Chapter 75
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Kir's Legacy
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Spploosh!
The massive wave created as Atarak's body crashed into the sulfur lake.
Atarak's corpse was so enormous that it didn't even fully submerge in the sulfur.
Thud.
Karen landed gracefully atop Atarak's corpse.
Fortunately, Kang Seol and Jamad were close enough to the body as well, so they moved onto it.
"Whew... How was that? Wasn't I pretty cool?"
"Don't get cocky over doing the obvious, fairy."
"Frankly, it was the troll's jealousy after standing around gawking like an idiot."
"...It was just a bad matchup. On land, I would've stepped up."
"Who here has wings? Whatever, jealousy is exhausting."
[I believed in you ㅠㅠ Blood can't lie after all!]
Breaking) Karen stans nosebleeding... ERs overwhelmed with excessive blood loss.
This is authentic fire flavor! How 'bout that!
(Sniff) Don't those Montros know moderation...?
Snowman still can't pick his reward.
[Why not start an academy? Oh, right, this era's greatest intellect, Professor Karen, hasn't arrived yet.]
Even her reports are beyond replication!
.
Fact) Jamad and Snowman were busy dodging.
Seniors just take responsibility lol
"Karen signing was a success"
The viewers cheered at Karen's performance.
The knight who hadn't drawn her sword, keeping viewers on edge, had practically soloed Atarak. Seizing the moment, they showered madness sponsorships.
[How the hell did Montros fall?]
An empire that fell with a Karen like that?
.
.
Dumbasses, you know what it is. That thing, ugh! Anyway, that. You idiots!
Just wants to call us dumb lol
.
[I lo... ve...]
Sound alone tells what happened
.
Talk show with Jamad great, skills top-notch!
Fr lol
Kang Seol's group reunited—not exactly a touching moment.
Kang Seol confirmed Karen was unharmed.
"Sorry, the sword melted."
"Can't be helped."
Karen's blade had vanished entirely after using Crimson Lotus Slash.
'It was an insane amount of power.'
If Atarak had been in perfect condition, maybe, but she'd taken constant damage fighting Karen, with Kupa's help too. Even Karen couldn't endure that unscathed.
"More importantly, aren't you gonna collect it?"
"Yeah."
Kang Seol pulled a vial from his pocket and began collecting Atarak's blood. Unlike the other sulfur spiders, it wasn't hot.
Drip...
The blood divided into the vials.
True to her massive size, there was quite a lot.
Acquired Pure Blood of Anakandria's Last Descendant.
Adventure can be concluded upon time limit expiration or reward selection.
Plop.
A treasure chest materialized from thin air.
Defeating Atarak and acquiring her blood had completed the adventure objective.
Jamad snatched it up.
"I'll take this."
"Fine, do that much at least."
"Hmph! Next time, stay out of it, fairy. We'll see then."
They compete on their own, he just stands back coughing.
Other classes still getting wrecked.
Atarak's size means even a human truck would've failed.
Bubble... bubble...
Sizzle...
Atarak's submerged corpse began sinking into the sulfur lake. Sensing it, Jamad spoke.
"It's sinking. Move if you don't want just bones left."
"Yeah, let's go, Master."
They'd achieved their goal; time to head back.
Kupa had ignored Kang Seol's group so far, but wild beasts could slip the leash anytime.
Yet Kang Seol's feet wouldn't move. He kept watching Kupa.
"What's wrong?"
"Seems distressed."
"Who, him?"
"Yeah."
Kuruk!
Kururuk!
Fluttering relentlessly, refusing to leave Atarak's web.
Kang Seol observed Kupa quietly.
Flutter... flutter...
Kupa, circling the ceiling earlier, now hovered uncertainly in a corner, as if discovering something.
Kuruk!
Kururuk!
'Could it be?'
Kang Seol guessed what Kupa intended.
"Kupa!"
Kruk?
Kupa, unresponsive until now, turned at Kang Seol's call. Its sturdy beak and gaze were terrifying, chilling to the bone.
Gulp...
"I'll help! Come here!"
Summoner thinks he's a druid lol
.
Kuruk!
Kupa flew toward Kang Seol.
Swish—
Karen and Jamad moved to block, fearing an attack.
Whoosh...
Whoooosh...
Fortunately, it was just worry. Kupa merely stared at Kang Seol from atop Atarak's corpse.
Kruk?
Foul smell, ugly appearance.
Kupa still bore the traits of a corpse hawk.
Swish—
Unconsciously, Kang Seol reached toward Kupa's beak.
Kupa reacted warily, crying out.
Kuruk!
"Master! Dangerous, what are you doing?"
Karen panicked at Kang Seol's baffling action, but he persisted.
Swish—
"Oh..."
This time, Kupa approached, offering its beak tip to Kang Seol's hand.
Stroke... stroke...
You, this is tampering!
.
Kupa seemed to see Kang Seol as harmless.
'Not afraid of humans. Rather...'
A friend.
Maybe treating him like one.
Kang Seol thought so, watching Kupa turn away.
Kuruk!
Sharp instincts.
Kupa's back was vast enough for the whole group with room to spare.
