Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: First Expedition (3)
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The wyvern's talons rushed in at blinding speed and clamped around my waist.
"Ugh...!"
A crushing grip tightened around me, and a foul, metallic taste surged up my throat.
The wyvern, frozen mid-air like time itself had paused, flapped its wings once. Then it shot straight upward. Savage winds howled, tearing at my face like knives.
"Let go, let me go!!"
My blade hammered wildly at the wyvern's ankle. But after our long fight, the dulled edge could only chip away a few scales—no real damage.
"Jungwoo!!"
Blasts of magic rained down from all sides. The wyvern twisted and turned in mid-air like an acrobat, dodging Moon Hayeon's barrage with ease.
A nauseating beastly stench hit me as a black cloud loomed closer. The wyvern surged upward at full speed, plunging through the wall formed by those bat-like, nameless monsters.
Splat! Thwack!!
Chunks of flesh and shattering bone exploded around us. I roughly wiped the warm blood from my eyes with the back of my hand.
"Mr. Park Jungwoo! I'll rescue you right now!!"
Chae Seoah's voice rang out close by. It was her Declaration of Intent. Amid the swirling gore and dark wings, I spotted tiny Yang Jihee reaching out toward me.
Proving she was under Yang Jihee's buff, Chae Seoah glowed with a faint halo of light as she leaped from bat to bat in the air. She was flying straight toward me, slicing through the sky.
"Urk...!!"
Suddenly, the talons around my waist tightened even more. The seams of my leather armor burst with pops, and I was hurled into the open air.
"Hah, ahhh!!"
Bam!
The moment Chae Seoah swung her rapier, a massive tail whipped her out of the sky. The blade-like spikes on the tail clashed with her sword, sparking wildly.
Snap!
Her mana-infused blade severed half the wyvern's tail, but with no footing in the air, she couldn't withstand the recoil.
Her form, which had closed in so close, now plummeted back toward the ground.
"Miss Chae Seoah!!!"
My scream was cut short. The wyvern's talons, dropping below, snatched me again mid-air. Tracing a steep arc, the black wyvern soared straight into the sky.
"Damn it, shit...!!"
I swung my sword, now more like a blunt club, with all my might. Striking the spot where scales had fallen off repeatedly, the wound finally tore open, caving in the ankle.
"Just let go!!"
I gripped the sword in reverse and jammed it into the gash. A huge chunk of flesh tore free, painting a red streak through the air.
Kieeeek!!
The wyvern shrieked and thrashed in the sky. Desperate not to fall, I twisted and slashed with the sword clutched in one hand.
Tat-tat-tat!
A ferocious noise erupted, like beans frying amplified tenfold.
A misty silhouette appeared in the air. It bobbed and swayed in sync with the wyvern's wingbeats, as if balancing on its back.
"Hold on tight!!"
At the clear voice, I dropped my sword and clung desperately to the wyvern's leg. Crackling sounds rang out a few more times, followed by a sharp tongue-click.
"...Damn it!"
Stab! Stab!!
Flesh-ripping sounds echoed through the heavens. I forced my squeezed-shut eyes open wide and saw the silhouette's true form.
Oroji, mounted on the wyvern, had wrapped her legs around its wing root. Holding a dagger upside down, she was turning its back into a pincushion.
Kiiik!!
The black line veered wildly. Like skydiving with a broken parachute, my body whipped around.
The ground drew closer bit by bit. The dark forest rushed up, zooming in like a satellite image.
"Let go now!!"
An arm in rider suit fabric wrapped around me. As I relaxed my grip, the wyvern's talons released me limply.
I fell.
Air. Tree twigs. Thick branches. Then, rock-hard ground.
Kwaaang!!
...Dust settled. The agony wracking my body left me speechless. My clenched molars ground together, screaming silently as if they'd shatter any second.
Beneath me lay Oroji. Having wrapped around me during the fall, she'd taken the full impact. Eyes closed, she lay utterly still.
I hurriedly pressed a hand to her nose. A faint breath brushed my fingertip. But there was no time to feel relieved.
'The monsters came from this forest. No telling when they'll return.'
Forcing my unwilling body to move, I hoisted the unconscious Oroji onto my back.
Ignoring her toes dragging on the ground, swallowing screams that threatened to burst out, I stumbled through the dark woods in search of shelter.
"...Kid. You hear people say you're always down on your luck, right?"
Those were Oroji's first words when she opened her eyes.
How many hours had passed? Towering trees blotted the sky, making it hard to tell, but it was far dimmer than when we'd crashed.
A good distance from the crash site, in a hollow beneath a massive tree unlike any on Earth. Park Jungwoo had carried the unconscious Oroji there and hidden with her, holding his breath.
Park Jungwoo, watching outside, turned his head. With a wry smile, he replied.
"All the time."
"Yeah. Figured as much."
Oroji let out a deep sigh.
"Mugging, public jerk-off session, kidnapped by some black mutant wyvern we’ve never even seen before. Hey, buy a lottery ticket when we get out. Feels like all your bad luck for the year’s used up."
"Half of that was your doing, Miss Oroji..."
Park Jungwoo stared at her as she just giggled without retorting, then spoke up.
