Chapter 47: Her Treasure
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 47: Her Treasure
A lazy afternoon.
You could say that a life where you lovingly prepare a picnic with your precious family, then go on an outing laughing and smiling, is a successful one.
Of course, there’s the minor issue that the picnic lunch is the dripping, bloody hind leg of a Deinonychus, and the precious family consists of three spiders, one girl from the Tang Clan, and a handsome lizard. But still, I guess it’s not too bad.
“…I’m getting that strange feeling again. Is it that someone thinks of me as a mere beast? How odd.”
Tang Soyeong muttered to herself.
I’d also packed a grilled fish for her.
I hadn’t noticed, but it seemed that constantly eating meat was a bit much for her.
Aren’t martial artists supposed to love it if they get to eat meat all the time?
The thought crossed my mind, but a woman’s heart is a different matter.
A grilled fish should be enough to satisfy her.
After all, the divine beast Gomodo can’t be expected to graze on grass.
I walked in the direction Nephila Jurassica was gesturing.
The three spiders were perched on my head, with Tang Soyeong riding behind them.
Tang Soyeong would call out the directions the spider pointed.
…But if this is just an outing, can’t you guys just walk?
You all climbed on so naturally.
You call me a Divine Beast, a Divine Beast!
“Kkieng!”
“Hero Go, she says to go left this time.”
Could it be that I’ve fallen for a scheme by the Tang Clan quartet?
It’s like how shady, small-time companies hand out manager and director titles like candy. They give you a fancy title to make you feel important, then use it as an excuse to keep you from quitting or to pile on unreasonable work.
Nothing really changes even when your rank goes up, but you feel good for no reason and end up working silently without complaint.
This is exactly that.
They hype me up as a Divine Beast, then work me like a servant.
“Gek gek.”
Tap, tap.
Look at them.
They’re not even listening to me, just playing with their hands amongst themselves.
I considered shaking them off for a second, but I held back since Nephila wasn’t in good condition.
“She says it’s left again. Kyaaak!”
Of course, you’re an exception.
After letting the fallen Tang Soyeong back on my back, I continued walking.
We were crossing swamps, climbing hills, and passing through valleys.
“Caw, caw!”
There’s a crow in a random place.
Hello, Mr. Crow.
“Gek gek!”
It’s been a while since I’ve seen a feathered beast.
“Th-the, the Golden Phoenix Branch?”
There she goes again, saying strange things.
That’s just a Crow LV30.
And a pitiful bird with an extra leg, at that.
“St-stop! Th-that’s definitely…!”
I breezily ignored Tang Soyeong’s words and kept walking.
“Kiek!”
Nephila Jurassica was jumping up and down on my head.
It seemed we were almost there.
“Kkieeng!”
We had finally arrived.
Before my eyes was the entrance to a cave.
Nephila really has a good eye.
Treasure, of course, must be hidden in a cave.
Wary of any potential threats, I slowly entered the cave.
The entrance was narrow, but the inside was wider than I expected.
It was smaller than the Silver Dragon Cave, but large enough for my bigger body to move around without any trouble.
“Kiek!”
Nephila Jurassica waved her long arms languidly.
“This looks like a cave where treasure would be hidden. I see Lady Spider had a good reason for bringing us here.”
A cave, treasure, and a spirit beast.
“She says it’s an incredibly precious treasure!”
This spider knew how to make a man’s heart race.
And the spirit beast guarding the treasure was, naturally, Nephila Jurassica.
Alright, hurry up and bring out the hidden treasure.
“Hah, I’ll try to find it.”
Tang Soyeong got off my back, taking Tus and Pus with her.
The Tang Clan trio began to patter around the cave.
They seemed excited at the thought of finding treasure.
Can they even see? I can, thanks to my night vision, but Tang Soyeong is an ordinary human, so it must be dark for her.
Patter, patter, patter.
As she moved about the cave, Tang Soyeong suddenly shouted as if she’d found something.
“Hero Go, look at this!”
My view is blocked, so I can’t see well.
Did she find something good?
“There’s some kind of fur pelt here!”
A fur pelt?
That was random.
Is it some kind of clothing?
“Wow. It’s a little warm, too. What a strange object.”
…Surely that object isn’t moving on its own, right?
Just as I had that thought, I heard footsteps again.
Patter-patter-patter-patter.
Tang Soyeong came scurrying back with Tus and Pus.
Her mouth was shut tight, and she seemed to be running at the fastest speed she could manage.
Of course, since her legs weren’t very long, it didn’t feel particularly fast.
“H-Hero…”
Having safely reached my side, Tang Soyeong’s body trembled.
“O-over there…”
Good grief.
What did you get into this time?
“Th-there’s something…”
Was there a beast?
I couldn’t check because my view was blocked.
This is why I told you not to wander off.
Still, seeing as she returned safely, it might be a docile creature.
Or maybe it was sleeping.
She said it was a fur pelt, so is a wolf or something going to pop out?
I hope it’s not a bear.
Thump.
The sound of the footsteps was ominous.
Something staggered toward us, as if it had just woken up.
A massive, white body.
It resembled a Deinonychus, but its hind claws were far more menacing.
I could feel the immense amount of muscle just by looking at it.
【Utahraptor LV27】
【Status】
「Annoyed」「Fatigued」
【Utahraptor】
A dinosaur of the Dromaeosauridae family, it is the largest of its kind, reaching lengths of 5-6 meters and weighing around 400kg.
Its entire body is covered in feathers, and it is characterized by the vicious, 24cm-long claws on the second toe of its hind feet.
While the claws are unsuitable for slicing flesh, they are excellent at piercing it.
A Utahraptor.
This creature was the largest of the dinosaurs bearing the name “raptor.”
Raptors usually give off a nimble impression. But this one was different.
