Bab 691: Memimpin dengan Teladan (1)
Kapal Hantu yang baru saja melintas di atas kepala kami.
Tidak bisa dipastikan apakah Ratu Elf ada di dalam Kapal Hantu itu.
Bisa jadi itu hanya Kapal Hantu lain yang lewat secara kebetulan.
Tetapi meski begitu, tetap perlu diperiksa.
Sama seperti, jika kau mencari jarum di padang pasir dan menemukannya di luar dugaan, kau tidak akan peduli apakah jarum itu milikmu atau bukan.
[Ia lewat dalam sekejap.]
"Meski begitu, kita tahu arahnya, jadi tidak masalah."
Kapal Hantu itu telah menghilang di balik cakrawala dataran tinggi yang luas. Setelah mengejarnya dengan cepat beberapa saat, mereka kini bergerak dengan santai.
Kapal itu sudah tidak terlihat lagi, dan tidak ada gunanya membuang stamina dengan memaksakan diri.
Lagipula, mereka mungkin harus bertarung dengan hewan-hewan penghuni dataran tinggi ini, jadi dia berencana untuk berhati-hati.
Judul) Lihatlah pemandangan spektakuler ini
Wild Grylls
(Foto dataran tinggi yang menyegarkan jiwa hanya dengan melihatnya 1)
(Foto dataran tinggi yang menyegarkan jiwa hanya dengan melihatnya 2)
(Foto Lackey yang mengendus ingusnya)
Bukankah ini benar-benar indah?
Tapi agak dingin.
ㄴHeavenly Demon) Itu indah. Cakrawala seperti yang mungkin terlihat di Demonic Cult.
ㄴSword Matstar) Ada tempat seperti itu di Demonic Cult?
ㄴHeavenly Demon) Tentu saja. Aku bisa dengan bangga mengatakan itu adalah tempat terindah.
ㄴSword Matstar) Itu berarti tandus;;
ㄴHeavenly Demon) Itu sedang menjaga keindahannya.
ㄴFaktanya adalah Sword Matstar lol
ㄴDemonic Cult berada di tepi Central Plains, jadi agak tandus haha
ㄴBukankah mereka baru saja memperluas wilayah, jadi bukankah tidak apa-apa?
ㄴTapi karena markas utama mereka memang seperti itu, pasti akan seperti itu, kan?
ㄴItulah mengapa transportasi menjadi masalah utama untuk Festival Bela Diri Dewa Surgawi ini, tetapi kudengar Demonic Cult menanganinya dengan baik.
Ada banyak lingkungan alam yang indah di dunia ini, tetapi Earth juga memiliki banyak tempat yang tidak kalah spektakulernya.
Masalahnya adalah setiap wilayah tersebut benar-benar keras. Bahkan di dataran tinggi yang damai ini, tidak ada yang tahu apa yang mungkin terjadi.
Terlebih lagi, meskipun ketinggiannya lebih rendah dibandingkan Himalaya, dataran tinggi ini tetap merupakan daerah dengan ketinggian yang sangat ekstrem.
Karena itu, Lackey masih mengisap Cerutu Pohon Dunia sambil berjalan.
Meskipun lebih baik daripada pegunungan bersalju yang udaranya sangat dingin, mereka tetap harus berhati-hati.
"Sssuuup..."
Aku melihat sekeliling dan menarik napas dalam-dalam. Udara segar menekan jauh ke dalam paru-paruku.
Udara di Forest of the Four Seasons jauh lebih segar daripada dunia luar, dan konsentrasi mana juga sangat padat.
Begitu padatnya sehingga orang luar bahkan tidak bisa menggunakan mana karena tekanan yang luar biasa.
Tetap saja, karena konsentrasi mana sangat tinggi, jumlah mana yang diserap bahkan melalui pernapasan normal pasti berbeda.
Bukankah Ludwig berkata bahwa mana miliknya yang terkuras terasa pulih sepenuhnya hanya dengan bernapas sederhana?
Pada awalnya, satu-satunya masalah adalah mereka tidak bisa menggunakan mana itu, tetapi kecuali itu adalah situasi yang ekstrem, mustahil mereka akan kehabisan mana sepenuhnya.
"Huuu..."
Tetapi tempat ini terasa lebih kaya mana dibandingkan area lainnya.
Fakta bahwa perbedaannya bisa dirasakan hanya dengan menarik dan membuang napas sederhana sudah menjelaskan semuanya.
Aku pernah mendengar bahwa Dataran Tinggi Tibet adalah salah satu wilayah udara terbersih di Earth, termasuk Antartika dan Arktik.
