Chapter 6: The Forest of the Four Seasons (1)

Human, Park Jonghyuk.

Overcoming the greatest crisis of his life.

Thanks to DwarfPassingBy, I managed to overcome a huge crisis, but everything was not resolved yet.

I did not know what effect those weird chocoball-like balls had, but my stomach still hurt.

And it was not normal pain. It was a stomachache for taking a shit.

‘I don’t think Heavenly Demon gave me something spoiled.’

It could be bitter, but it did not smell rotten, so it definitely was not damaged.

My body simply did not accept it well.

In the end, shit is nothing more than waste from the body, so it did not mean there was a serious problem.

In fact, what is truly dangerous is when nothing comes out, because that means you have not eaten.

Besides, it was not diarrhea, so there was no immediate risk of dehydration.

For now, it could be taken as a simple incident.

‘First I will wait for Heavenly Demon to send me the rest.’

I stored the toilet paper that DwarfPassingBy gave me in a corner.

That paper was also different from what I knew.

The texture was rougher, and it absorbed poorly, so wiping was torture.

Even so, better to have it than to have nothing.

Paper is useful for many things.

‘By the way, where the hell am I?’

I was not referring only to the forest, but to the world in general.

There is no internet, but there is a gallery.

And on top of that, it floats in the air like a status window.

There were too many strange things.

After thinking for a bit, I decided to start by understanding the structure of this world.

There were several races, so it was best to know them in advance.

‘Broadly speaking humans, elves, dark elves, beastmen, demons, and dwarves.’

There were four human countries, one mixed, and the rest were single-race.

There were also territories that were not even recognized as countries.

Most were inhabited by humans.

I did not know why there were so many humans, but I would find out.

Before details, I needed basic knowledge.

That way they would not treat me like a madman when I went outside.

Title) Pointy-ears, get in here

Fuck, stop cutting down trees and plant some too.

Because of you the rest of us have to suffer more.

ㄴLetsPlantTrees) Why? If there are more trees in the world, there are more resources. Isn’t that a good thing?

ㄴThose bastards cut down all our trees and only plant theirs

ㄴAnd then they say those trees are theirs and that it’s their territory ㅡㅡ

ㄴAverage pointy-ears hahaha

ㄴLetsPlantTrees) We do not cut down indiscriminately. We only plant in suitable lands. That is even drawn on the World Tree map!

ㄴIsn’t anyone going to kill those pointy-ears? They won’t even listen when you talk to them?

ㄴYou can’t. The elf queen is crazy, she doesn’t reason

ㄴIsn’t this really going to end in war?

ㄴBut at least the elf queen has a brain and does not cross certain lines hahaha

It was curious how elves were treated.

The elves I knew loved nature and were proud and elegant.

But according to the gallery they were basically the most hated race in the world.

Title) Typical traits of pointy-ears

Before they went around saying they were superior and other races beat them up
Then they conspired behind the scenes and got beaten again

Now they go around planting trees secretly and get caught and get beaten again these guys never learn?

ㄴWatch what you say, we fought against the whole world in the past

ㄴAnd you lost to humans, want to lose again?

ㄴHahahaha

ㄴLetsPlantTrees) We do not want to fight. We are a race that loves peace

ㄴThen why do you throw a fit when territory is mentioned?

ㄴLetsPlantTrees) Because originally those lands were ours. Isn’t it normal to reclaim them?

ㄴAh, fuck hahaha

ㄴFrom their point of view it’s not wrong. They are a long-lived race

ㄴFor humans it would be like something from 10 years ago

ㄴThese youngsters lately… causing problems… I am truly sorry…

ㄴAh, grandpa, it must have been hard

ㄴThey say the Grand Council suffers because of the elf queen hahaha

ㄴShouldn’t it be the other way around normally?

ㄴThe queen is quite crazy.

ㄴIn the face of pure madness, no argument works, yes

Hmm better leave it there.

When I go outside, it is better not to mess with elves if I can avoid it.

