Chapter 61

A Strange Adventure (3)

Wham! Whack! Whack!

"Kwaek! Kueeek! Kek!"

By now, harvesting mature Mandrakes had become so familiar that I'd practically mastered it.

The moment I pulled one out by the roots, I beat the hell out of it and stuffed its mouth full of dirt.

Done.

It sounded surprisingly easy...

Because it was easy.

All I had to do was beat it senseless.

Besides, it'd be a waste to leave them sitting here.

It was better for them to become excellent nourishment for someone.

I should probably start eating one every now and then too.

Chewing one raw would be insane, so I planned to process or cook it somehow.

Allfather had said that simply decocting it in water would be enough, so there were plenty of options.

The best choice would probably be to ask Starlight Princess.

She was highly knowledgeable in alchemy, after all.

They'll run out eventually, won't they?

I looked around the colony of mature Mandrakes.

The clearing was still packed with them.

The clearing itself was roughly the size of a basketball court, and mature Mandrakes densely covered the entire area.

There were plenty of them, but if I kept harvesting them at this rate, their numbers would gradually decrease.

I needed to squeeze as much value out of them as possible while they were still here.

That would increase my chances of survival.

I wonder what kind of shield he's giving me this time.

Holding a mature Mandrake in one hand, I headed back toward the cave.

Nothing particularly dangerous happened on the way.

As soon as I returned, I checked the meat I was smoking.

The smoke was soaking into it nicely, giving it a beautiful golden-brown color.

It was a little salty, but salting definitely extended how long it could be stored, so there was no point complaining.

It was more than tolerable.

I should send Praise the Sun a trade request first.

I poked at the campfire and adjusted the heat before making a post on the Gallery.

The post simply told him to send me a trade request when he saw it.

[Praise the Sun has requested a trade. Would you like to accept?]

The trade request came in less than a minute later.

Looks like the timing worked out perfectly.

Or maybe he'd already prepared the shield after seeing my post.

I accepted immediately.

[Wild Grylls: Hello! I've got the mature Mandrake!]

[Praise the Sun: I've got the shield too. Oh, and can you return the golden shield?]

[Wild Grylls: Of course. Are you going to repair it?]

[Praise the Sun: I'm going to melt it down.]

[Wild Grylls: ;;;]

Every time I talked to Praise the Sun, I got the distinct impression that he was rich.

Not just rich either.

Middle Eastern oil tycoon rich.

Maybe it was because the confidence that came with money was stronger in him than anyone else.

He was enviable in more ways than one.

[Praise the Sun: The shield I made for you has adamantium mixed into it, so it should survive almost anything. If that thing breaks, you'll probably break with it.]

[Wild Grylls: You're saying it's that tough?]

[Praise the Sun: Exactly. Do you even know what adamantium is?]

[Wild Grylls: I know vibranium...]

[Praise the Sun: What's that supposed to be? Anyway, just think of adamantium as an incredibly rare mineral. It's harder than steel. Its durability in particular should be ridiculous.]

Normally, I shaved once every two or three days.

But given my current circumstances, I'd kept putting it off.

Then again, I wasn't even sure whether razors like the ones I knew existed in this world.

Straight razors like the ones used in old-fashioned barbershops probably did.

Hearing how durable the shield was reminded me of the slippers I'd worn in the military.

The Ministry of National Defense's last remaining shred of conscience, praised as being made of vibranium.

One of the things you absolutely had to take with you when you were discharged.

The other was your razor and replacement blades.

Come to think of it, I haven't thought about shaving at all.

I rubbed my chin, which had become rough with stubble.

[Wild Grylls: Sir, do you shave?]

[Praise the Sun: My attendants usually do it for me. Why? Want me to give you a razor?]

[Wild Grylls: You don't have anything that isn't shaped like a knife, do you?]

[Praise the Sun: What else are you supposed to shave with besides a blade?]

Unfortunately, it seemed razors of the kind I had in mind didn't exist.

But using a straight razor would come with all kinds of problems.

Even making shaving foam would be a pain.

What was I supposed to use for soap or foam?

And what if I cut myself?

If I had to worry about all that every single time, I might as well just live as a hairy wild man.

Having reached that conclusion, I completely gave up on shaving.

If my beard got too long, I'd just trim it roughly.

It was another step toward becoming a true man of the wild.

[Wild Grylls: Never mind. I think I'll just grow it out. You registered the shield, right?]

[Praise the Sun: Of course. Anything else you need?]

[Wild Grylls: Nothing for now.]

[Praise the Sun: All right. If you need anything, ask anytime. And keep giving me Mandrakes whenever you do.]

[Wild Grylls: I'm lonely. How about coming here yourself...?]

[Praise the Sun: My wife is calling me. I'm leaving first.]

[Wild Grylls: Okaaay...]

After finishing my conversation with Praise the Sun, I inspected the shield.

It was generally circular in shape.

Its size was similar to the golden shield I'd used before.

There aren't any patterns on it?

Unlike the flashy golden shield, this one was extremely plain.

Actually, calling it plain might've been generous.

