WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: DereKimchi
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◈ The Abandoned Tank is a Disaster-class Awakener ◈
Chapter 27
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“This way.”
Crunch, crunch.
The Herb Spirit led the way across the snowfield.
Its body was barely the size of a palm, so it should have been buried in the snow, yet it moved with astonishing ease.
Instead, I was the one following behind it.
The little spirit had been toddling ahead when it suddenly raised a hand.
“Stop!”
“...What?”
I stopped just before taking another step.
The spirit hurried over and brushed aside the snow.
Rustle.
Several blue leaves appeared beneath the white snow.
Clear frost, like glass beads, clung to their tips.
“It is Ice-Snow Herb.”
“This?”
No matter how I looked at it, it resembled an ordinary weed.
“It may look like a weed, but it is an herb that grows only where cold energy is dense. It is quite useful for suppressing fire poison and cooling excess heat.”
The spirit did not pull out the roots.
Instead, it carefully selected and cut only a few leaves.
“Why aren't you taking all of it?”
“Tsk, tsk. That is why those who know nothing of herbs ruin even good materials.”
The spirit pointed to the base of the Ice-Snow Herb.
“This one draws cold energy from the ground through its roots and accumulates its medicinal properties in its leaves. The leaves are what are used as medicine.”
“What about the roots?”
“Do not touch them.”
“...Why?”
“The moment the roots are severed, the impure cold energy they hold flows back upward. Then even the healthy leaves will lose their medicinal properties in an instant.”
The spirit waved the blue leaves it had just cut.
“Do not try to take everything just because it is a good herb. Knowing to take only the useful parts is also part of handling medicine.”
My eyebrows rose slightly.
This was not merely information about an herb's effects.
It was knowledge of which parts to harvest and how to keep its medicinal properties from being ruined.
“What if an Awakener with cold-type abilities eats it?”
“That is quite a perceptive question.”
“...”
For a moment, I felt pleased, then annoyed.
Getting happy because this tiny spirit had praised me.
But regardless of how I felt, the spirit continued its explanation.
“If you simply feed it to someone, their body will be harmed first. Two Ice-Snow Herbs to one Warm-Meridian Root. That is how one can absorb only the cold energy while protecting the meridians.”
“Two to one.”
“Yes. Commit that to memory.”
I did.
Once I returned to America, I intended to pass it directly to the potion researchers.
After that, even without me asking every question, the spirit began chattering on its own.
Cold Dew Flowers blooming beneath ice cliffs could remove lingering fire energy and heat poison from wounds when mixed in small amounts into a healing potion.
However, adding too much would chill a person's body as well.
“What separates medicine from poison is ultimately the dosage.”
Frost moss growing over the snow had to be dried and ground into powder to preserve its medicinal properties. Cold-Meridian Leaves, with their blue veins, prevented cold energy from leaking from the body, but their effects died if boiled too long.
“Add them when the decoction is nearly finished and leave them for thirty breaths. Any longer, and they are no different from kindling.”
It even knew how to distinguish similar-looking poisonous herbs.
When I reached for a red root, the spirit slapped my hand away.
“That is Crimson Snow Root.”
“Isn't that the Ice-Blood Root you mentioned?”
“Does it look like it? Smell it.”
When I brought it close, I caught a faint metallic scent.
“...Blood?”
“That is poisonous energy. Is it any wonder people clutch their stomachs after drinking potions when they cannot even tell such things apart before throwing them into a medicine pot?”
For some reason, I could already picture the research lab becoming chaotic.
Still.
‘Its value is undeniable.’
The Herb Spirit did not stop at finding herbs.
When to harvest them.
Where to cut them.
What to mix them with.
How much to add.
Even the temperature at which their medicinal properties died.
The spirit knew, as a matter of course, the answers that modern researchers would need countless experiments to uncover one by one.
That was why I did not miss a single word.
Studying herbology seemed to suit me in its own way. It was even enjoyable.
Crunch, crunch.
