its enemy.
[Post title] Title) Figured Out How the Arena Works
[Author] Wild Grylls
[Post] (Video of the bear and deer fighting)
[Post] (Video of the deer winning in the end)
[Post] (Video of the deer eating honey and medicinal herbs)
[Post] Turns out the kangaroos fighting each other was like a coming-of-age ceremony.
[Post] They were showing they had enough strength to protect a family, yeah.
[Post] And the main event is the other animals. They bet honey and medicinal herbs lol
[Post] Anyway, the deer ended up winning. It beat the bear and everything else with antler charges and back kicks lol
[Post] I'll come back tomorrow.
└ [Heavenly Demon]: What an interesting place. Do you not intend to participate?
└ [Wild Grylls]: It seems only barehanded participation is allowed. I don't know anything about hand-to-hand combat.
└ [SwordTasteMaster]: I don't know swordsmanship, but you can't teach yourself hand-to-hand combat without a master. What is up with those kangaroos, though? They were using strange techniques.
└ [Wild Grylls]: Some kind of traditional martial art passed down through generations? That's what they said. Same with the Arena.
└ Animals have traditions too?
└ Sounds more like instinct than tradition.
└ [PrincessChaenggu]: As expected of the deer. Such strength and championship-winning pedigree, worthy of Chaeyu's symbol.
└ [KingLeor]: So what? You're barely hanging on in the Champions League lol
└ [PrincessChaenggu]: Are you saying we're late bloomers? Thank you hehe. Meanwhile, isn't Leor in third place?
└ Looooool Chaenggu's been having the time of their life lately.
└ Chaeyu is good though lol They're just a one-trick attacking team.
└ More importantly, what kind of deer beats a bear?
└ So what? This is the place where a Sloth is the strongest.
└ Ah. Right. Isn't Fast Sloth participating?
└ [Wild Grylls]: They only need Fasting Pills. I'm thinking of putting Kkobong in instead.
└ Didn't ask Kkobong what they think?
└ [Wild Grylls]: Why would I?
└ This is totally;;
└ What a terrible employer;;
└ [Wild Grylls]: Sorry, but that bastard Kkobong tried to kill me.
└ Then they should listen better. How dare they climb all over me.
└ Look at that instant change of attitude lol
└ I didn't climb all over you.
After making a quick post, I returned to the shelter.
Once summer passed, it would be time to prepare for winter. In other words, I needed to reinforce the shelter.
“Huh?”
“...”
I had just arrived at the shelter when I found someone waiting there.
Not a gorilla, bear, or person, but a deer.
Judging by its huge antlers and cynical expression, it was that deer.
The deer that had won the tournament and happily eaten the honey and medicinal herbs.
I was wondering why it was at my shelter when it happened.
“Prrt.”
The deer tilted its head to the side and pointed somewhere.
I turned toward where it was pointing.
Then I saw it.
A honeycomb dripping with honey. Both the honey and honeycomb gleamed a brilliant gold.
“...Is that for me?”
“...”
The deer easily ignored my question and headed somewhere.
It seemed to be returning to its territory by the river.
I was only confused by the deer's unreadable behavior for a moment before I checked the honey first.
Apparently, it hadn't touched the honey when it ate the prize earlier, since it was intact.
‘Only the edge is slightly torn off. That must be where the honey is flowing from.’
The honeycomb was nearly as big as my upper body. How had it carried this?
I only thought about it for a moment before hurriedly dealing with it, worried it might attract bugs.
The Subspace Backpack already held Ambergris, so that was out. It would be better to harvest it right away.
‘How do I even harvest honey?’
It was nice that the deer had given me a honeycomb, but I had no idea how to collect the honey.
I should ask the Gallery about this too. Some people occasionally sold honey at the Auction House.
Apparently, a notable trait of those people was that most of their faces were horribly swollen.
‘Should I try a bite first?’
I dipped a finger into the honey flowing from the slightly torn edge.
Normal honey tended to be a deep yellow, but this honey was gold.
What would it taste like? Curious, I put the honey on my finger into my mouth.
“...Oooh?! Ooooh?!”
My eyes widened at the sweetness filling my mouth.
It was sweet enough to impress even my palate, hardened by all kinds of strong flavors on Earth.
A sweetness this strong usually had a sharp edge to it, but this honey didn't.
It was pure sweetness. There were no impurities to muddy it, so all I could taste was sweetness itself.
Simply put, it was the kind of taste that moved you. Just what I expected from something that came from the Forest of Four Seasons.
‘That deer gave me something really good!’
I had no idea why it gave it to me, but I thanked it anyway.
After dipping my finger in the honey a few more times, I immediately made a Gallery post.
