77. Joys of Life (3)
I even neatly trimmed Ppareumbo's claws, then went looking for Wonmo. But seeing her fast asleep, I couldn't bring myself to wake her. Besides, she was still just a cub, so her claws probably didn't need tending yet.
All done for now...
I checked the time. It was 4 p.m. Dinner would be soon enough. I could spend the time thoroughly reading SwordTasteStar's post. By the time I'd studied it and practiced a bit, it'd be evening.
When will I build up my fundamentals?
The fight with that guardian had driven it home. I was barely scraping by on gear alone. Without Cheonma's sword, piercing the guardian's inner core would've been impossible. I wasn't some manga-style swordsman—I couldn't even cut a rock barehanded.
But this was a fantasy world. Maybe some folks could slice rocks without mana.
Curiosity struck, so I posted on the Gallery.
YasaengGrill
Can you cut a rock with a sword without mana?
Normally, you need mana to strengthen your body, right? So without mana, everyone's basically just ordinary?
Ordinary people can't cut rocks or slice metal with a sword, yeah?
└Cheonma
It depends on the situation. If the dantian is completely ruined, yes, they're no different from ordinary folk. But if the dantian is intact, they can exert great strength even at rest.
└YasaengGrill
So you need the right techniques for it?
└Cheonma
Of course. Power without technique scatters. Technique gathers it to a single point.
└YasaengGrill
So Lady Cheonma, you can do it?
└Cheonma
This lady is still lacking, but she can cut foes with intent alone. They call it Mind Sword.
└SwordTasteStar
Ignore that mutt's last comment. Anyway, anyone above a certain skill level turns their bare body into a weapon itself.
└YasaengGrill
What's the benchmark for that "certain skill level"?
└SwordTasteStar
The realm where you unconsciously wield an Aura Blade? Mana affects the body so much that even aging slows.
└YasaengGrill
No way that's just Sword Master, right?
└SwordTasteStar
Mass-produced Sword Masters don't count.
└What's "mass-produced" lol? A Sword Master's a Sword Master lol
└It's all Ash's fault. That bitch made everyone else get called mass-produced lol
└The ones shouldering a nation's military might, and they're mass-produced lol
└If they were mass-produced, they'd be cranking 'em out like dogs and pigs ;;;
└YasaengGrill
So just learning the basics won't cut it?
└Cheonma
Given your talent, sir, it's not impossible. But without a master to guide you, it'll take time.
└SwordTasteStar
Still, if you keep reading my posts diligently, you'll master the fundamentals. I guarantee it.
└YasaengGrill
So short-term growth is off the table, huh.
└Cheonma
Not impossible. Warriors grow stronger the more they fight. You're in dire straits, so if you survive the crises, you'll reach it swiftly.
└SwordTasteStar
Lady Cheonma... that sounds an awful lot like "go die" ;;;
└Cheonma
Ah, but different words mean different things. This lady believes without doubt that you'll survive to the end.
└YasaengGrill
Uh... sounds like cheering, so thanks.
└Don'tAbandonHero
There's another way to get strong quick!
└YasaengGrill
What's that?
└Don'tAbandonHero
Just believe in the goddess! The goddess of war and wisdom, Lady Aris!
└YasaengGrill
I hate gods, though.
└Don'tAbandonHero
Whaaat?! What blasphemy is that?! Why do you hate her~?!
└YasaengGrill
Life was good, then my parents died in an accident. I was grinding hard after that, and boom—dropped into the Four Seasons Forest. Of course I wanna curse 'em out.
└Just commit blasphemy lol;;
└Poor guy, gonna die. What kinda life's that lol
└Judaek
You a holy knight or something?
└Don'tAbandonHero
Kinda! Got kicked out over a lil misunderstanding tho~!
Gods, huh. Judaek's words sent me into thought. I didn't follow any religion. Not an atheist, either—I believed gods existed even before getting dumped in the Four Seasons Forest. Had to, so I could curse 'em freely.
Better to hate gods than people, right? If they smite me for cursing? I'd curse harder, the bald-headed bastards.
No one's watching, so even the king gets shit-talked.
Hating gods by believing in them. Ironic. But that mindset kept me clinging to life, so not bad.
For now, training's my only answer.
Mana kept surging, but I couldn't even grasp an Aura Blade. Too much mana made control tricky, maybe. Probably 'cause I'm from Earth. Born different, so my training method should be too? Feeling mana at all was a miracle.
...Gonna take forever.
To escape the Four Seasons Forest, I needed strength. That meant at least Aura Blade. Which meant a long time. So, plan for a long stay.
Just escape eventually.
I resolved that and closed the Gallery, ignoring Judaek's preaching. No blasphemy, don't curse gods no matter how tough—devout type. Shouldn't have brought it up.