We continued searching through the White Night Icefield.
Not just ordinary terrain.
Beneath ice cliffs.
Within frozen ravines.
Under rocks buried in snow.
Every time the Herb Spirit twitched a finger, a new medicinal ingredient revealed itself.
Some reduced swelling in wounds.
Some increased resistance to fire.
Some temporarily strengthened cold-type abilities.
Their harvesting methods were all different as well.
Some required only the petals to be picked.
Some required the roots to be cut.
Some had to be soaked only in cold water.
Some lost their medicinal properties upon seeing sunlight.
Thanks to that, the herb pouches that had initially been empty gradually grew heavy.
Then, in the middle of it all.
“Oh?”
The Herb Spirit suddenly lifted its mushroom cap.
“...Why?”
“This one is quite a find.”
It gently brushed away the snow with its fingertips.
Beneath it, a small blue fruit appeared.
The fruit was transparent like an ice bead.
Within it, blue mist slowly swirled as though it were alive.
Unlike usual, the spirit did not touch it with its bare hands. It took out a small cloth and wrapped it around the fruit.
“It is an Ice Crystal Fruit. One barely ripens after absorbing cold energy for many years where cold veins gather. It is an excellent tonic for those who wield cold energy.”
“How is it good?”
“It gathers the cold energy scattered throughout the body into one place and expands the vessel that holds it.”
“...It strengthens abilities?”
“It is somewhat different from that.”
The spirit held up the Ice Crystal Fruit.
“Think of it as a bucket that holds the same amount of water, but the cold energy within that water becoming several times denser.”
The moment I heard that.
‘Would this work too?’
It was a rare herb that contained cold energy.
An object containing cold energy.
That was one of the purposes of this attempt at the 28th floor.
As though it had read my thoughts, the spirit immediately added,
“Do not feed it to someone as it is. If one with too small a vessel swallows it, it will be poison, not a tonic.”
“...It needs another mixture too?”
“Of course.”
Warm-Meridian Root.
Snowflower Honey.
Dosage.
Heating time.
The spirit's explanation continued.
Once again, I remembered it all.
By now, it was clear.
What I was gathering on the 28th floor was not merely a few herbs.
It was knowledge that could advance potion research by years.
‘Miller's eyes will light up when he hears about this.’
He would wear that familiar expression he got when he discovered potential.
Especially since this was a groundbreaking discovery that did not exist in my knowledge from before my regression.
I was an Awakener.
According to Miller, someone whose primary occupation was climbing the Tower.
That was why I had no knowledge of herbs or pharmacology.
Yet the Herb Spirit knew years, perhaps even more than a decade's worth of information about herbs.
Thanks to it, America's potion field was about to advance another step.
I smirked at the thought and started walking again.
After wandering through the White Night Icefield for a long while and filling several herb pouches, it happened.
“Gasp?!”
The Herb Spirit, which had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped.
“...Why?”
“...”
There was no answer.
It only stared at a gap between two frozen rocks.
Its eyes, usually half-lidded, widened in disbelief.
Even its mushroom cap trembled.
Then.
“Th-This is?!”
I followed its gaze.
At first, I could not see anything.
Everywhere in the White Night Icefield was covered in white snow and ice.
But then.
Ssssss.
Faint blue mist rose from deep beneath the snow at the base of the rocks.
It was not mist.
It was cold energy.
‘It found this in such a huge place?’
A slight change that no one but the Herb Spirit could possibly have noticed.
And it was not ordinary cold energy.
It was refined cold that made my lungs feel chilled and raised goosebumps on my skin just from looking at it.
At its center grew a single herb.
Its stem was as clear as crystal, and its leaves were translucent, as though thin blades of ice had been carved into shape.
At the top was a flower bud that had not fully bloomed.
Blue light pulsed between its snow-white petals.
Then the Herb Spirit spoke in a trembling voice.
“To think such a spirit herb was sleeping in a place like this.”
“A spirit herb?”
When I asked quietly, the Herb Spirit slowly nodded.
