Chapter 48 Her Treasure
A lazy afternoon.
It could be said that a life where one prepares a lunch box with care, and goes on an outing while laughing and chatting with precious family members, is a successful life.
Of course, there were minor issues such as the lunch box being a blood-dripping Deinonychus thigh, and the precious family consisting of three spiders, a Tang Clan member, and a handsome lizard. But overall, it seemed quite fine.
“…I feel strange again. Should I say that someone seems to think of me as a beast? It’s a strange thing.”
Tang So-yeong muttered to herself.
I had even packed grilled fish for her.
I hadn’t noticed, but it seemed she felt a bit burdened by continuously eating meat.
Wouldn’t it be good for a martial artist to eat only meat every day?
That thought lingered, but a woman’s mind is something different.
Grilled fish should satisfy her.
The divine beast Gomodo can’t go around grazing on grass.
I walked in the direction Nephila Jurassica gestured.
The structure was that three spiders were riding on my head, and Tang So-yeong was riding behind them.
Tang So-yeong relayed the directions gestured by the spider.
…But shouldn’t we just walk if it’s just an outing?
You all climbed up way too naturally.
They called me a divine beast, divine beast.
“Keeng!”
“Master Go, they said to go left this time.”
Could it be that I’ve fallen into the Tang Clan’s quartet’s scheme?
It’s the same as a bad mid-sized company handing out titles like manager and assistant manager recklessly. They give you a title, then use it as an excuse to prevent you from quitting or to make you do unreasonable tasks.
Even if your position rises, nothing changes, but you feel good for no reason and end up silently doing the work.
This is like that.
They glorify you as a divine beast, then use you as a servant.
“Geck geck.”
Ttoddok ttoddok.
Look at that.
They’re ignoring my words and playing hand games among themselves.
I thought about dropping them once, but I refrained because Nephila wasn’t in good condition.
“They said left again. Kyah!”
Of course, you’re an exception.
After picking up the fallen Tang So-yeong and putting her back on my back, I continued walking.
We passed through swamps, over hills, and across valleys.
“Kaak, kaak!”
There was a crow in an unexpected place.
Hello, crow.
“Geck geck!”
It’s been a while since I saw a furry animal.
“That, that, is it a Golden Phoenix Bird?”
She was spouting nonsense again.
That’s just a crow lv30.
Moreover, it’s a pitiful bird with an extra leg.
“Stop, stop! That’s definitely…!”
I ignored Tang So-yeong’s words and kept walking.
“Keeng!”
Nephila Jurassica was bouncing up and down on my head.
It seemed we were almost there.
“Kieeng!”
Finally, we arrived.
What lay before us was the entrance to a cave.
Nephila truly had a discerning eye.
Treasure should be hidden in a cave.
I cautiously entered the cave, preparing for any potential threats.
The entrance was narrow, but the interior was wider than expected.
It was smaller than the Silver Dragon Cave, but large enough for my now larger body to move around without hindrance.
“Kiek!”
Nephila Jurassica, with her long arms dangling.
“It looks like a cave where treasure might be hidden. The spider maiden didn’t suggest coming here for nothing.”
A cave, treasure, and a divine creature.
“And it’s an incredibly precious treasure, they say!”
She was a spider who knew how to make a man’s heart race.
The divine creature guarding the treasure was, of course, Nephila Jurassica.
Alright, hurry up and bring out the hidden treasure.
“I’ll try finding it.”
Tang So-yeong dismounted with Tus and Pus.
The Tang Clan trio began scampering around the cave.
They seemed excited at the thought of finding treasure.
Would they be able to see ahead? I could see because of my night vision, but Tang So-yeong, being an ordinary human, probably couldn’t see well.
Doo doo doot.
Tang So-yeong, who was running around the cave, shouted as if she had found something.
“Master Go, look at this!”
I couldn’t see well because my view was obstructed.
Did she find something good?
“There’s some kind of fur pelt here!”
A fur pelt?
That was an unexpected statement.
Could there be clothes?
“Wow. It’s a bit warm and quite a fascinating item.”
…Could it be that the item moves on its own?
Just as I harbored that doubt, footsteps were heard again.
Dodododo.
Tang So-yeong ran back with Tus and Pus in tow.
She seemed to be running as fast as she could, with her mouth tightly shut.
Of course, with her not-so-long legs, it didn’t seem that fast.
“Master, master….”
Tang So-yeong, who had safely arrived beside me, trembled all over.
“Over there….”
Oh dear.
What did she encounter now?
“There’s, there’s something….”
Was there a beast?
I couldn’t confirm it because my view was obstructed.
Who told you to move on your own?
But considering she returned safely, it might be a gentle creature.
Or it could have been sleeping.
Since she mentioned a fur pelt, maybe a wolf would appear?
I hope it’s not a bear.
Thud.
The footsteps sounded unusual.
As if it had just woken up, something was staggering toward us.
A huge and white body.
It looked similar to a Deinonychus, but with much more intimidating claws on its hind legs.
An enormous amount of muscle was apparent just from looking at it.
【Utahraptor lv27】
【Status】
「Irritated」「Tired」
__________________________
【Utahraptor】
The body length is about 5-6 meters, and it weighs about 400kg, making it the largest of the dromaeosaurid dinosaurs.
Its entire body is covered in feathers, and it is characterized by a vicious claw over 24cm long on the second toe of its hind foot.
While the claws are not suitable for slicing flesh, they are excellent at piercing through it.
__________________________
A Utahraptor.
This guy is the largest among the dinosaurs with the name “raptor.”