I wanted to share the news and ask how to harvest honey.
[Post title] Title) Deer Gave Me Honey
[Author] Wild Grylls
[Post] (Photo of the deer arriving at the shelter before me)
[Post] (Photo of the honey the deer gave me)
[Post] No idea when the deer came by, but it showed up at my shelter.
[Post] Then it gave me honey and left. No idea why, but the honey is insanely good.
[Post] Anyway, does anyone know how to harvest honey? Can I just eat it raw?
└ [Heavenly Demon]: A fortuitous encounter. It would be wise to become close with that deer.
└ [SwordTasteMaster]: Doesn't it look like it has a terrible temper?
└ Aren't deer famous for having bad tempers?
└ That's because people usually provoke deer first.
└ Look at that honey color. It's making my mouth water...
└ [PrincessChaenggu]: Kya. As expected of the deer! Since Grylls is cheering for Chaeyu, the deer, Chaeyu's symbol, is helping Grylls too!
└ [KingLeor]: Delusions this bad are a disease;; Aren't your parents worried about you?
└ [PrincessChaenggu]: Shouldn't you be worried instead, Leor? Leor has been losing every day lately, so you must be pretty angry too lol
└ [KingLeor]: Both my parents are dead, you know?
└ [PrincessChaenggu]: They must've died of frustration after seeing you cheer for Leor!
└ [KingLeor]: You fXXXing XXX XXX XXX...
└ [Starlight Princess]: PrincessChaenggu, that was a little;
└ That's brutally spicy lmaoooooooo
└ Funny thing is, someone actually said something like that lol
└ Who?
└ A Leor fan ten years ago. Said their parents died of frustration after watching you guys play lol
└ Ten years ago, that was understandable lol
└ That was a truly dark era...
└ Farmed honey is one thing, but wild honey is probably a little tricky to harvest.
└ First, cut it neatly. Honey will start pouring out, so be careful.
└ Prepare several containers. That looks like it'll yield quite a lot.
└ Do it in the cave since it could attract bugs.
Helpful tips from the guys started popping up among all the jokes.
A few registered users chimed in as well. Thanks to them, harvesting the honey was easy.
‘First, cut it neatly... And they said the honeycomb was edible too, right?’
I went back and forth between the Gallery and the honeycomb as I harvested the honey.
* * *
While Grylls worked hard at harvesting honey, Wonmo lay listlessly for quite some time despite the sweet honey right beside him.
The fight Wonmo had taken part in at the Arena today, and the loss that followed, had left him badly shaken.
It would have been one thing if it had been a fight between adults, but it had been a fight between young animals.
Wonmo had always won by overpowering others with his size, so it had come as a shock.
“Kyuu...”
After staggering around for a while, Wonmo slowly turned his head.
In the distance, he saw Kkobong training alone.
Whenever Kkobong had time, Kkobong honed their martial arts like that.
Wonmo stared quietly at the sight before getting up.
Swish-
“Hm?”
Kkobong, who had been practicing martial arts, looked puzzled.
Wonmo, the baby Owlbear responsible for the group's cuteness and healing, had come over.
It would have been one thing if it were Grylls, but this was the first time Wonmo had approached Kkobong on his own. Kkobong was confused.
“Kyuu...”
Wonmo looked at Kkobong with an uncertain expression, then slowly stood up.
An Owlbear was still a bear. He could stand on two legs.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Wonmo then threw something like punches with his tiny arms.
It looked like he was imitating Kkobong's martial arts.
Though he still couldn't speak, Kkobong understood Wonmo's intentions.
“Ooooh?”
Kkobong was asking if Wonmo wanted to grow stronger.
Wonmo nodded. He still looked unsure of himself, but there was desperation in his eyes.
Kkobong thought for a moment before turning to look at Grylls.
Grylls was busily harvesting honey.
Grylls was skilled at many things, but he didn't know martial arts. More importantly, he was human.
Animals needed methods suited to animals.
“Hm.”
Kkobong quietly looked down at Wonmo before making up their mind.
Someday, this little bastard would leave protection behind and face the harsh wilds on his own.
More than that, Fast Sloth doted on him.
If it came down to the true hierarchy, Wonmo might even be rank zero, above everyone else.
“Fine. Learn.”
“Kyuu...!”
Wonmo brightened at Kkobong's acceptance.
Then he bounced up and down before rubbing his head against Kkobong.
“...”
Kkobong's lips stretched into a broad smile.
Even Kkobong, who had lived through a harsh life, couldn't resist a baby's cuteness.
“Wonmo. Want to try some of this honey?”
“Kyuuuuuu!!!”
“...”
Of course, none of that mattered in front of food.
Footnotes:
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