That user LetsPlantTrees appeared in every post about elves.

From the number of people who knew him, he must be a famous user, like Heavenly Demon or SwordTasteMaster.

But since he was disliked, he never received much support.

‘This is enough. Better check fencing.’

For someone like me, surviving was the most important thing.

Besides, without a compass I could not move much.

I opened SwordTasteMaster’s posts, starting from the basics.

Title) You can do it too! Basic fencing class 1

SwordTasteMaster

Before getting into the subject, if you still do not know how to fight, it is better to carry a sword and shield.

Learn to fight first, then focus on fencing.

That it does not look elegant?

If you show off without knowing, you can die like an idiot.

Right now you know nothing, so shut up and use a shield.

Also, if you cannot use mana, I recommend learning a mana cultivation method first.

All very well, but.

And how the hell do you cultivate mana?

I blinked.

I knew that mana existed, and that with it people became strong.

But nothing more.

I had no idea where that method was learned.

‘Not even the pinned posts are useful…’

I scratched my head.

The gallery was useful, but chaotic.

Except for pinned posts, auctions and trade, there was no classification at all.

I needed to contact someone like SwordTasteMaster.

Searching blindly was inefficient.

‘There are about 30 minutes left before I can trade with Heavenly Demon again.’

That was something good about the gallery you could measure time.

Posts kept regenerating nonstop, so time was noticeable only through that.

Although there were too many.

It was strange that my posts did not get lost in the tide.

Title) Does anyone know how to cultivate mana?

WildGrills

TL;DR

‘Is it because I use a fixed nickname?’

I thought that after posting.

Most were anonymous; fixed users were few.

It made sense.

The gallery thrives on anonymity.

Using a fixed nickname is giving up half of it.

If they discover you, your past is exposed forever.

While I was thinking about that, a notification sounded.

I opened the comment immediately.

It was Heavenly Demon.

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Would mana cultivation not be, in terms of the Central Continent, an internal cultivation method?

ㄴYes, that’s right

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Then, I will teach you.

ㄴIs the method you know that good?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) A method capable of breaking the heavens and making the earth tremble.

ㄴHahahaha, how exaggerated

ㄴSmells like a scam hahaha

No.

I did not think the same.

The reason was simple the sword.

I had only wielded bamboo swords in kendo.

And even so, Heavenly Demon’s sword was absurd.

It was very likely that she was equally absurd.

But, ironically, precisely because of that, I hesitated.

ㄴWildGrills) I feel like I’m receiving too much is that okay?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) You are my benefactor and my destined encounter. Please, let me repay the favor.

ㄴWildGrills) A compass and something to make fire are enough…

ㄴHeavenly Demon) That is not enough, not even close.

That only made me feel worse.

I scratched my head, uncomfortable.

The thing with Shinwol Youngcho or whatever it was called I also found by pure chance, and I did not know that Heavenly Demon was really in danger either.

It was a chain of coincidences upon coincidences that led me here, and that was why I hesitated a little.

‘…No. What right do I have to hesitate in my current situation?’

I would accept her goodwill only as far as my conscience allowed.

But I also must not abuse it.

I also had a conscience, so I intended to repay the favor somehow.

I wrote an affirmative reply.

ㄴWildGrills) All right. But write it as a private message. It could attract unnecessary attention

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Understood. First adopt the meditation posture

Meditation posture?

I tilted my head, confused.

I knew, more or less, that it was a typical word from martial arts novels.

But only that.

ㄴWildGrills) What exactly is the meditation posture?

ㄴHeavenlyDemon) ?

ㄴHahahahaha, she was left bewildered

ㄴIsn’t this the first time we’ve seen that old lady surprised? Hahaha

Most of the replies were just to make fun of her.

After a moment of hesitation, I searched the gallery.

The meditation posture seemed quite common; there were even photos.

I picked any post and imitated it.

It said I had to place my foot on my thigh.