Gods ain't feeding me anyway.
The world's got bigger worries than gods. Not dissing the faithful, though—they're amazing. Self-sacrifice incarnate; why hate that?
I don't hate people.
Parents were good, helpers are good. Some assholes, sure, but I don't just take it.
Makes the Gallery wild.
Under anonymity's shadow, ugliness thrives—but I knew that well. Where I lived, pens killed people, not weapons. Gallery's full of desires, but low on personal attacks. Weird dwarf ladies aside, other races get passes. Beastkin too. At that extreme, it's just tastes clashing.
Wanna go home.
I glanced at the cave wall. Tomorrow'd be day ten. Time flew without much done. Barely explored, beasts attacking now and then—headache city.
Where tomorrow?
I turned to my handmade map on big white paper. Lifeline river, connected lake. Adult Mandrake grove. Mushroom cave. Oriharukon Cave, etc. Seemed like a lot.
One was stumbling on Wonmo, though.
Follow river down to lake, or start from headwaters.
I pondered the map. Time to think and scout properly. Long stay meant thorough routes, markers to avoid getting lost.
Can't circle the lake—giant crabs kill.
Or upriver?
Not bad. Rivers branch. Upstream might split two, three ways.
Check each river end.
Downriver's lake; upriver unknown. Better than wandering—set a route.
Planned tomorrow, checked time: nearing 5 p.m. Time to check river traps.
"Be back soon."
"......"
Told Ppareumbo, barred the entrance, geared up, headed out. Otters hit at lunch—stay alert.
Splash! Splash!
"What? Three?"
Three fish in the traps: one gold, two red. In that short time? Wild.
Good's good.
More food, better. Whistled, hauled up, watched surroundings—blood might draw predators.
Run back.
Booked it to cave, used mana fearing pursuit. Dumped fish in cauldron—filled it right up.
One for breakfast tomorrow.
If every day like this... Nah. Focus on escape, no weird thoughts.
Shook head hard.
Till I escape.
Yeah. Reset traps, prepped dinner. Nap-time Wonmo sensed it, crawled out sleepy-eyed—adorbs. Healing every time.
Sizzle!
One gutted fish to Wonmo, cooked another salted. Done—tasty as ever. Felt like premium beef, not fish.
Better than tiger even?
Tiger was smoked, maybe. Dinner done, circulated internal power method, took Olfather's meds.
"Here, Wonmo. Catch!"
"Kyuuu! Kyuu!"
After, played with Wonmo—cloth on stick, waving. Like YouTube cat vids. Not a cat, but builds hunting skills, they say.
Thud!
"Kyaa!"
"Ack!"
Collisions happened, but fine. Still a small cub.
"Kyuuu! Kyuu!"
"Heehee."
Hugged, nuzzled Wonmo, let go gently. Got why people have pets—eases loneliness a bit.
Wonder what Gallery's up to.
Getting dark out. Logged in. Same mess of nonsense posts. Human as hell. Weirdos aplenty, but whatever.
What do these folks do IRL?
Especially my high-nic connections—far from normal. Even the mocked mutt Cheonma seemed like a dignified adult to me.
Good people.
Curious, but no digging. Helping me's enough grace.
YasaengGrill (campfire pic)
End of an extra tough Day 9! Day 10 starts tomorrow! See ya!
└Cheonma
Rest well. This lady cheers you always.
└SwordTasteStar
Extra rough today—hang in there.
└StarlightPrincess
Fighting! Hope you don't beat my record!
└Looks like you will tho?
└Counting's pointless. Can't escape anyway lol
└StarlightPrincess
You guys are real trash ^^
└GrowTrees
Thanks for the core today! Made things way easier!
└YasaengGrill
Glad it helped. Using your gift well too.
└GrowTrees
How is it? Alvhaym's pride!
└YasaengGrill
Are all elves smokers or what?
└GrowTrees
Ah. Right.
└lololololol
└"Ah right" what lololol
└Forgot she traded cigs lololol
└Hey GrowTrees, you smoke too?
└GrowTrees
No! I use incense.
└That's weird in its own way;;
└Smoking cigs like incense? GrowTrees is quirky. Wonder what she needs the core for. Good trade for me—dumped junk.
Tomorrow, upriver.
Bedtime buffer: circulated method. Cheonma said next formula soon, but needed basics first—two weeks min.
Eat inner cores then.
Four days left. Closed eyes, meditative breathing. Felt mana circulating vividly. Strangely, more mana daily, faster flow.
Fish?
Eating inner-core fish every meal, maybe. Control fine, tho—body'd exploded otherwise.
Sank into focus undisturbed, bit by bit.
Next day.
Shwooooaaaa!!
"Ah, shit."
I spat curses at the downpour.