Chapter 162
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Lesson 33. Jade Star - 2
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When Ban Yu-won first laid eyes on the jungle composed of trees that seemed to pierce the heavens, he had imagined the Amazon and the primitive tribes living there.
Sloti, the sloth beastkin who appeared by shoving aside the trees, perfectly matched his imagination. But once Chief Kanid guided him into the village of the "Wolf Fang" tribe, things had developed in a somewhat different direction from what Ban Yu-won had envisioned.
"Whoa......"
"......It's pretty impressive."
As Ban Yu-won and Dokgo Yeon entered the village—no, the city—their gazes naturally turned upward.
And for good reason. Most of the buildings forming the city were constructed between the trees.
They built homes using parts of the densely packed forest trees without damaging them too much, or hollowed out just enough of the trunks so the trees wouldn't die, turning those into houses...
If there were as many such structures as there were trees filling the forest, one could imagine the scale.
What, are they squirrels or something? ...Though there are probably squirrel beastkin around too.
Their lives seemed centered above in the trees, rather than on the ground.
Seeing beastkin gathered on the massive, thick branches tangled like nets high above, chattering away, it felt utterly natural.
"Did they build houses in the trees?"
"Where else would they build? The ground's too dangerous."
Kanid chuckled as if he'd heard an amusing joke at Ban Yu-won's words, slapping his shoulder.
Ow. He's not venting his anger over me stealing his daughter like this, is he?
No, with that level of skill, he could handle anything alone without calling us... Or maybe, like I told Lucelle, he just lacks manpower.
Only Superman could save Earth single-handedly.
If you had things to protect and attacks came indiscriminately from all sides—or right now, from left and right—you'd naturally need two people to defend, right?
According to Lucelle, this star had always seen fierce wars between tribes, and a constellation targeting her—not her father—had contracted with others, directing them to attack, leaving no room for unity.
The wars had entered a lull when Lucelle, the seed of conflict, entered the academy.
But with dimensional pirates invading more fiercely lately, and other tribes stirring again, it was obvious they were connected.
And just as obvious that Ryu Cheol-myeong was behind it all.
Even for that brute, is he being this blatant? I don't want to drag this out, but watching the situation for a bit might be wise.
Wait, what did Kanid just say?
"You said the ground is dangerous?"
"Ah, of course my son-in-law wouldn't know."
Did he just say son-in-law?
"The natural enemies of beastkin live on this land. We call them Forest Worms."
"The name alone tells me everything."
If worms were beastkin' nemeses, and beastkin built homes in trees to avoid them...
"Are they the type that crawl underground, sensitive to vibrations, so walking on the ground draws their attacks?"
"Oh, Lucelle already explained it to you."
"No, Dad. Master knows everything."
"That's right, I know everything."
Kanid burst into hearty laughter at Ban Yu-won's words, thumping his shoulder again.
It felt like his shoulder might shatter—yep, this was definitely revenge.
As they bantered while gazing up at the treetop city, Ban Yu-won suddenly felt a vibration from underground and looked down.
Sure enough, he spotted strings wriggling up from below.
Their strength was around 100.
Compared to the armored bugs he'd fought in the tower just recently, they were laughable. But considering these appeared routinely in their daily lives, it was no laughing matter.
"Indeed, they come swarming like this."
"Oh, did you sense its position?"
"Yeah. What don't I know?"
Ban Yu-won snapped his fingers, and Tike, which had been floating above his head filming everything, aimed at the concept he'd read and cast Projection Magic.
—Thud-boom!
With a sound effect straight out of a comic, the light magic bullet fired like a laser downward.
The laser pierced the ground perfectly, threading through the wriggling Forest Worm underground without a miss.
"Uwoooooh?! Is that magic?!"
"It's an artifact with its own ego. I made it. It'll help with this mission too."
"Hah...... Haha."
Kanid looked back at Lucelle with a mix of bewilderment and joy, seeing his prospective son-in-law blessed with talents beyond expectation.
But Lucelle replied with an unshaken smile.
"No need to be surprised one by one, Dad. This is just a tiny fraction of Master's abilities."
"This is tiny? This alone could found a tribe......"
Kanid gasped at his daughter's words.
Dokgo Yeon, who had kept some distance from them since arriving, shook her head watching the scene.
"I rate Ban Yu-won highly myself...... but beast, you're overestimating him to a degree that would shock even me."
"Yawwwn...... When diiiid...... egoooo......?"
"Ah, you're still here?"
Amid the outer party's noise, Ban Yu-won extended a hand to collect the golden strings emerging from underground and checked them.
"Let's see. Life and Body are mediocre; the useful concept is...... Excavation."
The rest were worthless concepts headed straight for Code Core, but Excavation at depth 20 was different.
A rare concept held by only certain creatures.
The moment he confirmed it, Ban Yu-won thought:
Finally, time to break through a thousand rings.
But the most promising candidate, Lilith, rejected it.
[Master, I don't really need that concept. I'll yield it to Sis.]
"Shh, shush!"
Eve got mad too, saying he was dumping something useless.
How could they not see the potential of this magnificent concept?
Ban Yu-won sighed and bestowed it on the hand drill he had.
His non-subordinates reacted to the effortless motion.
