The Cloud-Raised Brave Man's Travels

"what……"

Chapter 152: Rainforest Leopard Man

Ur, a city south of Uruk, has been swallowed by the rainforest. Gilgamesh's purpose in this mission was likely to reveal the current state of the rainforest. Incidentally, Ishtar did not accompany them on this expedition. Firstly, the rainforest was the domain of another goddess, and her unprovoked entry might be considered an invasion and lead to direct attack, which would not be in line with the mission's objectives. Secondly, she was already in Uruk, enthusiastically researching her wedding with Siduri.

"It's so... so hot, so stuffy, and so uncomfortable. There are so many mosquitoes. Ugh... I miss Diana, Dikoya and the others so much. I should be lying in their beds instead of here."

Merlin used his staff as a crutch, using it to support himself forward with difficulty... Mashu and Fujimaru Tachibana were not in good condition either. In this rainforest of the Age of Gods, the environment was even worse because of the abundance of magic power. Even Mashu, who was a quasi-Servant, felt uncomfortable. Hearing Merlin's complaints, the good-tempered Mashu couldn't help but speak.

"Will you shut up for a second? I'm getting more irritated."

Fou, the mysterious white creature that had always been full of energy and whimpering, now slumped limply on Mashu's shoulder. Ah... I seem to have forgotten to mention that Fou is Chaldea's mascot, always accompanying Tachibana and Mashu. She's a very adorable creature, but Koya senses a deadly threat from this little creature. Even with the full power of the Black Dragon and the holy sword in hand, he seems no match for this little cutie.

However, he did not tell this matter, because according to Tachibana, Fufu has been following them since the first singularity, and she and Mashu have become accustomed to its company.

"Koya... I'm so tired, can you carry me?"

"Sure, come on up."

Koya still had plenty of stamina, carrying a person on his back with ease. In fact, Koya, who possessed the power of ice, had tried to create ice cubes to cool Tachibana and the others, but for some reason, the ice cubes he created were always covered with a cyan vortex, and the ice cubes didn't feel cool at all. The cooling effect was close to zero, and the ice cubes he created could only be used as grenades.

After getting Koya's consent, Fujimaru Tachibana climbed onto Koya's back without noticing, wrapped his arms around his neck, and the tiredness on his face was directly replaced by a smile. Hehe, although it was a bit hot, but being able to be close to Koya, this little difficulty was nothing!

"But come to think of it, we haven't encountered any of Tiamat's monsters in the rain forest."

"It's probably because of the concentration of magic power. Tachibana, you might not be able to sense it due to your equipment. The magic power in this rainforest is incredibly abundant. Even magical beasts would be uncomfortable in this environment. To be honest, this rainforest might be the inherent barrier of the Quetzalcoatl."

"Please hold on a little longer. According to the map, we'll probably reach Wuer City in about half an hour. Miss Anna, are you okay?"

"There was movement, very quickly, but I don't know what it was."

"Eh? Koya, did you feel that?"

"Sorry, my perception is actually quite weak."

Unless it was a deadly threat, without his intuitive warning, it would be difficult for Koya to detect any movement around him. However, if he deployed his divine domain, then all movement within it would be visible to Koya.

"Hahahaha, your perception is very sharp, kid!"

Everyone was now aware of this. Amidst the rainforest canopy, an orange figure darted and darted. Her speed was certainly fast, but not undetectable. Her silhouette was clearly visible in Koya's vision. She must be human, dressed in a leopard costume.

Mashu immediately deployed her shield, and Koya placed Tachibana beside her. Compared to himself, who had been working with Tachibana for a long time, Mashu, with her special job, was more suitable to protect Tachibana. Koya took out a bow from the warehouse and placed Feng's arrow on it.

"who is it!"

Just like in the story, the protagonist in this situation usually asks this fixed question, and Tachibana is no exception. If nothing unexpected happens, the mysterious figure will then disregard his position and reveal his identity.

“Me? Uh, how should I put it… Fine, you can call me a beautiful girl full of mystery—Ah!!!”

Before she could finish her words, Koya released his bowstring, and three arrows flew towards her at a speed far exceeding her own. Two of them struck her weapon, knocking it loose from her hand and throwing her off balance. The last arrow, on a projectile trajectory, pierced the hood of her doll costume, pinning her to the ground. Unsure whether the arrows were friend or foe, Koya didn't harm her.

"I see, this guy is an idiot!"

Merlin looked at the scene in front of him, pretending to suddenly understand something, and spoke seriously to Tachibana and the others.

"I'm not an idiot! And you guys are so rude to me before I even finished introducing myself!!"

The woman in the doll costume exerted force on her waist, trying to stand up gracefully, but then she fell down in an even more embarrassing manner.

"Eh? What's wrong with this arrow? Why can't I get up?"

"You're such an idiot!"

The wind's arrows held the power of ice. While for some reason this ice couldn't cool her down, it did a surprisingly good job of freezing her. The ground beneath the mysterious creature had turned to ice, and the hood of her costume was now frozen tightly to it. This was why her arms and legs could move freely, but she couldn't stand up.