“Gyaaaaaah!!!”

A ridiculously high-pitched scream came out of my mouth.

When I tried to undo the posture, I got more tangled up and was on the verge of tears.

It felt as if all the joints in my legs were twisting at the same time.

I collapsed onto the ground, trembling.

Was it really mandatory to sit like that?

I had to ask Heavenly Demon.

ㄴWildGrills) Heavenly Demon. Is it really mandatory to sit like this? It hurts like hell!

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Why would it hurt? I do not understand

ㄴThe first time hurts, yeah hahaha

ㄴImprove your flexibility, bro hahaha

In the end, I decided to leave mana cultivation for later.

Even Heavenly Demon seemed genuinely confused.

I asked in the comments if it was truly mandatory to sit in that posture to cultivate mana.

ㄴIt’s an unwritten rule

ㄴWildGrills) Unwritten rule?

ㄴYes, even if you don’t know why, you just do it hahaha

ㄴWildGrills) …

Either way, I would have to practice the posture little by little.

In this situation, increasing my flexibility all at once was impossible.

Instead, I kept reading SwordTasteMaster’s posts.

She recommended carrying a shield along with the sword.

The content made quite a lot of sense and fit my situation well, so I accepted it without issue.

‘The problem is where to get a shield.’

Cutting wood and making one was not a bad idea.

The sword was so good that it compensated.

But right now I did not even have water, so cutting trees was not efficient.

‘Ah. I should ask Heavenly Demon if she can give me water too. Asking for a shield would already be pushing it.’

At times like this, I thought a one-on-one private chat would be useful.

I heard it used to exist, but I did not know why it was removed.

Probably because of favoritism.

First, I placed a few of those bitter little balls in my palm.

I wanted to find out what they were for.

Title) Heavenly Demon, what is this thing you gave me earlier called?

WildGrills

(Photo of the little balls in my palm)

Beyond tasting horrible, with all due respect they are not spoiled, right?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) They are called Fasting Pills. They are bitter, but they are not spoiled.

ㄴWildGrills) It is not “a little” bitter exactly…

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Hmm. I found them pleasant.

ㄴGrandma taste…

ㄴWith respect, how old are you?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) I do not know. In the end, age is not something important, is it?

ㄴOlder people always answer like that

ㄴConfirmed, she is an old lady hahaha

Maybe I should be a bit more polite.

At least she seemed older than me.

She did not seem to take it to heart, but earning her favor was not a bad idea.

ㄴWildGrills) How many should I eat per day?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Normally one is consumed per meal.

“Eh…?”

I had eaten a whole handful.

There would not be side effects, right?

ㄴWildGrills) I ate quite a lot… there won’t be side effects, right?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) I will ask someone close and return.

ㄴNow your dick is going to explode hahaha

ㄴExplosion hahaha

ㄴWildGrills) Do not joke about that, not even as a joke…

I was afraid it might be true.

I was already starting to feel a strange strength in my body.

Feeling strong sounds good, but it was too much.

I even felt hot.

If I got sick on top of that now, it would be the worst.

Please, let nothing happen.

After a while, Heavenly Demon came back.

ㄴHeavenly Demon) I asked someone close. There are no side effects; on the contrary, it is beneficial. It removes the impurities accumulated in the body.

ㄴWildGrills) Impurities?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) In common people like you, they are normally expelled through feces.

ㄴWildGrills) And the strength I feel?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) It has effects similar to an elixir, so it is normal.

Thank goodness.

So my “Big Johnson” was not going to explode.

I sighed in relief, placing a hand on my chest.

That body heat was a sign that my body was absorbing the energy.

Fasting Pills were a kind of emergency ration, but for me they were perfect.

‘If the minimum is one per meal, then to nourish myself properly I will have to eat several.’

Either way, I had to eat those bitter little balls.

I was not in a condition to hunt.

And even if I hunted, I would not get all the nutrients.

