170. Treasure (3)
I couldn't help but stare in slack-jawed disbelief at the fish swimming freely through the air like a sky whale. A sky whale was mythical enough to pass as something mystical. Even a land-walking fish flopping around like a mudskipper would have made sense. But what unfolded before my eyes shattered every expectation.
If this world were a game, it would've been a full-on bug. Peck! Peck! The fish glided through the air as if it were water itself. Then why the gills? Why the fins? A sky whale already defied physics, but this thing took it to another level.
Title) What the hell is this thing?
YasaengGrill (Flying Fish in the Sky Video)
Are there fish that fly through the sky?
ㄴCheonma) Gorillas learn martial arts, and now even fish are mastering lightness skill.
ㄴYasaengGrill) What's lightness skill?
ㄴCheonma) The ability to fly through the air, just like the fish you're seeing. You need at least the Fire Realm to barely pull it off.
ㄴSwordTasteStar) Should we just leave it on display? I'm curious how long it'll keep flying.
ㄴYasaengGrill) Don't I still need to eat?
ㄴPassingDwarf) Hey, post more videos. I won't believe it till you upload a few more.
ㄴYasaengGrill) You don't believe in sky whales?
ㄴPassingDwarf) Those at least show up in myths. Never heard of something like that lol.
ㄴYasaengGrill) (Flying Fish in the Sky Video 1)(Flying Fish in the Sky Video 2) Good enough?
ㄴPassingDwarf) Whoa;; Any idea why it's doing that? It can't be random.
ㄴYasaengGrill) It ate some sky whale dung I used as bait. Seems like that changed it somehow.
ㄴOlfather) Why don't you try a bite yourself, Grills? It smells so good, probably tastes great too.
ㄴYasaengGrill) Dude;;
ㄴIf that's the case, you eat it, why tell Grills to? lmao
ㄴBasically eating curry-flavored shit, right?
ㄴStraight-up curry shit lol
Olfather spouted some nonsense for a sec, but I'd figured out the rough cause. The Dragonflame Incense bait. That was the only suspect. Otherwise, this fish had no reason to go airborne.
And most importantly: 'Can I actually eat this?' Would it be safe? What if eating it gave me the floats instead of food poisoning?
But I couldn't just let it hang around. It might attract other animals. If it wasn't edible, releasing it for safety's sake was the way.
With that in mind, I tried shooing it back to the river.
Slap!
"Kwek?!"
The moment I reached out, its tail whipped my cheek. The force was insane—my neck went crack! Luckily, just the sound, no break. But my cheek stung way worse.
'Did the sky whale dung make its tail that strong too?'
With all the absurd crap lately, it actually sounded plausible. So how to ground this thing?
I pondered, then pounced. No matter how gravity-proof, slamming from above should drop it.
Flap! Flap flap!
"Uwaaaah?!"
Nope. Instead of diving, it swam off powerfully the second I grabbed it. The speed blurred the scenery in real time. Panicking at the thought of crash-landing somewhere weird, I fought back.
Thwack! Pow!
Punched its head. Any animal gets dizzy from a headshot. That's how I'd KO'd fish before. Sure enough, it conked out soon, going limp. Naturally, I plummeted too.
Crash! Roll roll!
Tumbled a few times, slammed a tree, and stopped. Every muscle screamed. Grimacing, I blinked dust from my eyes.
The fish twitched on the ground, knocked out. At the shelter entrance, my animal pals stared. All with "What the hell you doing?" faces.
Fine from Kkobong and Ppareumbo, but even Wonmo? Mortifying.
'This fish is dangerous.' Who knows what eating it might do. Mealtime anyway, so I butchered it quick. Planned to extract just the inner core and toss the rest.
But... 'The inner core... it's golden?'
Not normal. More like extraordinary. It gleamed with the exact luster of the Dragonflame Incense.
Eat this and I'd float too? If so, pass.
'Give it to Ppareumbo?'
Figured he could handle it.
"Wanna eat?"
"..."
Ppareumbo took the core without hesitation. Inspected it slowly, then popped it in. He'd lived on inner cores sans Wall Valley Pills before—no issue.
Float away—
But even he struggled? As Ppareumbo started drifting up, I pinned his shoulder desperately. He seemed fine, though, swatting my hand like "back off."
Float— float—
He floated around the shelter corners, fully controlled. Good. Meanwhile, I ate with the animals.
Oh, fed Kkobong too. Ppareumbo approved.
"Kyuu! Kkyuu!"
Wonmo, scarfing food, bounced excitedly at floating Ppareumbo. Begging for a ride. Adorable.
But Wonmo on his back? Collapse city. Cub or not, owl-bear vs. sloth size gap too big.
"Kkiing! Nng!"
