Chapter 74
Chapter 74
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Became the Gallery's Only Reptile
-----------------------------------------------------------------
People say.
Who is Lena?
Why are the users going so crazy over her?
To understand that, we first need to look at Lena's backstory.
She first appears as a classmate entering the academy at the same time as the player.
A beauty in the top ranks even when including everyone from first-years to third-years.
However, with no family name—just the single name Lena—rumors spread that she's a commoner, and more and more people began approaching her.
Someone once said it: if five people gather, one of them is surely trash.
But the ones approaching Lena numbered at least dozens.
Naturally, as the number of trash increased, problems started erupting.
And the player, caught up in one of those incidents by chance, has his first conversation with her and resolves the issue.
The users, experiencing her stunning looks, gentle personality, and the various events that occur while spending time with her, gradually grow interested, start taking her presence for granted, and develop affection for her.
Pfft.
What are we supposed to do about this!
The shocking truth: it was all part of Lena's plan!
Lena had approached the player on the orders of the god her village worshipped.
From that very first encounter right up to now—everything!
You can't imagine the massive backstab the users felt at that moment. Some even quit the game over it.
Of course, they all came crawling back after some time.
Anyway, Lena stabs us in the back and uses a specific tool to capture the power of the player's soul karma—deeds unfavorable to the goddess—and hands it over to the god she serves.
Ah, and no need to explain who that god is—everyone knows.
The incarnation of persistence who ruled for eons, puppeteering the entire village including Lena like marionettes, and ultimately succeeds in reviving by exploiting the player's karma.
The monster who, in the distant future, calls itself Tahm.
The player manages to drive Tahm out with help from those around him, but if there's even a slight mistake in the playthrough, it leads to the route where Lena dies—so everyone gritted their teeth and fought Tahm.
Why fight so hard for her after the betrayal?
Because as the story unfolds, her past is revealed.
Tahm's atrocities committed for his own revival, and the people who suffered because of them.
Even after betraying the player, her past made it impossible to sever affection—and I have no idea how fiercely I fought Tahm back then, bound by that same past, just to save her.
And get this—the funny part?
Even if the player saves Lena at the risk of his life, she feels such guilt over everything that's happened that she sets off alone on a journey.
'A story flawless as jade, save for that one blemish.'
No, if I risked my life to save you, stay by my side and help out!
All the users thought she'd return to the player's side to lend a hand, but nope—it's an escape ending?!
'But that won't happen anymore.'
Tahm? Already reduced to ash by my hand.
Lena won't have to endure that kind of suffering now.
'Notifications just keep pouring in without end.'
Well, I get it.
It's about Tahm, after all.
Reading this might jog the memories of those who'd forgotten about him.
I peeked at the gallery's atmosphere, but hurriedly closed it upon seeing the flood of effusive praise posts.
Probably, this mood will linger for a while.
I ignored the relentless stream of notifications as best I could, pulverizing Tahm's ashes finely with wind to keep them from scattering, then crafting a sturdy little urn reinforced with earth and metal energies, and placing them inside.
"You not gonna eat that?"
-Eating something like that could lead to big trouble.
[She's right.]
Tahm's bones indeed contained mana of such high purity it put ordinary spirit medicines to shame.
Of course—that's to be expected after devouring all the mana in this place.
'The issue isn't the mana, though.'
High mana purity?
That's actually a good thing for us.
The real problem is Tahm's inherent traits.
'No telling just how much of his traits are embedded in this right now.'
But if even one lingers, worst case, all our powers could vanish.
Slim chance, sure—but with any possibility, I had to stop Cheong.
[I want to use this to preserve this location.]
That's why my mind turned to using it in a different way, not consumption.
Cheong and Silpi lack knowledge of the future.
No matter how distant, I'm the only one who knows how—and to what extent—this environment will change.
So I want to use Tahm's ashes to preserve the current environment without collapse.
The Amrita we gorge on daily will vanish from history in the future, known to but a scant few.
The restoration process yields only a counterfeit called Ambrosia.
Ojae mushrooms are the same—one mushroom degraded into five imperfect potions.
'Such a waste.'
I've been trying to cut back on Amrita intake ever since considering its extinction, but it's not easy.
And one idea surfaced.