ㄴOnly those little balls have elixir effects? What a joke hahaha

ㄴHeavenly Demon) They are Fasting Pills created especially for my training. It is natural that they are like that.

ㄴThen make one for me too

ㄴHeavenly Demon) I will make you a specially shaped Fasting Pill. 凸

ㄴHahahahaha

Between the sword and this food, it was clear she was someone of high rank.

Then why the hell does she use the gallery?

In any case, she helped me enormously.

If it were not for Heavenly Demon, I would already be dead.

While browsing the gallery, a good idea occurred to me and I made a post.

Title) How much is a Mad Dog corpse worth more or less?

WildGrills

Would it be enough to buy at least a cheap shield?

ㄴFor a used shield it should be enough

ㄴWildGrills) A new one is already difficult, right?

ㄴYes, Mad Dog skin is not very good

ㄴWildGrills) About how much is it worth? I want to trade it

ㄴUpload it to the auction market

ㄴWildGrills) I do not need money. I am too lazy to carry it

ㄴAh, you are a newbie. You do not have to carry it. It is stored directly in the gallery

Store it?

After reading that, I investigated a bit more.

You could deposit money directly into the gallery, separated by coins from each country.

The exchange rate was applied automatically.

The problem was the commission.

It was absurdly high, worse than most auction houses.

Even so, the enormous benefit of ignoring logistics made it widely used.

‘So I could have uploaded the New Moon Spiritual Herb directly to the market?’

That is why information is important.

Even so, I saved a life and gained a valuable relationship, so I could let it go.

Besides, despite the commission, people traded a lot.

ㄴWildGrills) Then where does that commission go? To the moderator?

ㄴYes. Auctions, market and all that are managed by the moderator. But nobody knows what he does and he is always broke

ㄴHeroDontThrowAway) The commission is donated to people in need or used for the development of the gallery.

The moderator, who had been silent until now, appeared.

The response conveyed good intentions.

ㄴModerator… I am also a person in need… will you give me 10,000 gold…?

ㄴHeroDontThrowAway) Aaah…! Right now I do not have money…

ㄴDo not give him anything, damn it

ㄴThat is why mods are needed. Why do they not appoint mods?

ㄴHeroDontThrowAway) I prefer to do the difficult things alone. Mods do not receive a salary.

How many times must he have been scammed for the anonymous users to stop him like that?

Even the one pretending to be poor was told by most not to joke about that.

Public opinion about the admin was very good.

By the way how is a moderator chosen?

‘I will look into that later.’

For now, I will upload the Mad Dog corpse to auction.

I left the cave.

I had left the corpse far away, so there was no problem.

I knew the path by heart.

“Chomp. Chomp. Crunch.”

“…….”

Crack! Crunch!

I correct myself.

There was a problem.

A bear… no, an owl… was eagerly devouring the Mad Dog corpse.

It had the face of an owl, but it was bigger than a bear.

I uploaded a photo immediately.

Title) What the hell is this thing?

WildGrills

(Photo of something devouring the Mad Dog corpse)

Fuck, I went to get the corpse and this fat thing is eating it.

Does anyone know what it is?

ㄴAre you crazy, that is an Owlbear

ㄴIt is an Owlbear, yes, but what size is that?

ㄴFuck, a walking house hahaha

ㄴIf it hits you with its claws, you die instantly

So it was an Owlbear?

As soon as I knew what it was, I stepped back carefully.

This is what they call doing everything for nothing.

But at least I was still alive.

‘Fuck, I have to run now.’

Wild dogs are one thing, a bear is something else entirely.

It was absurdly big.

I retreated little by little, and when there was enough distance, I ran toward the cave.

If I had arrived a little earlier just imagining it gave me chills.

‘What do I do now? Defend myself inside the cave?’

Going out is unknown danger.

Staying is risking that the Owlbear enters.

I had just overcome the greatest crisis of my life and another one was already falling on me.

The only thing I could rely on was Heavenly Demon’s sword.

[Heavenly Demon has requested a trade. Accept?]