Perbedaannya sangat jelas bahkan Himalaya pun tidak terasa sebersih ini.
'Dengan kata lain, ini berarti hewan-hewan yang tinggal di sini mungkin bahkan lebih kuat.'
Sambil maju menuju tempat Kapal Hantu itu pergi, aku tidak lupa mengamati sekeliling.
Karena ini adalah ruang terbuka yang luas, penyergapan apa pun akan segera terlihat, tetapi titik ini juga bisa digunakan untuk melawan kami.
Toktoktoktok—
"Master. Ada seekor rubah di sana."
"Benar sekali."
Atau mungkin tidak. Apakah dia hanya tidak tertarik pada kita?
Aku memperhatikan seekor rubah yang lewat di kejauhan.
Meskipun jauh, aku tidak akan pernah bisa melupakan penampilannya yang unik.
Rubah Tibet, yang telah digunakan dalam banyak meme dan julukan sejak dahulu kala.
Rubah itu menatap kami dengan ekspresi datar khasnya, lalu berbalik untuk melanjutkan perjalanannya.
Masalahnya adalah arah yang ditujunya kebetulan searah dengan kami. Aku dengan waspada meningkatkan kewaspadaanku.
"Master. Wajah pria itu terlihat aneh."
"Apakah itu terlihat aneh bahkan menurut standarmu?"
"Aku belum pernah melihat hewan yang membuat ekspresi seperti itu."
Sementara itu, Rubah Tibet itu tiba di dekat kami. Ukurannya seperti rubah biasa.
Tetapi di Forest of the Four Seasons, seseorang harus berhati-hati terhadap semua hewan. Tidak ada yang tahu kemampuan apa yang mungkin mereka tunjukkan.
"..."
"..."
Rubah Tibet itu menatap kami dengan ekspresi khasnya, lalu segera melanjutkan perjalanannya.
Aku tidak bisa tahu apakah ia memutuskan tidak ada keuntungan yang bisa didapat dari mengganggu kami, atau apakah ia memang secara alami jinak.
"Hei, teman. Tunggu sebentar."
"?"
Kalau ia jinak, aku harus mencoba berbicara dengannya. Aku memanggil Rubah Tibet yang sedang berjalan pergi dengan diam-diam itu.
Lalu, seolah-olah ia mengerti kata-kataku, ia menoleh dan menatapku.
Aku segera mengeluarkan dendeng serigala dari Subspace Backpack dan menunjukkannya kepada rubah itu.
Itu didapat dari serigala yang murah hati(?) di pegunungan bersalju.
"Aku akan memberimu ini, jadi bisakah aku bertanya sesuatu?"
"..."
Rubah Tibet itu melihat bolak-balik antara dendeng dan diriku dengan ekspresi datar khasnya, lalu mulai mengendusnya.
Tidak lama kemudian, memutuskan bahwa itu tidak beracun, pria itu memasukkan dendeng itu ke dalam mulutnya dan mulai mengunyah.
Dilihat dari cara ia mengangguk, sepertinya itu reaksi yang cukup memuaskan.
Begitu aku melihat reaksi itu, aku mulai menggambar di tanah.
Karena manusia jarang tinggal di hutan sialan ini, aku hanya perlu menjelaskan karakteristik unik seorang Elf.
"Apakah kau pernah melihat seseorang... tidak, hewan yang terlihat seperti ini? Ia berjalan dengan dua kaki seperti aku, dan itu adalah seorang betina."
"..."
Rubah Tibet itu menatap dengan saksama gambar di tanah, lalu mengangkat kepalanya untuk menatapku.
Aku tidak bisa tahu apa yang ia pikirkan karena ekspresinya, tetapi karena ia adalah hewan dari Forest of the Four Seasons, ada kemungkinan besar ia mengerti.
Tak lama kemudian, rubah itu berlari pergi. Itu adalah arah yang sangat berlawanan dengan arah yang ditujunya sebelumnya.
"Sepertinya ia tahu, kan?"
"Mungkin saja ia membawa kita ke dalam perangkap."
Lackey waspada, tapi itu hanya kepribadiannya, jadi tidak bisa dihindari.
Meskipun ia adalah gorila yang sangat santai saat tinggal di rumah atau dengan teman-temannya, ia agak waspada terhadap hewan lain.
Ini tidak bisa dihindari, karena Lackey sendiri pernah hidup sebagai pemburu. Dia tidak bisa dengan mudah mempercayai hewan lain.
Tidak ada salahnya mendengarkan nasihat Lackey dengan saksama, jadi kami bergerak maju dengan hati-hati.