—......Why do you even have that?
I thought I might need to dig in the tower sometime.
—Pfft, you're such an idiot.
I know.
Still, he'd seriously considered and packed it back then.
He knew he'd gained great power, but not how to use it.
Like turning a plain Dokkaebi Club into an artifact, having various items would allow diverse uses, he thought.
How could he have known he'd learn magic and dig without a drill?
—So you realize you can dig without a drill?
Of course. You think I keep magic around to boil soup?
But magic he cast and inherent concepts differed in potential.
Best was harmonizing them.
And in this world overflowing with Forest Worms bearing Excavation...
"Ah, Ban Yu-won is making that sinister plotting face again."
"Didn't you just say you rate me highly?"
"I do."
Ban Yu-won decided to ignore Dokgo Yeon.
"Then let's head up. Looks like everyone's gathering."
"Yeah."
Earlier, he hadn't seen many moving; now, people swarmed the branches like they might snap.
The plaza formed on the thickest branch extending from the city's tallest tree.
Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, gathered there—too many to count.
"Aren't we at war? Grateful for the welcome, but......"
"It's fine, son-in-law. You think we'd pull all the guards? And with Sloti always watching the forest barrier, we'd know immediately if trouble hits."
"Zzz......"
"She's asleep."
"She overworks on the barrier usually. Normally, she's a diligent, proper girl. Loves the tribe, exceptional ability...... Only regret is no mate yet."
......Huh?
Why did it feel like he was blatantly praising Sloti?
Ban Yu-won tilted his head, sensing something off.
But he missed Lucelle glaring sharply at Kanid.
"Dad......?"
"Daughter, you don't plan to monopolize, right? Your master is too outstanding for just one woman."
"I know that! But Sloti is......"
Then it happened.
Someone leaped from high branches, kicking off trees to slow down, landing leisurely before them.
A black-haired short-cut beauty with a cool demeanor; two sharp triangular ears atop her head stood out.
Kanid had them too.
Sloti didn't, so he'd thought it was his trait—turns out Sloti's monkey-like kind hid it, but dog beastkin all had them like Kanid...?
"Kanid, how long are you leaving the guests in danger?"
"Hahaha! Danger? If you saw how our son-in-law just caught that worm, you wouldn't say that."
"Son-in-law?"
The woman perked her ears, fixing her gaze on Ban Yu-won.
"You?"
"Uh...... Lucelle's mother?"
"Yes. Lucia."
Of course, she was incredibly attractive.
But as Lucelle's mother, she seemed a bit...... too slim.
Or maybe Lucelle's violent allure came from her father's genes!
As a fellow male, it was just scary, but that massive build and muscular body must appeal to women...
"I'm Ban Yu-won. Call me casually."
"Hmmm."
Honestly, a bit disappointed, but he couldn't say that, so he smiled warmly and greeted.
But right after.
Lucia approached at speed Ban Yu-won couldn't perceive, sniffing his nape.
"?!"
"Mom!"
"Sniff. Sniff sniff."
Lucia started at his nape, then chest, armpit, waist, and down to his—
"No!"
"Yelp!"
Lucelle desperately shoved her away mid-sniff.
Blushing furiously, Lucelle hugged Ban Yu-won protectively, baring her teeth.
"Don't touch my man......!"
"Mm...... He's fine. When's the baby coming?"
But Lucia, pushed away by her daughter, nodded satisfied and retreated, asking something similar to Kanid earlier.
Ban Yu-won felt his mind go blank and stopped thinking.
"Not yet! I have to go to school!"
"Still need practice making one. Mm, Kanid. Taking Lucelle."
"Was going to ask. Great minds! Haha!"
"We're married."
After rubbing noses affectionately with Kanid, Lucia—somehow already beside her—grabbed Lucelle's nape.
"Let's go, Lucelle. Should've taught you sooner, sorry."
"Mom, I'll learn, but wait—!"
Like an eagle snatching prey, Lucia gripped Lucelle and bounded into the branches, vanishing.
Ban Yu-won thought, escaping reality: That ghostly movement could reference Ghostly Shadow Arts, then chuckled recalling Lucelle's screaming face as she was dragged off.
"......Coming here, I've seen sides of Lucelle I never did."
"Ban Yu-won, at this rate, tomorrow night you'll see sides of the beast you never imagined."
"Don't say it, it scares me."
"Hesitating on the relationship? Why?"
"......Huh?"
What?
Ban Yu-won turned; Dokgo Yeon glared like what are you on about?
"What."
"No, you just."
"What."
"......Nothing."
Dokgo Yeon was clearly upset, but voicing it might get him bisected.
No way she was jealous.
She probably just hated romance regardless.
"Then let's go. Chief, lead on."
"R-Right."
"Zzz......"
Kanid seemed slightly cowed by Dokgo Yeon's mood, maybe imagination.
Ban Yu-won, meanwhile, thought sleepy Sloti leaning on a tree was probably a big deal.
But next instant, Sloti's eyes snapped open.
"Regret......"
"Huh?"
"Assembly...... canceled......"
"......Sloti, no way."
"Combat...... prepare."
Her sluggish speech turned clear.
—Kwaaaang!
A massive explosion rocked the distant forest.