Even after the ancient era passes, is there no way to prevent Amrita's extinction?
'Impossible.'
Back then, no matter how I racked my brain, nothing satisfactory emerged.
Amrita fruits are heavily influenced by the ancient environment to begin with.
Would they even grow in the low-mana setting of the original timeline?
Especially considering the mana needed for the fruits—planting near Ceres isn't ideal either.
And even if they grew, the quality would differ vastly from what we eat now.
'But this might make it possible.'
Still just a possibility for now, but hope has sprouted.
That said, with no technology yet and theories unestablished, best not to celebrate prematurely.
-Shall we head back then?
"Me too. Wanna go eat Amrita."
[Yeah... We've confirmed the cave's end. Time to head back.]
With that, we wrapped up our cave exploration, throwing daily parties with the various spirit medicines we'd gathered on the way out, achieving real-time explosive growth.
Whoosh.
-Phew! I'm not acting weird or anything, right?
With a refreshing breeze, Silpi executed an elegant turn in midair.
Her movements, captivating like a ballerina's, came with an unusually tense expression as she awaited our verdict.
"Silpi, amazing!"
"Such splendid movements."
-It was truly beautiful.
[No, is all that really necessary?]
-What do you know!
Swipe.
Silpi jabbed her index finger toward me.
-Today is hugely important! Not a single mistake can be tolerated!
[Hmm. That serious, huh.]
"Hmm. That serious, huh?"
"Quite so."
-It is that serious.
Well, I get it—even if I said that.
After all, today is the spirit kings' conference Sirin mentioned.
Unlike prior meetings, every single spirit king is attending this time—anyone in Silpi's position would be jittery.
[Today, we protect Ceres by her side.]
"I'll rip the arms off any weirdos."
"I'll ensure they rest eternally in nature's embrace!"
[Uh... yeah.]
A bit brutal, but reassuring all the same.
As long as they don't start trouble first, no incidents.
Zing.
[They're arriving soon.]
"Who?"
[Yeah. Judging by the auras... water and earth.]
My vastly expanded senses picked up the intruders.
Rippling water energy and unyielding earth energy.
Beings of this caliber must be spirit kings.
Sensing them drawing near, I gave Silpi one last glance.
[Silpi. Time to move.]
-Y-Yeah!
Silpi, trembling even in speech from nerves.
Honestly, she doesn't need to be this worked up.
Thud.
At last, the presences' owners arrived.
The water spirit king and earth spirit king.
Along with their elite escort spirits.
-This the conference spot, right?
-Yes.
Just their presence—these transcendent rulers of elements—was enough to warp the surrounding space.
But we've only been playing and eating every day... anyway!
We're not so decrepit we can't withstand this much.
Crackle.
I naturally twisted the ambient mana, neutralizing the spirit kings' pressure head-on.
Fine for a bit, but prolonged emanation could alter the natural environment.
[Welcome, water and earth spirit kings.]
-What's this?
-...An imoogi. Never seen that color before.
As I stepped forward and addressed them, the water spirit king showed intrigue.
The earth spirit king, curious at my difference from ordinary imoogi, reached out toward me.
Thud.
"Hey. Don't touch El."
Of course, Cheong wasn't about to let that slide.
-How dare some lowly—!
-Release that hand at once!
The earth elite spirits raged at Cheong for grabbing their king's arm.
But Cheong just snorted and squeezed harder.
Crunch.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the earth spirit king's arm under her grip.
The elite rock spirits poised to attack.
Yet the earth spirit king raised his free hand, halting them.
-Enough. I don't want noise before the conference even starts.
So release your grip too.
At his wordless glare, Cheong bared her teeth in a grin.
"What're you yapping about, you dwarf bastard."
Crack.
"Then start by changing that look you're giving El."
Honestly, I figured Cheong was exaggerating for a joke.
But no.
My eyes involuntarily followed her hand to the thick, rock-like arm now thudding to the ground.
Killing intent exploded toward Cheong.
Never imagined she'd cause an incident before the meeting even began.
"Uh, Grandma. This okay?"
"I keep my word."
True. Though no need to follow through.
Who could've guessed she'd actually rip off the arm.
In the fight-ready tension, I let out a secret sigh.
This... a massive incident before the conference kicks off.