Fujimaru Tachika and the others approached the person. They finally got a clear look at who this person had suddenly appeared. A woman in her twenties, wearing a leopard doll costume. No... it wasn't so form-fitting as to resemble a doll costume. Instead, it looked more like animal pajamas, like those green dinosaur pajamas that were all over the internet for a while. Seriously, aren't these pajamas meant for winter? Wouldn't it be hot in this rainforest?

"Um... may I ask who you are?"

"Hehe! I am the embodiment of this jungle, the embodiment of the great warrior! Leopard-Man!"

It should have been a very impressive self-introduction, but since this person was frozen on the ice, the scene did seem a little funny. Fujimaru Tachibana and the others recalled what Merlin had just said.

This leopard man is probably, possibly, perhaps really a fool?

"Hehehe! Outsiders who have entered this rainforest, if you are not afraid of my sharp teeth and claws, then come at me! Oh, right, you must let me go first."

It's confirmed, this guy is an idiot!

Chapter 153: Wuer City

In the rainforest, the group was in a stalemate. The ice created by Koya was very reliable and firmly imprisoned the mysterious creature who called himself Leopard Man. However, even in this situation, the Leopard Man still looked fearless. Koya was a little confused as to whether this guy was really stupid or had something to rely on and was therefore not afraid.

To deal with this kind of monster, it has to be Fujimaru Tachibana, who has rich experience in dealing with monsters. Most of the servants in history have distinct personalities, and naturally there are many like the Leopard Man. When it comes to experience in dealing with monsters, no one is more skilled than Fujimaru Tachibana. After walking around the Leopard Man and then simply saying a few irrelevant words to her, Fujimaru Tachibana had a way to deal with the Leopard Man.

"Simply put, we should just ignore her and leave. A fool like her will be very unhappy after being defeated by us. When she escapes, she will definitely try to find us. At that time, she will basically tell us everything she knows as a show of force."

"Oh--"

Everyone immediately adopted the plan proposed by Fujimaru Tachibana. The main reason was that there was no point in staying in a stalemate here. No matter what Koya and the others asked, the leopard woman did not answer. But after all, the leopard woman had no conflict with them and they could not kill her here. Instead of wasting time here, it would be more convenient to leave this guy here.

"Hey wait...are you guys leaving? Let me go first!"

"Hey, don't just walk away like this!"

"Damn it! You guys will remember this! I, the Leopard Man, will remember you!"

"Hey, hey, hey, what the hell is this ice made of?! Why can't I crack it open?!"

Behind Koya and the others, the leopard people's cries gradually faded. Following the guidance of the map, they soon arrived at their destination, Wuer City.

"The trees have completely taken over the city."

Keya felt a sense of emotion as he gazed upon the city, now completely integrated into the rainforest. The mud walls were a perfect place for seeds to settle. Ivy blanketed every house, and saplings thrived in the spaces between them. Judging by these signs, the city had been abandoned for at least several years. Strangely, there were people living here. Yes, this city covered in greenery wasn't some deserted, uninhabited place.

While Koya was still wondering how people lived in harmony with the lush vegetation, Fujimaru Tachibana had already approached a woman who was drawing water from a well.

"Greetings, we are envoys sent from Uruk by the king to investigate the situation here."

Tachibana's conversation with the woman went smoothly, and the citizens were very friendly to her, but she rejected Tachibana's suggestion to send a rescue team to bring them back to Uruk.

"We don't need rescue because Uruguay is a very safe city."

This is the reason they gave, and it is quite reasonable. If there is no danger, there is naturally no need for rescue. But is it really safe in this rainforest?

"Koya, would you like to walk around the city with me?"

"it is good."

"I--"

"Anna, please stay by Tachibana's side and protect her~~This city isn't that safe."

"I see."

The Babylonian sun did not seem to like staying in the sky for too long. Just as Koya and Merlin passed two streets, the sunset had already arrived. The red sunset glow was beautiful, but unfortunately, the person walking side by side with Koya was not a beautiful girl, but Merlin.

"Koya, you're not a Servant, are you?"

"Hmm. How did you figure that out?"

"Hehe, because I'm not a Servant either. I just used a little trick to secretly release a clone from the tower. But your condition should be much better than mine. Are you the real one?"

"Yes."

Merlin was actually quite good at finding topics to talk about, and chatting with him was never boring. However, it was obvious that Merlin had a purpose in chatting with Keya. At first, Merlin talked about all sorts of topics, but soon Merlin deliberately led the conversation to Keya's interests, such as mythology, food, and beautiful women. Merlin's deliberate lead-in led Keya to extract a lot of information from him, but Keya didn't care too much about it.

On the contrary, when faced with Merlin's questions, he would often give direct answers. They were not enemies but companions. In this case, Koya did not mind handing over his information to Merlin. Fujimaru Tachibana's world was different from the Terra world. Here, his strength was not enough to support Fujimaru Tachibana to do whatever he wanted. This was something he understood when he arrived and met Ishtar.