Its gaze beneath the mushroom cap was more serious than ever.
“Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb.”
The name alone was extraordinary.
The spirit continued as though letting out a long breath.
“It is a legendary cold spirit herb, recorded in only a single line even in herb manuals. It blooms by absorbing the essence and cold souls of snow veins that have existed for hundreds or thousands of years.”
“...What does it do?”
The spirit glanced at me.
Then it spoke with great solemnity.
“To one who controls cold energy, it is a treasure bestowed by heaven. It opens the meridians and expands the vessel that contains cold energy, drives out impure heat, and refines the cold yin energy within the body until it is pure and sharp.”
After a brief pause, it added,
“If handled properly, one may even expect a transformation into a cold-aspect constitution.”
My expression changed as well.
This was not something that would end as a potion ingredient.
Perhaps it could be used to make a potion that permanently strengthened cold energy.
If so.
‘I am taking it no matter what.’
The moment I made that decision, the Herb Spirit spoke again.
“However, spirit herbs of this rank are always accompanied by a rule.”
Its voice was lower and heavier this time.
“...A rule?”
“Where a spirit herb grows, a spirit creature will always dwell.”
The spirit's gaze moved slowly from the Snow Lotus Herb to its surroundings.
A snow-white plain.
Frozen rocks.
Silent air.
A space so quiet that it was suspicious.
“While the spirit herb grows by feeding on the energy of heaven and earth, a beast that covets that energy grows beside it. Thus, the moment one harvests the spirit herb, it will surely reveal itself.”
Then it turned and looked directly at me.
“Young one.”
“Tell me.”
“With your strength, you can protect this powerless spirit, can you not?”
“Of course.”
Without the slightest hesitation, I gripped the hilt of my greatsword and nodded.
I broadened my vigilance over the surrounding area.
Watching me, the Herb Spirit slowly approached the Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb.
“...”
Its usual grumbling manner was nowhere to be seen.
As if handling a sacred relic, it held its fingers straight and took a small, slender silver herbal knife from the pouch at its waist.
“Do not even breathe carelessly.”
“...”
“Your impure breath may disturb its medicinal properties.”
The spirit closed its eyes and examined the cold energy surrounding the spirit herb.
Ssssss.
Blue cold energy flowed around its fingertips.
Then.
Tap.
The herbal knife began carefully digging into the snow near the roots.
Scrape, scrape.
Its movements were unbelievably precise.
Without damaging even a single root.
Without cutting off the flow of the surrounding snow veins.
It was truly the work of a master.
As I watched, I focused even more intently on our surroundings.
It had said something would come.
And if this was such a valuable spirit herb, its guardian would not be ordinary either.
Then, at that exact moment.
Rumble.
The icefield beneath my feet trembled faintly.
I narrowed my eyes.
Something was approaching from afar.
Thud, thud!
Heavy.
Every step carried a presence that shook the entire icefield.
Without stopping its work, the Herb Spirit muttered quietly.
“...It has come.”
The next moment.
Rrroooaaar!
A roar that shook heaven and earth struck the White Night Icefield.
Rumble!
Snow piled along the surrounding snow walls collapsed, while frost scattered from every frozen rock.
I immediately turned toward the front.
Then.
“...Hm.”
What emerged beyond the blizzard was a massive white tiger.
Even its shoulder height was far greater than mine.
The white fur covering its entire body was as pure as freshly fallen snow, while blue stripes flowed across it like lightning.
It was as though cold energy itself had taken form and wrapped around the body of a beast.
Ssssss.
Whenever it exhaled, blue cold mist poured from its mouth instead of breath.
Blade-like fangs showed between its ferociously opened jaws, and a blue pattern that shone like an ice crystal was carved into the center of its forehead.
Above all, its eyes were overwhelming.
The Ice-Snow Tiger's eyes were not those of a beast.
They were cold, ancient, and experienced like those of a human.
A spirit creature that had ruled this icefield for countless years while guarding the spirit herb.