While I was trembling with anxiety, Heavenly Demon sent a request.

Judging by the time, it was expected.

I hurriedly accepted.

The familiar window appeared.

[Heavenly Demon has registered trade items.]

[Heavenly Demon: Here is the compass and the ignition stone you asked for. The stone can be charged with internal energy.]

[WildGrills: Thank you. But I do not know how to use internal energy is there another option?]

[Heavenly Demon: Eh? You do not know how to use it and yet you access the gallery? The same with the meditation posture how strange.]

From her words, to access the gallery you normally had to know how to use mana.

I did not know how to explain it either.

I opened my eyes and the world was already broken.

Explaining everything was impossible, so I answered first.

[WildGrills: It is complicated to explain. Besides, there is no time.]

[Heavenly Demon: Hmm. All right. In any case, the stone works with a button, so you will be able to use it. Do you need anything else?]

[WildGrills: With permission… could you also give me some water…?]

[Heavenly Demon: If it is your request, with pleasure.]

[WildGrills: Oh. Thank you very much!]

I accepted the trade.

On the ground appeared the supplies a compass, an ignition stone and a large canteen.

Everything had an oriental design.

First I checked the stone.

‘The button is here.’

Whoosh.

When I pressed it, a small flame sprang up at the edge.

Enough.

Then I took the compass.

With a compass, escaping would be much easier.

People get lost in forests because they do not know how to orient themselves.

With this everything.

“Eh?”

It would be solved.

But something did not add up.

I opened my eyes wide.

The compass, which should stay fixed, was spinning nonstop.

Had Heavenly Demon given me a defective one?

A bit nervous, I made a post.

Title) Heavenly Demon, I think the compass is broken

WildGrills

(Video of a compass spinning nonstop)

The needle does not stop spinning. What is happening…?

I think I was given a broken one…

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Eh? It should not. When I sent it, it worked fine.

She responded immediately.

That only confused me more.

Why would a compass that worked a moment ago now not?

ㄴDid it bug during the trade?

ㄴNo, that does not happen. The system is like teleportation

ㄴFor it to break like that suddenly is strange

ㄴIt spins nicely

ㄴLike your life

ㄴShut up

Other users were also doubtful.

It could be bad luck and that it broke right after the trade.

But something else was happening.

ㄴWildGrills) Can someone lend me a compass? I will return it right away

ㄴStellarPrincess) I will give you one

ㄴPrincessChangu) I will give you one toooo

ㄴSunLiveForever) Me too

ㄴHeroDontThrowAway) I would like to help you, but I do not have one…

Maybe they noticed something strange.

Fixed users who almost never commented suddenly appeared.

In a short time, I gathered several different compasses.

Title) Fuck, they are all the same

WildGrills

(Video of several spinning compasses)

They all lost their sense of direction as if they were outsiders.

What the hell is happening?

ㄴHeavenly Demon) Strange.

ㄴSwordTasteMaster) It is strange.

ㄴPrincessChangu) Strangeeee.

ㄴDwarfPassingBy) Why does it do that? Did you pour alcohol on it?

ㄴWildGrills) Shut up

They were all the same.

They spun nonstop.

While everyone was doubtful, some users shared ideas.

ㄴThere is only one case where something like this happens

ㄴWhere?

ㄴWhen you enter the Forest of the Four Seasons. There the magnetism and mana are altered, and compasses do not work

ㄴDo not say nonsense. If it were that, he would not be able to access the gallery

ㄴBut it is the only place that fits

ㄴIt cannot be that they are all broken

ㄴWhere the hell is the author? Hahaha

ㄴDrunk straight into the Forest of the Four Seasons hahaha

The reactions were ambiguous.

There were two theories.

— If the compass does not work, it is the Forest of the Four Seasons.

— But if it were that forest, he should not be able to access the gallery.

Either way, my conclusion was only one.

‘…I think something went very wrong.’

The situation was twisting dangerously.