"Keeng!"
Instead, plopped baby raccoon up top. It beamed the second it mounted drifting Ppareumbo.
Dad raccoon looked amused, Mom worried.
"Kyuu! Kkyu!"
Wonmo sulked in the corner, pissed at being left out. Curled ball radiating "I'm mad." Cutest thing.
Approached and cooed.
"Wonmo. Cheer up. If I learn to fly later, I'll take you. Okay?"
"Kyuu..."
Some coaxing later, mood fixed. Ppareumbo landed soon after.
"Can you fly anytime?"
"..."
Shook his head. Time limit, apparently. Sigh—if unlimited, I'd be out by now.
'Should I eat one...? Nah.'
Can't even master cold resistance yet—too soon. Plus, would I absorb it right? Ppareumbo's instincts trumped mine, so safe for him. Me? Defer till later.
'Anyway, Dragonflame Incense lets you fly... that about sums it up?'
Unknown side effects. Thought of testing on Kkobong, but mana-blocked collar? Pointless.
Trust Ppareumbo's gut for now.
Title) Discovered One Effect of Dragonflame Incense
YasaengGrill (Drifting Ppareumbo Video) (Ppareumbo Flying with Baby Raccoon on Back Video)
Ate the inner core from that lightness skill fish, now it's flying like this. Seems Dragonflame Incense grants flight? Can't stay airborne forever, though—time-limited. Still, can't deny it's good.
ㄴCheonma) Suddenly feeling a weird sense of doubt. This lady trained years for lightness skill.
ㄴSwordTasteStar) Years? Total years training?
ㄴCheonma) Started at 10, so exactly 10 years.
ㄴSwordTasteStar) As a Sword Master, advice: don't say that if you don't wanna get beat up.
ㄴCheonma) Why not? A full 10 years!
ㄴSwordTasteStar) Others grind a lifetime just to maybe hit Sword Master lmao
ㄴFor real, wanna punch her lmao
ㄴCheonma totally flexing, right? Right?
ㄴGrand Master in 10 years? Bullshit lol
ㄴCheonma) Hm. Why can't they do something this easy?
ㄴOlfather) Cheonma, one question. Did you reach the end?
ㄴCheonma) No. The closer I got, the farther it seemed.
ㄴOlfather) Same here. Magic's endless waves. Haha.
ㄴCheonma) An end would just be boring anyway.
ㄴYasaengGrill) If my escape's endless, I'll piss myself.
ㄴCheonma) Everything's better with an end.
ㄴLook at Cheonma backpedaling lol
ㄴShe totally eyes Grills? lol
ㄴCheonma seems weak to Grills every time.
ㄴSunForever) Yo Grills, check my post. This shit's insane lol
Gallery buzzing when SunForever's comment caught my eye. If he's posting himself, something fun happened. Hurried to find it.
Fresh post, barely any recs.
Title) Sky Whale Dragonflame Incense After-Action Report
SunForever (First-Person Flying Video) (Dark Elf Attendant Flailing in Sky Video) (SunForever Laughing Heartily in Setan Tongue Video)
Thought Dragonflame Incense was perfume, so I lit some. Smells good, but gravity vanished from the whole space lol. Strictly, like an ocean with just air resistance? Got me even higher lol. Lit incense and whole area lost gravity.
Realized even burning it works. Useless to me now, but I'll eat it direct later. When ready.
ㄴYasaengGrill) Looks fun just watching. Really just incense?
ㄴSunForever) Yeah, was gonna nap but body floated up outta nowhere lol
ㄴWhy's that attendant freaking so hard lmao
ㄴI'd freak too lol
ㄴCan post this vid? Attendant knows Gallery, it'll dox him.
ㄴSunForever) Oh right. Forgot in the fun. Editing quick.
ㄴToo late. Gay. Saved it lol
ㄴSunForever) Sigh, do what you want. Real life or Gallery, don't care. Fun's fun lol
SunForever racking comments like never before. Must be thrilled. Felt proud.
ㄴSunForever) Gonna call the wives soon, party time.
ㄴWives for what?
ㄴSunForever) What else? Go wild... uh. Moving on.
Personal tastes deserve respect, right? More like degenerate shit... but I get it. Zero-G banging? Ultimate achievement no one's hit. Earth needed a space station first—here? God knows.
'Wait. Incense alone lets you fly?'
Looked around. Seal hearth and entrance, burn incense—SunForever effect achieved?
'...Do it now.'
Couldn't resist the degeneracy. Got usage tips and gear from SunForever after.
"How's it? Wonmo! Fun, right?"
"Kyuuu! Kkyuu!"
Zero-G bliss unlocked.
"Uwooo! Wooaaah!"
Kkobong... not enjoying.