"...Thanks for caring. Without you, I'd be wyvern dinner by now. Or maybe electrocuted fried chicken—or just a splattered corpse."
Why hadn't she zapped the wyvern with electricity? Why use a landing technique to cushion me instead? After agonizing over it while she was out, that was his conclusion.
Oroji's face twisted slightly at the thanks.
"...You forget what I did before?"
"That's that, and this is this."
Looking at his calm response, Oroji felt an odd discomfort she couldn't name. The same subtle unease other clan members had sensed.
But instead of voicing it, she sighed and scratched the back of her head. Diving deeper into this wasn't her style, at least not here.
"Argh, damn. Now I feel awkward. Was gonna pretend it never happened, but after saying all that last night, doing nothing feels off. So... ugh."
Guess I'm the unlucky one for dealing with you. She muttered softly, turning her head. In the dim, ambiguous light—sun or moon?—her face was flushed with embarrassment.
"So. What's the plan?"
"Originally? Save you just enough to score points. Didn't plan on crashing here with you. No real plan anyway."
"Score points?"
"Duh. With that cheat skill and clan members now? Figured I'd butter you up early. Though watching you fight today, maybe I don't need to."
Park Jungwoo pondered as he listened to her laugh—mocking yet melodic.
Fair enough. You don't master a race car's full potential just by hopping in after driving sedans.
If only he'd had time to get the other clan members used to Seeding too, not just him. He shook off the sudden regret.
"Will rescue come? They might not know about me, but they can track you, right?"
Park Jungwoo pointed to the choker around Oroji's neck.
"Oho, using your head? Thought you were a total idiot before, but maybe not?"
Oroji chuckled, twirling a golden lock around her finger, speaking casually.
"Good idea, but probably not. That black wyvern's around. This industry's not romantic enough to storm in for some unknown face."
"...Can't you use your skill to escape and call for help?"
"Nah, can't. Cooldown's up. About 20 hours left."
"20 hours..."
Plenty of time to get spotted by a monster and die.
The more they talked, the more hopeless it seemed. Park Jungwoo glanced around frantically, then closed his eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was steady.
"...With Seeding, could you take me along and get out?"
Oroji blinked at him, scratching her nape. "Unexpected," she muttered.
"Hm..."
She clenched and unclenched her fist lightly. Sparks crackled, briefly illuminating the dark hollow before fading.
"Fifty-fifty."
Too low to bet lives on, but better than sitting tight for rescue.
Rubbing his brow, Park Jungwoo clenched his fist in resolve. He crawled through the low tunnel toward Oroji.
"...One condition. No matter what, don't give up midway. Take me with you."
Pfft. Oroji let out a small laugh.
"Acting like you threw everything away at the bank, but you've changed quick."
"Now I've got people waiting for me."
At the bank. Preparing for the expedition. After two failures, he wouldn't repeat the same mistake a third time. That's what Park Jungwoo thought.
Oroji eyed him with interest. His tense face actually looked decent. She thought.
"Obviously. If I ditched alone, your clanmates wouldn't let me off easy."
"...Got it."
Park Jungwoo scooted closer to Oroji and started lowering his pants. She watched silently until they bunched at his thighs, then flashed a playful grin.
"What? Want me to jack you off again? Missing the rice bar that bad?"
"...No, not that..."
His face flushed crimson as he tried to reply, but he trailed off.
He'd half-forgotten amid the ordeal, but his skill just needed semen applied. He could handle it solo—no need to drop trou like he urgently needed her help.
Oroji burst into melodic laughter as he scrambled to the cave's far side.
"Fine. Don't hold out like last time—finish quick. Want me to plug my ears?"
"No need..."
His embarrassed voice was drowned by the rhythmic slap-slap-slap echoing in the cave.
...Five minutes passed. Ten. Oroji, watching outside, glanced his way.
"...Still?"
"I-it's just..."
His voice cracked pitifully. Clutching himself desperately, pumping his arm—it was a pathetic sight.
"What? Broke when we fell? Exploded?"
"No, nothing like that... just..."
In the faint glow seeping from outside, his neck, ears, cheeks burned red.
Still facing away, he turned his head slightly to look at Oroji.
"C-can't... finish alone..."
"Pfft."
It was laughably absurd, so she laughed. Grimacing, she scratched her head furiously, then sighed deeply.
"Take it back. You are still an idiot."
Clasping her hands like in prayer, she frowned again. What if trauma keeps him from getting it up? After a brief worry, her hand went to the zipper at her neck.
Ziiiip...
The tight rider suit loosened from her throat. White skin gleamed against the black fabric. The stretchy material could no longer contain her ample breasts as they spilled halfway out.
Halfway—just enough that her nipples stayed hidden. She exhaled.
"...Better than dying together. You come here? Or should I?"
Eyes squeezed shut, Park Jungwoo steeled himself against her words from where she leaned on the dirt wall.
Right. I suggested it. Still got stuff to do out there.
Dragging his knees over the dirt, he approached Oroji. She watched him with faint irritation, like before.
"Hurry up, stick it in, shake till you're ready, then cum and get off."
She crossed her arms under her breasts, lifting them slightly. Park Jungwoo's throat bobbed as he swallowed dryly at the sweat trickling between them.