It looked as though someone had simply cut a solid piece of steel into the appropriate size.

It had nothing more than the basic shape of a shield.

A shield gleaming silver.

For some reason, that made it feel even more reliable.

The weight's about the same.

The weight was similar too.

That made me like it even more.

Praise the Sun had said its defensive ability was superior to the golden shield, so overall, it was a straight upgrade.

I'm invincible now.

The Heavenly Demon's sword and the adamantium-whatever shield.

With these two, there was nothing to fear.

Just kidding.

Something like that tiger was still terrifying.

Invincible, my ass.

Without Namu-Ppareumbo, I'd already have died several times over.

Now that I've got the shield, I should go catch those crabs.

Before heading out to catch crabs, I decided to check on Namu-Ppareumbo and Wonmo first.

By now, Wonmo should've been peacefully taking a nap, while Namu-Ppareumbo stayed beside him—

"...?"

...So where the hell were they?

I blinked and looked around the cave.

Since this place had once been inhabited by a pack of Mad Dogs, the interior was fairly spacious.

Not enormous, but just large enough to feel cozy.

"Wonmo? If you're here, answer me. Ppareumbo, you answer too if you're here."

I searched everywhere and called their names, but neither of them was around.

For a moment, I wondered if some beast had carried them off during that short period of time.

But that couldn't be it.

If something like that had happened, there should've been signs of a struggle.

The inside of the cave was completely undisturbed.

I had no idea exactly what had happened.

But one thing was certain.

Wonmo and Namu-Ppareumbo had gone outside.

Not just one of them.

Both.

The thought alone made me dizzy.

Why the hell... No. When did they even leave?

This was completely unexpected.

My mind felt like it had stopped working.

Wonmo still knew nothing besides eating, sleeping, and pooping.

He was at an age where he needed constant care.

It had never even crossed my mind that he'd leave the cave.

Why the hell had he gone outside?

If I search blindly, it'll only take longer. I need to find their trail first.

Before that, I made a post on the Gallery.

It looked like my trade with Passing Dwarf would have to wait.

Title) Wonmo and Ppareumbo Ran Away

Wild Grylls

(Photo of the completely empty cave)

Can't answer questions. I have to find them.

And Passing Dwarf, I'm seriously sorry.

I'll deal with this emergency first and give you your stuff afterward.

I didn't bother checking the comments.

There was a much more urgent problem to deal with.

I grabbed my sword and shield, along with an elixir and fasting pills for emergencies.

Let's catch up to them quickly. They couldn't have gotten far.

I couldn't stop worrying that something might happen to Wonmo or Namu-Ppareumbo.

Fortunately, there was at least one piece of good news.

They had left footprints behind.

All I could do was follow those tracks as far as possible.

"Wonmo!"

I loudly called Wonmo's name while following the footprints.

It carried the risk of attracting nearby beasts, but I had no choice.

More importantly, Wonmo recognized his own name.

My thinking was that if he heard me calling him, he might stop.

"Wonmo! No! Stop!"

I'd once heard someone give advice about what to do when a pet went missing.

Even if you had no idea what the animal was doing, you should start by yelling, "No!"

Because whatever it was doing, there was a good chance it was something it shouldn't be doing, and scolding it might make it come back.

"This is..."

While following the tracks, I discovered a mark.

A claw mark from Namu-Ppareumbo.

It had been clearly carved into a tree.

I'd seen that shape often enough to know for certain that it was his.

Judging by the fact that similar marks appeared at regular intervals, he must have been deliberately leaving traces behind in case the footprints disappeared.

I also carved marks into trees with my sword at intervals so I'd be able to find my way back.

As long as they don't go somewhere weird.

Especially somewhere like the other side of the river, where the terrain changed constantly.

If they crossed into a place like that, it would be the absolute worst-case scenario.

Praying that hadn't happened, I continued following their trail.

At least they didn't head into the thick underbrush.

Wonmo was surprisingly big for his age, so he hadn't gone anywhere the vegetation was too dense.

That made tracking them relatively easy.

Namu-Ppareumbo's markings were especially helpful.

Maybe because he was smart, he'd carved large marks into conspicuous places.

Once I found them, I'd give him a fasting pill as a reward.

Wonmo, on the other hand, was getting a scolding.

"I guess I'll have to start taking Wonmo with me from now on."

If he was napping, I could leave him behind.

But if he was awake, I'd have to bring him along.

I'd also need to think about securing the cave entrance from now on.

"The problem is how to block the entrance... but I'll worry about that later."

There was no point building anything until the kids came back.

I continued calling Wonmo's name as I searched.

Contrary to my expectation that they couldn't have gone very far, I kept following their traces without catching sight of them.

Rustle—

Then I froze the moment I heard something moving in the bushes.

Bushes didn't shake for no reason.

Was this good news or bad news?

Remaining on guard, I stared at the place where the bushes had moved.

"Wonmo...?"

I quietly called his name.

There was no answer.

That made it much more likely that whatever was inside the bushes wasn't Wonmo.