Merlin became much more direct in his questions after noticing Koya's attitude.

"Koya, are you sure you can handle a goddess?"

"If it's similar to Ishtar, then yes."

"That's enough. By the way, after walking around with me for so long, have you noticed anything wrong with this city?"

"Based on the size of the city of Wuer and the number of women and children, there are too few young and middle-aged men in the city."

"Okay, let's go back to find Tachibana and the others. By the way, don't tell them about this for now. Let them sleep well today."

"Row."

When Merlin and Koya found Tachibana and the others, they were sitting on the stairs admiring the beautiful sunset. The citizens of Uer City had already returned home. Under the setting sun, this city in the rainforest seemed a little dead.

"Tachibana, could you help gather the citizens of Ur City to the square in front of the temple tomorrow?"

"Okay~~ Koya, did you and Merlin find anything?"

Koya walked over to Tachibana, smoothed her hair which was the same color as the sunset, and said to her.

"The citizens of Wuer City don't look as if they're living in a safe area. Their faces are filled with deep hatred and bitterness."

"Yeah, yeah, I said they were weird."

"Have a good rest today."

"Oh."

Fujimaru Tachibana could tell that Merlin and Koya must have discovered something, but since they were unwilling to say more, he didn't ask.

Under the arrangement of the elders of Wuer City, Koya and his family moved into a vacant house. All traces of life in this house had ceased a few days ago. The water in the water tank was covered in dirt, and the earthenware pot on the stove still contained rotten porridge...

"Wow... self-heating hot pot! How did you get this, Koya? Oh, you got it from Mafuyu-san and the others, right?"

"Well, eat more. I still have plenty in my portable warehouse. Anna, this is the strawberry cake for you. Merlin, what do you want to eat?"

"Um~ Any wine?"

"Yes, here are some barbecues for you to eat with your wine."

"Wow, you're so well prepared. Love you~~"

Chapter 154: Living Sacrifice

(Please refresh if there are any changes)

It happened to be raining in the rainforest today, which was perfectly normal. However, when Koya saw the gloomy expressions on the faces of the citizens slowly gathering in the square, his mood soured. The environment and other people are the most influential factors influencing one's mood. Even Tachibana and Mashu were silent under the relentless rain.

After the gathering, Merlin began his 'questioning'. The serious Merlin indeed resembled the legendary Arthurian Grand Master. Simple sarcasm and sarcasm had already broken the defenses of the city elder. In front of Merlin, she could no longer maintain the calm demeanor of not needing Uruk's rescue.

"The Rainforest Goddess's rules, well... rules are really good things. As long as you don't break them, everyone can live in peace. I understand. Doing nothing is Wuer's way of self-defense. You all know that as long as you pay a price, the monsters outside the rainforest will not invade your city. Survival is the most important thing."

"Can you understand our difficulties..."

Under Merlin's words, the female elder with white hair could only lower her head and ask Merlin in a soft but desperate voice.

"Oh, of course I understand. I fully understand. Surviving without resistance is a common tactic used by those who give up on themselves. Losing a city to find temporary peace. Everyone knows the outcome, yet so many still choose this path."

In contrast, Merlin's tone was quite frivolous, even asking for a beating. But even with Merlin's tone, both the elders on the steps and the citizens around Koya, Tachibana and the others still looked numb.

"Then what--"

Merlin's wand landed on the bluestone of the square. The solid rock resonated with a dull thud, then shattered into pieces. Merlin's voice was also cold, not angry or anything else, but rather the aloofness of someone who cared nothing more.

"How many people have you already sacrificed—"

Quetzalcoatl, a belief from Mesoamerica, was one of the civilizations most enthusiastic about worshipping Quetzalcoatl. Their worship of Quetzalcoatl can be seen as a template, so what was the most popular worship among the Maya?

Living Sacrifice

Hearing Merlin bluntly bring up the subject, the apathetic citizens of Uer City simply turned their heads away, not daring to look at him. Tachibana and Mashu were horrified. A living sacrifice...was this the living sacrifice they'd imagined?!

"Tachibana, calm down."

"Koya, did you know this a long time ago?"

"Yesterday when I was on the street with Merlin, he focused on telling me some stories about Quetzalcoatl and Maya."

"why did not you tell me?"

"Telling you will only keep you awake at night. We didn't intend to hide it from you. The dead cannot be brought back. What you need to think about is how to stop this meaningless act. Now leave it to Merlin. Mashu, you are responsible for protecting Rikka. Leave the rest to Merlin and me."

"I understand, Mr. Koya."

Compared to Tachibana who is still a high school student, Mashu, who grew up in Chaldea and has been exposed to a lot of magical knowledge, is obviously more able to accept the current situation than Tachibana. After all, there are countless evil spells in magic that sacrifice living people to convert into one's own magic power.

"Hmm~ Let me think about it. Based on the population originally registered in Uruk, one person a day? Limited to young and middle-aged males?"