Chapter 237
Chapter 237
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: Baobab Tree (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-Goro-long.
"Hmph, hmph-hmph, hmph."
Humming a tune, I slipped on my coat and plopped down on top of the two lying in their sleeping bags.
A flick on the forehead for each of the sleeping Taeyang and Aori.
I made sure to hit them hard enough to make a loud snap, and a crisp sound echoed through the early morning air.
-Thwack!
"Kyaa!"
"Kyaak!"
The two had slept in after chatting late into the night.
Lee Hyang giggled as she watched them clutch their foreheads and roll around on the ground.
"But seriously, don't you need some sleep?"
"Nah."
Thanks to my divine power, I didn't need sleep, which was convenient at times like this.
Of course, when I actually wanted to sleep, I couldn't, driving me insane. But then I'd just drink or cast a spell.
Still, Lee Hyang furrowed her brows in concern, her eyebrows forming a figure-eight.
"You should at least get one night of rest."
"Don't worry about it. Just wake these two up."
-Rustle.
Lee Hyang put out the fire meant to keep mosquitoes away, finished her preparations, and shook Aori awake.
"You two, learn from her. Up at the crack of dawn, ready to move."
"...What time is it, bro?"
"How should I know?"
"We went to bed way too late last night."
Taeyang rubbed his eyes as he sat up, whining.
"If you hadn't gone on for four hours straight about yourself yesterday..."
"What're you saying."
I did talk for a while.
But that's because everything I'd been through since coming to this world was so eventful.
"You guys kept butting in every chance you got anyway."
"...Ugh."
Whenever the story lagged, they'd jump in: So why didn't you just do her?
-No way, bro... that's insane. Confessing there? Ha... seriously.
-She's a saint, a total saint.
-Man~ I figured you were indecisive just looking at you, but not this level!
When I told them about being kidnapped into a dungeon full of hundreds of trees trying to assault me, they freaked out and actually asked why I didn't just stay there.
I held back on stories from my past visits or my previous world as much as possible.
Of course, I had to explain the necessary parts, so I did tell them I was from another world.
-Sticking it in trees... is normal where you're from? Don't talk nonsense that'll scare ghosts away!
-I-I'm scared. There's no way a world like that exists!
Shivering.
-Crazy bastards.
Their reactions were so good that the story dragged on just a tiny bit longer.
Taeyang gazed at the sky, his face dreamy as if reliving last night.
Then he stared at me intently, still bubbling with frustration, and yelled in disbelief.
"...Even so, not laying a hand on your mentors? That's not manly."
"What're you saying."
"They clearly like you. You even lived together. A hero can't do that."
"Shut up and get up."
"Yes, sir."
Taeyang started packing up and getting dressed.
"Sometimes trees want you to take the lead."
"Say that one more time."
"......Slowly getting to know each other isn't bad. Ong-ba-ong, ong-ee bye ong-ee."
-Pop!
As Taeyang shot up, Aori wriggled out of her sleeping bag like a caterpillar.
Good thing we'd brought both sleeping bags from the dungeon.
"Your Majesty."
"Yeah."
"I felt bad for Baek Do-nim."
Don't say harsh things.
As I raised my hand, Aori jumped up and started fixing her hair.
She only listens if I raise my hand.
We'd just met yesterday, but they acted like close little siblings.
Age-wise, I was older anyway. Coming to this world had forcibly made me twenty. They knew that.
"Let's get going."
As preparations wrapped up, I lifted my feet from the ground first.
I cast a purification spell to clean my body, and dirt and dust fell off in clumps.
I pulled an artifact from my backpack to check Cornus's location.
[→]
Still to the east.
*****
"How about giving up already?"
"...Ha."
The standoff dragged on. Cameras—dozens of them—had gathered by now.
All their lenses were trained on just two people.
"Why are you so desperate to find Lee Si-heon anyway?"
"Told you, personal reasons."
"......Can you even beat him?"
"Ha. It's just one guy."
Cameras captured them from every angle.
[Zing?]
Bead said in disbelief.
"Even beating him would be tough."
"He's just a mage anyway."
"A mage? What? That's not his specialty."
She must've heard wrong somewhere. Lee Si-heon wasn't a mage.
Bead stretched her aching wrists and said to her.
"Not tired?"
She wiped the sweat beading at her chin. Bao laughed in disbelief at the sight.
She was barely avoiding getting flattened.
Bao knew it too.
Who was this from some organization? The question flashed briefly before Bao gripped the back of her neck with her gauntlet-covered arm.
-Crunch!
The sound of vertebrae grinding. Reveling in the dizzying pain, she reset her neck.
Bao's body, now nearly 2 meters tall, began to twitch toward Bead.
Her lips split into a grotesque grin.
"Keh."
Breath hissed through sharp teeth. Murderous glint flashed from slitted eyes.
She lowered her head, mana coalescing above her shoulder blades like wings.
No matter how much she drew, that mana wouldn't deplete.