It felt like it was on another level from birth.
Thick muscles were attached to thick bones. The feathers covering its entire body made it feel even more massive.
Right, feathers.
Some people scoff at the idea of dinosaurs having feathers.
Looking at recent reconstructions of the Velociraptor, you have to admit they have a point.
It was drawn to look less like a dinosaur and more like a very small bird.
But the Utahraptor was different.
Even covered in feathers, it didn’t look the least bit ridiculous.
If other raptors were cats or cheetahs, the Utahraptor was more like a snow leopard.
“Grrrr…”
Thump.
The beast slowly walked toward me.
Avoiding a fight seemed impossible.
I moved Tang Soyeong and the spiders behind me and braced for the coming impact.
Shhhk!
The form of my Dragon Scales changed.
That’s right.
Come at me.
“Kraaaaaaah!”
Thump.
Thump.
Despite its heavy-looking body, it was fast.
I had to think of it as an opponent that had improved upon the Deinonychus’s strengths and bulked up.
Truly a worthy adversary for this Gomodo.
“Krrrrrrrr!”
I was preparing to counter the beast’s attack.
Thump.
Thump.
It ran right past me.
Thump!
Thump!
【Utahraptor LV27】
【Status】
「Fear」「Fright」
The Utahraptor bolted straight out of the cave.
…Did it run away?
“A-as expected of Hero Go…!”
It was, what should I say, an anticlimax.
Tsk, why did it run away without even trying to fight?
It was bigger than me.
Maybe that Utahraptor had a gentle personality.
Perhaps the three from the Tang Clan had poked it, waking it up, and it was just trying to chase us out of its cave.
If that thing had been serious about catching her, Tang Soyeong would never have escaped with those short legs of hers.
Thinking about it that way, I felt a little sorry.
It was sleeping soundly, and we ended up chasing it out.
Sorry, Utahraptor.
We’ll just find the treasure and leave quickly.
That is, assuming you haven’t swallowed my treasure.
“Ahem. A perceptive opponent. This was my chance to use the Tang Clan’s secret technique, the Sky-Filling Flower Rain, right by Hero Go’s side.”
As if.
You, who stole martial arts from the Beggars' Sect.
“I’m getting that strange feeling again! It’s like a feeling I want to deny? Ugh… I’m sorry. I must be the strange one…”
As long as you know you’re strange.
“Kieek!”
Nephila Jurassica moved her legs as if doing a happy, swaying dance.
I couldn’t understand the spider’s words, but that was a dance of relief.
It seemed she was displeased that someone had entered this cave.
…It’s not like you’re from this cave either.
“Kek kek!”
Nephila Jurassica waved her third leg back and forth.
I could understand that much.
“I think she wants us to follow her!”
Right.
Now that we’d chased off the Utahraptor, it was time to see the treasure.
“Kkieng!”
Nephila Jurassica proudly pointed to a web-covered corner.
It seemed the treasure was hidden there.
She slowly pulled at the spiderwebs.
The treasure that Nephila Jurassica cherished so much was revealed.
“Th-this is?”
“Ki-kiek?”
Tang Soyeong and Pus were perfectly synchronized, crying out in surprise at the same time.
What is that?
Let me get a closer look.
…Why does that look so familiar?
It was a shape I was sure I’d seen many times somewhere.
The form of a small lizard. The particularly plump tail felt quite charming.
Wait a minute.
Is that me?
“Kiek!”
It’s my shed skin.
Why is this here?!
“Kieeek!”
Tus and Pus scurried toward my shed skin at high speed.
“Kieeeek!”
Thwip.
But Nephila Jurassica stopped them.
Her meaning was probably, “Look with your eyes, don’t touch.”
“Kkieeng…”
Tus and Pus could only gaze endlessly at my shed skin.
Seriously, what do they think that is to be acting like that?
Tang Soyeong, her eyes wide like a rabbit’s, looked back and forth between my shed skin and me.
“Could it be… something like Hero Go’s s-sarira [holy relic]?”
No, it’s a shed skin.
“This is… precious! Incredibly precious!”
It’s not precious. I get a new one every time I level up.
“A younger version of Hero Go… The demand for this will be overwhelming.”
Who the hell needs a gecko’s shed skin?
“Kieek!”
…Besides spiders, I mean.
“Gek gek.”
Hey, spider.
I’ve seen your collection.
But I didn’t come all this way to see my own shed skin.
“Keeeng!”
As if she knew I’d say that, Nephila moved her long legs.
She headed for another pile of spiderwebs.
Right, I knew I could trust you.
Nephila is the best!
“Kieeng!”
Nephila Jurassica cleared away the webs.
“Th-that’s!”
“Kieeeek!”
The Tang Clan trio was surprised again.
Unlike them and their fuss, my expression was hardening in real-time.
Because the object Nephila Jurassica had proudly presented was the long tail of a Green Basilisk.
The very tail I had cut off right after evolving into a Basilisk.
…Spider.
I’ll respect your tastes.
But I didn’t come all this way to see my shed skin and tail.
Hurry up and take out the real treasure you’ve hidden.
“Hioong…”
Nephila Jurassica clasped her hands together as if embarrassed.
…Don’t tell me this is it?
“GEEEEEEK!”
My treasure.
Where did my treasure go?!
Right.
The Utahraptor must have stolen it and eaten it.
That beast must have taken the precious treasures Nephila Jurassica had prepared.
Yes, that must be it.
There’s no way our Nephila would present something like this to me and call it treasure.
Utahraptor.
Just you wait until you come back.
Ten-Thousand-Year Fo-ti, Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Spirit Fruit, and the Great Reversion Pill.
I’ll pluck out every last one of your feathers until you cough up my precious treasures.
With my Dragon’s Claws, of course.