"Ngomong-ngomong, apa yang sedang kau lakukan di sini?"
"..."
"Tidak ada yang berbahaya di sini, kan?"
"..."
'Teman yang pendiam, memang.' Aku mengangkat bahuku ke arah Rubah Tibet yang hanya berjalan dalam diam.
Jika rubah itu berbelok ke arah lain, itu satu hal, tetapi ia berjalan lurus ke arah yang persis sama dengan arah Kapal Hantu pergi.
Akan jauh lebih nyaman jika kami punya helikopter atau mobil di saat seperti ini. Tapi itu terlalu berlebihan untuk diminta.
Judul) Teman-teman, apakah ada rubah seperti ini di luar juga?
Wild Grylls
(Foto depan Rubah Tibet 1)
(Foto depan Rubah Tibet 2)
(Foto Rubah Tibet yang menatap dengan ekspresi aneh 1)
(Foto Rubah Tibet yang menatap dengan ekspresi aneh 2)
Ini adalah makhluk yang disebut Rubah Tibet, dan ia cukup populer karena ekspresinya yang aneh.
Apakah ada makhluk serupa di luar?
ㄴHeavenly Demon) Sepertinya ia sedang menghakimimu dengan tatapan iba. Aku harus menyimpan ini dan menggunakannya sesering mungkin.
ㄴSword Matstar) Untuk apa menyimpan hal seperti itu? Ambil saja foto wajahmu sendiri dan tunjukkan lol
ㄴHeavenly Demon) (Foto Rubah Tibet)
ㄴSword Matstar) Sial, kenapa aku jadi kesal?
ㄴHahahahaha
ㄴHahaha
ㄴTapi serius, ekspresi itu lucu banget lol
ㄴItu wajah yang persis seperti manajer departemenku setiap kali dimarahi istrinya lol
ㄴAllfather) Ekspresi yang menarik. Untuk berpikir bahwa seekor rubah, apalagi monster, akan membuat wajah seperti itu...
ㄴStarlight Lady) Menurutku itu karena matanya menyipit. Bentuk kepalanya juga cukup unik.
ㄴBukankah itu agak mirip dengan seseorang yang telah mencapai pencerahan?
ㄴYa. Kalau pergi ke kuil, sepertinya ia akan berkata, "Gunung adalah gunung, dan air adalah air" lol
Semua orang bereaksi dengan takjub pada ekspresi Rubah Tibet itu.
Sejujurnya, dari sudut pandangku, semua berbagai makhluk di dunia luar jauh lebih menarik daripada Rubah Tibet.
Yah, setiap orang punya perasaan yang berbeda, jadi aku harus menganggapnya sebagai perbedaan budaya(?) dan melanjutkan.
'Tetapi Heavenly Demon sudah menggunakan meme itu dengan baik.'
Karena itu
Chapter 691: Leading by Example (1)
The Ghost Ship that just passed over our heads.
It wasn’t certain whether the Elf Queen was aboard that Ghost Ship.
It could have been another Ghost Ship passing by purely by coincidence.
But even if that were the case, there was a need to check.
Just like how, if you were looking for a needle in a desert and found one against all odds, it wouldn’t matter even if it wasn’t yours.
[It passed by in an instant.]
"Still, we know the direction, so it’s fine."
The Ghost Ship had vanished beyond the horizon of the vast plateau. After chasing it rapidly for a while, they were now moving at a leisurely pace.
It had already vanished from sight, and there was no need to waste stamina by overexerting themselves.
Besides, they might have to fight animals inhabiting the plateau, so he planned to be careful.
Title) Behold this spectacular view
Wild Grylls
(Photo of a plateau that refreshes your soul just by looking at it 1)
(Photo of a plateau that refreshes your soul just by looking at it 2)
(Photo of Lackey sniffing his runny nose)
Isn’t it truly beautiful?
But it’s a bit cold.
ㄴHeavenly Demon) It is beautiful. It is a horizon one might see in the Demonic Cult.
ㄴSword Matstar) There’s a place like that in the Demonic Cult?
ㄴHeavenly Demon) Naturally. I can proudly say it is the most beautiful place.
ㄴSword Matstar) That means it’s barren;;
ㄴHeavenly Demon) It is preserving its beauty.
ㄴThe fact is Sword Matstar lol
ㄴThe Demonic Cult is at the edge of the Central Plains, so it is a bit barren haha
ㄴDidn’t they expand their territory recently, so isn’t it fine?
ㄴBut since their main base is what it is, it’s bound to be a bit like that, right?
ㄴThat’s why transportation was the key issue for this Heavenly God Martial Festival, but I heard the Demonic Cult handled it well.