The white tiger looked in turn at the Snow Lotus Herb, the Herb Spirit, and me, standing in its way.
Then it lowered its stance.
Grrrr...
When its claws scraped the icefield, blue frost spread from that spot.
The Herb Spirit spoke briefly from behind me.
“I will harvest the spirit herb.”
Its voice did not tremble.
“You stop that thing.”
I raised the Black-Iron Greatsword diagonally.
“...Leave it to me.”
The white tiger before me bared its teeth.
It was quite threatening.
But if a spirit herb was at stake, I had no intention of backing down either.
* * *
The private training room.
It was a space reserved solely for me.
But this time, I was not alone.
“...”
Miller stood beside me, while Shin Hye-won sat across from us.
Empty glass bottles that had once held blue liquid covered the floor around her.
Then she swallowed the last of the elixir.
Gulp.
Clink.
She set the bottle down on the floor.
The fortieth bottle was a Mana Elixir that had been useless to me.
As Hye-won looked at the empty bottles, her expression gradually stiffened.
Then.
“...I-I am sorry.”
She bowed deeply.
“What for?”
“For drinking forty bottles of something so expensive...”
Again.
She bowed.
“I am truly sorry.”
This time, Miller, who had been watching from beside me, spoke.
“Ms. Hye-won.”
“...Yes?”
“I believe an apology before drinking them would have been a little more convincing.”
“...!”
Hye-won's face instantly turned red.
“N-No, that is not what I meant...!”
Miller chuckled quietly.
“I am joking.”
Then he looked at the empty bottles.
“They are resources we already decided to invest. There is no need to feel guilty while looking at empty bottles.”
I looked at Hye-won.
“I promised you, didn't I?”
“...”
“That I would help your talent bloom.”
Hye-won's hands froze atop her knees.
“This is part of helping that talent bloom, so you do not need to worry about it.”
That was what I said, but I knew not worrying was harder.
She had consumed forty Mana Elixirs.
Even if she had no sense for the value of resources, she would have some idea of how expensive Elixirs were, especially Mana Elixirs.
But there was a reason for such aggressive support.
Shin Hye-won needed a certain amount of mana for her Evolutionary Awakening.
The required value was 50.
Her original mana had been 10. By pouring forty Elixirs into her, we had raised it to 50.
One condition was now complete.
However, that had been an easy condition.
The second was to absorb a high-density medium containing cold energy into her body.
Originally, she had fulfilled this condition much later.
She had absorbed a cold-type artifact that she obtained by chance while active in Libya.
But there was no reason to wait that long this time.
It was also why I had recruited her the moment the 28th floor, where there was a chance of obtaining a cold-type artifact, came into view.
“Ms. Hye-won.”
“Yes.”
“Now for the second step.”
I reached into my inventory.
The moment I pulled it out.
Whoosh.
The temperature in the training room dropped.
“...!”
Hye-won caught her breath.
Miller narrowed his eyes as well.
Snow-white petals and translucent leaves.
A stem as clear as crystal.
Blue cold energy flowed from its center as though it were alive.
The Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb.
A spirit herb obtained from the 28th floor I had just cleared.
【Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb】
Grade: Miracle
Classification: Spirit Herb / Potion Material
Description: A rare spirit herb that grows only in the few places where extreme cold energy and highly concentrated mana intersect.
It blooms only after accumulating cold energy for decades, and from the moment it blooms, it absorbs surrounding heat and converts it into its own medicinal properties.
Not only its petals, but its stem and roots also contain powerful cold attributes. In particular, the “Ice Soul” at its center contains condensed cold mana of exceptional purity.
A precious thing that boasted miracle grade despite being a mere herb.
Of course, it was just as difficult to obtain.
It could only be acquired after receiving a dangerous-area designation for a solo clear and defeating a boss-level monster known as the Ice-Snow Tiger.
Whoosh.
As if proving its value, cold energy spread across the floor.
White frost blossomed over the training room floor.
Then.
“Tsk.”