When one thinks of raptors, a nimble image usually comes to mind. But this guy is different.
It feels fundamentally different.
Thick bones are attached to thick muscles. Moreover, the feathers covering its entire body made it feel even more massive.
Yes, feathers.
There are those who mock the idea of dinosaurs having feathers.
Looking at the recent restoration of Velociraptors, it can be somewhat accepted.
Rather than a dinosaur, it was depicted as something very close to a really small bird.
However, the Utahraptor was different.
Despite being covered in feathers, it wasn’t laughable at all.
If other raptors were like cats or cheetahs, the Utahraptor was like a snow leopard.
“Grroar…”
Thud.
It slowly walked toward me.
Avoiding the fight seemed impossible.
After moving Tang So-yeong and the spiders to safety behind me, I braced myself for the impending impact.
Chwachachang!
The appearance of my dragon scales changed.
Okay.
Bring it on.
“Craaaaa!”
Thud.
Thud.
Despite its heavy-looking body, it was fast.
I had to think of it as an opponent that not only complemented the advantages of the Deinonychus but also increased in size.
It was a perfect match for this Gomodo.
“Grrrraaah!”
Just as I was ready to counter its attack,
Thud.
Thud.
It passed me by.
Thud!
Thud!
【Utahraptor lv27】
【Status】
「Fear」「Startled」
The Utahraptor ran straight out of the cave.
…Did it run away?
“As expected, Master Go…!”
Should I say it was anticlimactic?
Damn, why did it run away without even trying?
Its size was bigger than mine.
Maybe that Utahraptor actually had a gentle nature.
The three members of the Tang Clan probably nudged it awake, and it moved to chase us out of the cave.
If it had decided to catch us, Tang So-yeong’s short legs wouldn’t have been able to escape.
Thinking about it that way made me feel a bit sorry.
It had been sleeping soundly, and we ended up chasing it away.
Sorry, Utahraptor.
We’ll find the treasure quickly and leave.
Of course, as long as you haven’t swallowed my treasure.
“Ahem. It was a keen opponent. This time, I was going to use the secret technique of the Tang Clan, Mancheonhwa-woo, beside Master Go.”
Yeah, right.
You, who stole martial arts from the open schools.
“I feel strange again! Should I say it’s a feeling I want to deny? Ugh… I’m sorry. I must be strange….”
As long as you know it’s strange.
“Kieek!”
Nephila Jurassica moved her legs as if dancing.
I couldn’t understand the spider’s words, but that was definitely a dance of relief.
It seemed she didn’t like someone entering this cave.
…You’re not originally from this cave either.
“Keek!”
Nephila Jurassica waved her third leg back and forth.
I could understand that much.
“It looks like she’s telling us to follow!”
Okay.
Since the Utahraptor was chased away, it was time to check out the treasure.
“Kieeng!”
Nephila Jurassica proudly pointed to a corner covered in spider webs.
It seemed the treasure was hidden there.
She slowly pulled at the spider web.
The treasure that Nephila Jurassica cherished so much was revealed.
“T-This?”
“K-Kieek?”
Tang So-yeong and Pus gasped simultaneously, as if synchronized.
What was that?
Let’s take a closer look.
…Why did that look so familiar?
It certainly had a shape I had seen a lot before.
The shape of a small lizard. The especially plump tail looked very charming.
Wait a minute.
Isn’t that me?
“Kieek!”
It was my shed skin.
Why was it here!
“Kieeek!”
Tus and Pus crawled quickly toward my shed skin.
“Kieeeek!”
Tup.
And Nephila Jurassica stopped them.
She probably meant for them to look but not touch.
“Kieeeng…”
Tus and Pus just stared at my shed skin endlessly.
Hey, do you even know what that is?
Tang So-yeong looked back and forth between my shed skin and me with wide, rabbit-like eyes.
“Could it be, Master Go’s, s-sacred relic or something?”
No, it’s just shed skin.
“This is… valuable! Extremely valuable!”
It’s not. One appears every time I level up.
“Master Go from his younger days… This will be in high demand.”
Who needs the shed skin of a gecko lizard anyway.
“Kieek!”
…Except for the spiders.
“Geck geck.”
Spider.
I appreciated your collection.
But I didn’t come all the way here to see my shed skin.
“Keeeng!”
As if she knew what I was thinking, Nephila Jurassica moved her long legs.
She headed toward another pile of spider webs.
Alright, I trusted you.
Nephila is the best!
“Kieeng!”
Nephila Jurassica removed the spider web.
“T-That!”
“Kieeeek!”
Once again, the Tang Clan trio gasped.
Unlike their fuss, my expression hardened in real-time.
What Nephila Jurassica proudly pulled out was the long tail of the Green Basilisk.
The tail that I had cut off right after evolving into a basilisk.
…Spider.
I’ll respect your tastes.
But I didn’t come all the way here to see my shed skin and tail.
Hurry up and bring out the real treasure.
“Hioong…”
Nephila Jurassica clasped her hands together, looking embarrassed.
…Is this really the end?
“Geeeek!”
My treasure.
Where did my treasure go!
Right.
It must have been stolen by the Utahraptor.
That creature must have taken the precious treasures Nephila Jurassica had prepared.
Yes, it must be.
There’s no way our Nephila would present such things as treasures.
Utahraptor.
Come back here.
Myriad-Year Fire Carp, Myriad-Year Snow Ginseng, Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit, and the Great Rejuvenation Pill.
I will pluck your feathers until you cough up my precious treasures.
Of course, with Dragon Claws.