There are many beautiful natural environments in this world, but Earth has just as many places that are no less spectacular.
The problem is that every single one of those regions is goddamn harsh. Even on this peaceful plateau, there was no telling what might happen.
Furthermore, although its altitude is lower compared to the Himalayas, this plateau is still an extremely high-altitude region.
Because of this, Lackey was still puffing on a World Tree Cigar as he walked.
Although it was better than the snowy mountains where the air was freezing cold, they still had to be careful.
"Sssuuup..."
I looked around and took a deep breath. The refreshing air squeezed deep into my lungs.
The air in the Forest of the Four Seasons is much more refreshing than the outside world, and the concentration of mana is also extremely dense.
It was so dense that outsiders couldn’t even use mana due to the sheer pressure.
Still, because the mana concentration was so high, the amount of mana absorbed even through normal breathing was bound to be different.
Didn’t Ludwig say that his depleted mana felt completely replenished just by simple breathing?
In the beginning, the only problem was that they couldn’t use that mana, but unless it was an extreme situation, there was no way they would run out of mana entirely.
"Huuu..."
But this place felt even more abundant in mana compared to other areas.
The fact that the difference could be felt just by simple inhalation and exhalation said it all.
I had heard that the Tibetan Plateau is one of the cleanest air regions on Earth, including the Antarctic and Arctic.
The difference was so clear that even the Himalayas didn’t feel this clean.
’In other words, this means the animals living here might be even stronger.’
While advancing toward where the Ghost Ship had headed, I didn’t forget to scout the surroundings.
Since it was a wide-open space, any ambush would be noticed immediately, but this point could also be used against us.
Toktoktoktok—
"Master. There is a fox over there."
"Indeed."
Or maybe not. Is it just not interested in us?
I watched a fox passing by in the distance.
Although it was far away, I could never forget its unique appearance.
The Tibetan Fox, which had been used in countless memes and nicknames since long ago.
The fox stared at us with its trademark deadpan expression, then turned to go on its way.
The problem was that its way happened to be in our direction. I cautiously raised my guard.
"Master. That guy’s face looks strange."
"Does it look strange even by your standards?"
"I have never seen an animal making that kind of expression."
Meanwhile, the Tibetan Fox reached us. Its size was that of an ordinary fox.
But in the Forest of the Four Seasons, one must be careful of all animals. There was no telling what kind of abilities they might display.
"..."
"..."
The Tibetan Fox stared at us with its peculiar expression, then soon went on its way.
I couldn’t tell if it decided there was nothing to gain from messing with us, or if it was just naturally docile.
"Hey, friend. Wait a moment."
"?"
If it’s docile, I should try talking to it. I called out to the Tibetan Fox, which was silently walking away.
Then, as if it understood my words, it turned its head and looked at me.
I immediately pulled out some wolf jerky from my Subspace Backpack and showed it to the fox.
It was obtained from a generous(?) wolf in the snowy mountains.
"I’ll give you this, so can I ask you a question?"
"..."
The Tibetan Fox looked back and forth between the jerky and me with its trademark deadpan expression, then began to sniff it.
Soon, deciding it wasn’t poisoned, the fellow popped the jerky into its mouth and began to chew.
Judging by the way it nodded, it seemed to be a fairly satisfied reaction.
As soon as I saw that reaction, I began to draw on the ground.
Since humans rarely lived in this damn forest, I just needed to explain the unique characteristics of an Elf.
"Have you seen a person... no, an animal that looks like this? It walks on two legs like me, and it’s a female."
"..."
The Tibetan Fox stared intently at the drawing on the ground, then raised its head to look at me.
I couldn’t tell what it was thinking because of its expression, but since it was an animal of the Forest of the Four Seasons, there was a high probability it understood.
Soon, the fox trotted away. It was the exact opposite direction of where it had been heading earlier.
"It seems to know, right?"
"It might be leading us into a trap."
Lackey was on guard, but that was just his personality, so it couldn’t be helped.
Although he was an incredibly easygoing gorilla when staying at home or with companions, he was rather wary of other animals.
This was inevitable, as Lackey had once lived as a hunter himself. He couldn’t easily trust other animals.
There was no harm in listening carefully to Lackey’s advice, so we moved forward cautiously.
"By the way, what were you doing here?"
"..."
"There’s nothing dangerous here, right?"
"..."
’A quiet fellow, indeed.’ I shrugged my shoulders at the Tibetan Fox, which did nothing but walk in silence.
If the fox had veered off in another direction, it would be one thing, but it was heading straight in the exact direction the Ghost Ship had gone.