I kept my eyes fixed on them even more intently.

Rustle. Rustle—

The sound grew louder.

I tensed.

This was my first time in this area, so I had no idea what might come charging out.

This was a forest where even rabbits were strong enough to be dangerous.

One moment of carelessness could get me killed.

The bushes shook more and more violently.

Then something finally emerged.

"Peep?"

Black fluff.

A tiny beak.

Even an adorable chirp.

Anyone looking at it would call it a chick.

My tension instantly vanished at the sight of the completely unexpected chick.

Then confusion replaced it.

Wait. Why the hell is that thing so big?

Normally, a chick was about the size of a fist.

Even after evolving—no, growing—into a chicken, it'd usually barely reach a person's knee.

But the chick standing in front of me went well past my knees and chest.

It was almost at eye level.

If the chick is that big, then the chicken must be...

Just how huge was the adult?

A chill ran down my spine.

Swoosh.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over my head.

It wasn't a cloud briefly covering the sun.

Only the area around me had gone dark.

With a horrible suspicion creeping into my mind, I slowly turned around.

Come to think of it, chickens were the kind of animals that led their chicks around.

And hens usually stayed close to the nest.

Except in one situation.

When one of their chicks wandered away and they went searching for it.

"..."

I looked up.

And found myself face-to-face with a majestic chicken.

Its bright red comb stood out sharply against its completely black feathers.

Just what the hell was wrong with this damn forest that even the chickens grew this huge?

Going by height alone, it was nearly as large as the saber-toothed tiger.

"Peep."

The chick chirped from behind me, calling for its mother.

I glanced at it, then quietly stepped aside.

The chick waddled toward the chicken.

The chicken inspected its offspring before silently staring at me.

It looked ready to fight at any moment if it decided I posed a threat.

What kind of look is that for a chicken...?

It wasn't even a fighting cock, yet its gaze was vicious.

There were also scars of various sizes all over its body.

Feathers no longer grew where the scars were, making them stand out even more.

"...Cluck."

"Peep. Peep."

Fortunately, it apparently had no intention of fighting.

The chicken turned around.

The chick obediently followed behind it, and the two disappeared into the bushes.

"Phew..."

I let out a sigh of relief.

That had nearly turned into a disaster.

Maybe its intelligence had increased along with its size, because the chicken had chosen to avoid a fight too.

With its chick right beside it, it had probably been testing whether I was dangerous.

...I hope Wonmo's okay.

My worry continued to grow.

***

Around the same time.

Wonmo and Namu-Ppareumbo.

"..."

Wonmo stared straight ahead with his eyes wide open.

They weren't his usual adorable, innocent eyes.

His gaze was completely focused.

"Hiss. Hiss."

The reason was simple.

A snake was flicking its tongue directly in front of him.

It was fairly large.

Even worse, every time it opened its mouth, sharp venomous fangs became visible.

If it managed to bite Wonmo even once, his life could be in danger.

And there was one person—

No, one animal—

watching the entire situation.

Namu-Ppareumbo, perched on Wonmo's back and ready to react at any moment.

If the venomous snake tried to bite Wonmo, he intended to tear it apart instantly with his claws.

Swoosh—

Wonmo slowly raised one front paw.

At the same time, the snake lifted its head.

The winner would be decided by whoever struck first.

Reaction speed meant life or death.

For Namu-Ppareumbo, it was quite the spectacle.

Of course, if things became dangerous, he planned to intervene.

The two sides stared each other down in a hair-trigger standoff.

The snake moved first.

"Shhhh!"

Bararing its sharp fangs, the venomous snake lunged at Wonmo.

It moved so fast that Grylls would've struggled even to react.

Just as Namu-Ppareumbo was about to step in, Wonmo reacted first.

Wham!

Wonmo's thick front paw smashed into the snake's head.

It looked almost like a cat casually swatting something with its paw.

Except the force behind it was far greater.

A single smack completely crushed the snake's head.

The headless body writhed grotesquely, but it was meaningless.

Stomp!

Wonmo proudly climbed on top of the writhing snake and pinned it beneath his weight.

The snake's body thrashed even harder under him.

But what could a snake without a head possibly do?

Soon, Wonmo raised his head proudly.

"Kkyuuuuuu!"

The triumphant roar of a victorious predator.

An unbearably adorable roar.

Now only one thing remained.

"Nom nom nom nom."

Devour the defeated prey to his heart's content.

Wonmo chewed, tore, tasted, and enjoyed the snake without caring that its body was still twitching.

But perhaps he felt bad eating all by himself.

Halfway through his meal, Wonmo raised his head and looked back at Namu-Ppareumbo.

"Kkyu?"

Want a bite?

That was what Wonmo seemed to be asking.

Namu-Ppareumbo very slowly looked back and forth between Wonmo and the snake.

Then he gave his answer.

Shake, shake—

He slowly shook his head in his usual leisurely manner.

Their strange adventure was far from over.

"Wonmo! Where are you?! Answer me if you can hear me!"

And someone else's hair-pulling adventure wasn't over either.