A familiar voice.
The Herb Spirit suddenly appeared.
It looked back and forth between the Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb and Hye-won with an incredulous expression.
“Surely not.”
“Why?”
“Are you planning to have that girl eat the spirit herb as it is?”
“That is what I am planning.”
Its mushroom cap twitched.
“Do you know how deep the cold energy contained in the Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb is? An ordinary human's meridians would freeze, and their organs would be submerged in cold energy.”
Hye-won's face turned slightly pale.
I spoke calmly.
“She will endure it.”
“For what reason?”
“Because I know.”
There was no other way to explain it.
Before my regression, I had investigated her history in considerable detail.
The reason was that she had changed, and I felt it resembled the state in which I had been stagnating.
What I learned was that she had fulfilled the conditions and achieved an Evolutionary Awakening.
And her second awakening was somewhat different from mine.
‘The stronger the cold energy one contains during an Evolutionary Awakening, the stronger one becomes.’
That was why she regretted it for a long time.
If she had been more careful with her second awakening, if she had put in a little more effort, she could have become even stronger.
Of course.
‘Looking only at the conditions, this is a far better situation than before my regression.’
The cold energy contained in the Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb was purer than the cold-type artifact she had absorbed at the time.
That was why I did not hesitate to hold the Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb out to Hye-won.
“Eat it.”
“...This?”
“Yes.”
Hye-won's gaze turned toward the Snow Lotus Herb.
A single flower.
It was beautiful to look at.
But it emitted cold so intense that her fingertips began to freeze white from merely bringing her hand near it.
Hye-won swallowed dryly.
“This... is really all right?”
“It is.”
I looked at her.
“Trust me.”
“...”
For a moment, Hye-won stared at the Snow Lotus Herb.
Her eyes were uneasy.
Understandably, frost was already forming along one wall of the training room from the cold energy flowing from that small flower alone.
But soon, as if she had made up her mind, she reached out.
“...I trust you.”
She took the Ice-Soul Snow Lotus Herb.
The moment her fingertips touched it.
Crack.
Frost spread over her fingers.
Yet she did not let go.
“I just need to eat it, right?”
“Yes.”
Hye-won drew in a short breath.
Then.
Gulp.
Without hesitation, she swallowed the Snow Lotus Herb.
“Ha!”
The Herb Spirit let out a deflated sound.
But contrary to its reaction.
“...”
For a moment, nothing happened.
“...?”
Then, the next instant.
Craaaack!
“Ugh!”
Hye-won's body shook violently.
The floor froze.
White frost spread explosively outward from beneath her feet.
Craaaack!
The floor of the training room, dozens of meters wide, froze over in an instant.
“Ms. Hye-won!”
Miller instinctively moved forward.
“It is all right.”
I raised an arm to stop him.
Hye-won curled up, gritting her teeth.
“...Cold...!”
The cold energy of the Snow Lotus Herb was penetrating her body.
Her blood vessels.
Her muscles.
Her bones.
Even her mana circuits.
Whoosh!
Blue cold energy swirled around her.
Then.
Woom!
The cold energy exploded.
“Ugh!”
Miller covered his face with his arm.
I also shielded myself from the approaching cold with one hand and narrowed my eyes.
The entire training room became winter in an instant.
The ceiling.
The walls.
The floor.
Ice crystals had blossomed everywhere.
And at the center of it all.
“Gasp?!”
Miller drew in a sharp breath.
The ends of Shin Hye-won's black hair had turned white.
Rustle.
Long white hair fluttered in the cold energy.
“...”
Hye-won slowly raised her head.
Her eyes had changed as well.
Her black eyes were gone, replaced by coldly gleaming silver ones.
Her skin had become as white as though it had never seen sunlight, and Hye-won, who had looked like a typical East Asian woman, had become a completely different person.
‘The White Witch!’
The Awakener who had frozen countless battlefields, brought blizzards to deserts, and frozen hundreds of monsters to death in an instant before my regression.
This was the White Witch I knew.
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