It would have been much more convenient if we had a helicopter or a car at a time like this. But that was asking for too much.
Title) Guys, is there a fox like this outside too?
Wild Grylls
(Front-facing photo of the Tibetan Fox 1)
(Front-facing photo of the Tibetan Fox 2)
(Photo of the Tibetan Fox staring with a peculiar expression 1)
(Photo of the Tibetan Fox staring with a peculiar expression 2)
It’s a creature called a Tibetan Fox, and it’s quite popular because of its peculiar expression.
Is there a similar fellow outside?
ㄴHeavenly Demon) It looks like it’s judging you with pathetic eyes. I should save this and use it often.
ㄴSword Matstar) Why save something like that? Just take a picture of your own face and show it lol
ㄴHeavenly Demon) (Tibetan Fox Photo)
ㄴSword Matstar) Fuck, why am I getting pissed off?
ㄴHahahahaha
ㄴHahaha
ㄴBut seriously, that expression is hilarious lol
ㄴThat’s the exact face my department manager makes whenever he gets scolded by his wife lol
ㄴAllfather) What a fascinating expression. To think a fox, let alone a monster, would make such a face...
ㄴStarlight Lady) I think it’s because its eyes are narrowed. Its head shape is also quite unique.
ㄴDoesn’t it kind of look like someone who has attained enlightenment?
ㄴYeah. If it went to a temple, it looks like it would be saying, "Mountains are mountains, and water is water" lol
Everyone reacted with fascination to the Tibetan Fox’s expression.
Honestly, from my perspective, all the various creatures in the outside world were far more fascinating than a Tibetan Fox.
Well, everyone feels differently, so I should just chalk it up to a cultural difference(?) and move on.
’But the Heavenly Demon is already putting that meme to good use.’
Since it was a highly versatile photo, I figured it would be seen frequently in the Gallery from now on.
How long had we walked? Even though we walked until sunset, we still hadn’t reached the end of the plateau.
It seemed we had to rest for the day. While setting up camp, I spoke to the Tibetan Fox.
"Do you want to rest here too? Actually, since you’ve been guiding us all day, you probably haven’t eaten properly. Come here."
I pulled out some food I had and gave it to the Tibetan Fox. It was a large chunk of meat.
Perhaps remembering that I had given it jerky earlier, the Tibetan Fox devoured it without suspicion.
As the night deepened, Cain stood watch as he always did.
The Tibetan Plateau was just vast, seemingly lacking the typical volatility of the Forest of the Four Seasons.
Pat!
"...Huh?"
"Uh?"
[Hmm?]
The moment I thought that was barely a second ago. I blinked while preparing to camp.
It had clearly been pitch-black night just a moment ago, but suddenly, the surroundings lit up.
Looking up at the sky, instead of a black sky filled with the Milky Way, only a crystal-clear blue sky was visible.
"...What is this."
I couldn’t hide my bewilderment. This went beyond the night simply being short.
It would be one thing if the sun didn’t set all day like a midnight sun, but this felt severely distorted.
Because the moment night fell, the morning sun had popped right up! This was completely unexpected.
It was as if day and night switched with a flick!, like changing a lightbulb.
’Even when I was staying at home, the direction of the sunrise would change, but...’
What kind of structure did this place have? Bewildered, I lowered my gaze.
The Tibetan Fox was sleeping peacefully, as if this situation was perfectly natural. As if it were still night.
Since our guide had fallen asleep, there was no point in being active now. In the end, I decided to sleep.
"Hmm... Let’s sleep first and wake up."
There would be no problem if I checked the time based on the Gallery. Besides, having walked all day, my body was feeling reasonably fatigued.
Time passed, and the next morning dawned... well, not really, I just opened my eyes.
It was a bizarre environment in many ways, but I had to do what needed to be done. After eating a clean breakfast, I followed behind the fox.
"Master. I feel uncomfortable not washing for several days."
"Bear with it. It can’t be helped."
Since the end of the journey was in sight soon, we just had to endure.
Thus, how long did we follow the fox? The fox stopped in its tracks and stared intently at one spot.
I followed closely behind the fox with doubt, and almost fell over.
That was because, while I thought it was an endlessly wide plateau, right in front of us was a steep downhill slope.
It was so steep that if I had taken just one step forward, I would have rolled all the way down.
Meanwhile, the fox tilted its head with its trademark peculiar expression. At this, I looked down the slope.
"That’s...!"
[It’s the Mechanical Kraken.]
It was the Mechanical Kraken. The half-destroyed Mechanical Kraken was landed in a clearing at the bottom of the slope.
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