The aura coating Bao's body shrugged off every attack.
A chill wind blew, and Bead bit her lip.
Because of that one guy, Lee Si-heon, what a hassle this is.
Arms and legs—every limb a sharpened weapon.
Bead gripped her bow tightly, sweat-slicked hands. She couldn't go all out here.
Every step Bao took, Bead retreated.
The endless forest tangled trees and leaves irregularly, hiding their direction.
She nocked an arrow, held her breath.
Chewing a hidden mana pill in the corner of her mouth, she enveloped her body in mana.
"Hup—"
The forest trees shook violently, branches ripping free.
Wind bent leaves and twigs in one direction.
A massive tree charging.
Spells erupted around Bead simultaneously.
Fire arrows. Waves. Earthquakes. Countless trap magics. Bao barreled through without dodging.
The more spells hit, the more her bulk swelled.
Her twisted body, now larger than the tree trunk, showed every muscle twitch.
Veins bulged on her skin, writhing. Killing intent leaked from enlarged pupils.
-Boom!
Air shockwave.
Dodge the fist, and the ground cracked beneath.
As if to prove it'd turn you to mincemeat.
Bead abandoned shallow counters, focusing on widening the gap.
"...Tch."
Bead drew something sleek and blue from her pocket.
She checked the cameras around.
Some hadn't caught her movement yet.
Now.
She pulled the trigger on the artifact.
-Bang!
Muzzle flash. Lightning poured down, engulfing Bao's shoulder.
A straight line of blue mana exploded.
-Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!
Submachine gun.
A hail of bullets riddled Bao's body.
Not even used on monsters, but seeing Bao endure unscathed brought a sneer to Bead's lips.
One magazine emptied in seconds.
Bao hunched once, then lifted her head, inspecting her body.
"Hmm..."
Blood spurted from her thigh where aura was pierced. Artery severed?
Bead, on the ground, shrank the gun small to evade cameras and pocketed it.
"Playing with fun toys."
Her eyes didn't flinch. But the recoil had hit her body.
Knees creaked. But it'd heal soon enough.
Confirming it, Bead slipped away without a word.
Chance.
Land one hit and run—counts as my win. Life's like that.
She'd used her cherished artifact, bruising her pride, but no more time-wasting.
Mana cloaked, Bead darted through tree gaps.
Bullet in a vital spot—Bao couldn't pursue.
"Hah, hah."
Stopping midway, Bead wiped sweat and rummaged her pockets.
Glanced back. No Bao.
Unlike her bloodlust earlier, she'd given up sooner than expected.
How could anyone fight all day? Doesn't she tire?
"If she'd used her divine power from the start... might've gotten disqualified. How much mana does she even have?"
She gulped water from her pack.
Then rummaged longer.
"Huh?"
Something felt missing. Bead patted herself down everywhere.
Vest pocket—no.
Pockets—no.
Bandage-wrapped chest? No way she'd store it there.
Backpack maybe? Dug deep—nothing.
The artifact that tracked one participant's location in the Forest Keeper selection.
Damn...
Bead pinched her brow.
She'd been had.
*****
"Bro."
Taeyang gazed at the sky with a sentimental look.
His deer-like eyes shimmered, brimming with melancholy, on the verge of tears.
"What."
As I led through the brush, Taeyang bowed his head sadly and mumbled.
"Thinking again... You should see your mentor ASAP."
"Crazy bastard."
-Tap tap.
"Your Majesty."
"What. You too?"
"Take care of Teacher Ttaekbok too."
Why were these two on this?
"You'll be sad if you lose someone precious."
My face hardened at Aori's words.
I got the meaning.
Cheon Do, Baek Do, Hwang Do. Born with tragic pasts, I wanted them to live happily now.
If they needed, I'd act for them anytime.
Even rip out my organs.
"Aori."
"Yes."
"You two have no tact."
But that was separate from sleeping with women.
They were way off.
Comfort = sex. Reward = sex.
These two linked everything to banging.
And the two they meant didn't even have romantic feelings for me.
Cheon Do—great person. Unlikely to meet anyone like her again.
Planned to follow as disciple till death.
Baek Do—rough first meeting, now inseparable friends.
We had accidents, but that trust held.
Would it turn romantic?
Think realistically.
"Bro."
Taeyang declared after hearing me.
"No friends between men and women."
"You and Aori?"
"She's not a friend, she's an enemy. I hate sluts."
I looked at Aori. Nodding—she fiercely agreed.
"Anyway... If you won't believe us, close your eyes and confess your love."
"Me, suddenly confess love? To my mentor?"
"If reaction's bad, say it was a joke."
What kind of advice is that.
Taeyang thumped his chest, brimming with misplaced confidence, urging me to try once.
I rubbed my chin, pondering.
Me confessing to them?
"Kinda curious about their reaction."
"Right?"
If we meet later, maybe.
Way in the future, though.
I moved my hand again.