"My god... Me, riding this thing."
"Unbelievable. Doesn't fear us?"
"Hold tight."
"Wh-what?"
Whooooosh—!
Kupa soared to the spot it'd lingered on. There lay an ancient cocoon.
Karen asked.
"Cocoon?"
"Yeah."
"Why cocoon?"
"Feels like it wants us to take it."
Kuruuk!
Karen precariously pried the cocoon free.
Snap... plop...
So old, its adhesion was worse than the webs.
"Got it! Secured!"
Karen fixed it firmly to Kupa's back with adventurer tools.
"Let's go!"
Pat pat.
Patting Kupa's back, Kupa dove toward the floor.
"Wh-whoa?"
Whoooosh!
Kupa scooped a chunk of Atarak's corpse with its beak, then took flight again.
[Kupa uses special ability: Corpse Feeding.]
[Will absorb a portion of the corpse's power shortly.]
Kruk!
Responding happily, Kupa exited the cavern.
Screeeee—!
"Ugh, falling! Don't fall!"
"Grip tight! Going up!"
Sensing wind currents, Kupa rocketed through a passage somewhere in the underground lake.
Twisting left, right, up, down—Kupa navigated flawlessly.
Huff... huff...
"Where's it headed?"
Finally.
Whoooooooosh—!
Plunging with underground water, spotting the exit, Kupa shot skyward.
"Huh?"
Whoooosh...
[Achievement 'If I Had Wings' accomplished.]
[Acquired Title 'Bird'.]
Abusing Kupa for achievements -_-
Huh?
.
Whoooosh...
The vast open sky of Shadow Gorge unfolded.
The group gazed at the scenery from Kupa's back.
"Breathtaking."
"Krr! Even birds know style!"
Dad joke... Just clip it...
Aaah...
The gorge from a predator's view was majestic.
Whoooosh...
Admiration ended there.
Kupa flew onward.
The group silently scanned below from Kupa's back. Days in the gorge flashed by, brief as they were.
"Oh? Looks like we're here."
"...Never noticed this spot."
Swish.
The group landed safely.
Kupa had set them down in a peculiar place.
Rare for the gorge: a terrain blooming with flowers and shrubs.
Barren land resumed soon after, but this patch was intact.
"Why here..."
Kang Seol guessed the reason.
The cocoon Karen carefully set down—that was why.
Kuruk...
Kruk...
Kupa gently picked up the cocoon with its beak, placing it in the flowerbed.
And then.
Riiip...
"...A person?"
"No, a corpse."
Inside was someone drained of fluids, mummified.
Kuruk...
Kruk...
Kupa rubbed its beak on the corpse.
Kang Seol thought Kupa grieved.
Kupa closed its eyes, slowly, ever so slowly savoring the reunion.
"...Its master?"
"Makes sense. Odd for a bird that size to be alone."
"Sad."
"Agreed."
As Karen and Jamad talked watching Kupa, Kang Seol approached.
Kruk...
"...Kir?"
Kruk?
"That's Kir, right?"
Kupa's eyes widened at Kang Seol.
This spirit beast acted as if understanding human speech.
Kang Seol knelt before Kir.
Flowers bowed slightly along his knees.
"I'm sorry, Kir."
No reply came.
The one to answer was long gone from this world.
Long ago.
"Rest well. As you see, Kupa grew strong."
Kruk...
That moment.
['Kir's' inheritance begins.]
"Ugh..."
After Zilliac, a fragment he'd long sought—Kir's memories—flooded Kang Seol.
Not his omniscient view, but Kir's perspective.
He watched a tiny Kupa.
Party asleep, only him by the fire with Kupa.
Crackle...
Kruk...
Kuruk! Kruk!
Kruk...
Kir had known Kupa was special for a while. A bird understanding speech so well.
Kuruk...
Kruk.
Tiny Kupa nodded.
Kruk?
Kuruk...
Someone, anyone, to say it was okay.
Kupa, moved, rubbed against Kir's finger.
Kruk!
Kupa puffed its chest confidently.
Kuruk!
Kir's memory ended.
Kang Seol thought the inheritance over.
Swish...
But it continued.
'What?'
This point.
Body felt smaller.
Kruk! Kuruk!
A spider burrowing, dragging sleep- and poison-addled party—including Kir.
Kruk!
Thud!
All strength into ramming the spider, but only dizziness; spider ignored.
'This is... Kupa's memory.'
Why pulled into Kupa's too, unknown, but clearly so.
Kupa couldn't catch the spider leisurely vanishing into the hole with Kir.
Too weak, too small.
Earth covered, Kir gone.
Kupa's emotions then surged into Kang Seol.
Panorama of Kupa's gorge days: hunt, eat, pursue.
Solely to reclaim Kir.
Yet Kir returned as corpse.
Despite Kupa's vast growth, hardened beak, sharpened talons.
No one said it was okay.
Kupa's sorrow transmitted fully to Kang Seol.
"Gaaahhh!"
Peering into memories, especially the dead's, always tormented him.
Memory ended. Message appeared.
[Inherited 'Kir's' Will.]
[Inherit abilities of the deceased.]