Chapter 120: Thirty-First Floor, Whale Hunt (3)

“It’s exactly as I said. I don’t want to hurt the sky whales.”

“Sure, but I still don’t understand how you will achieve that. Are you implying you’ll command the hunting party to withdraw?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying.”

Roxanne frowned, letting out a quiet exasperated sigh.

Not wanting to lose her attention, I explained, “I’m suggesting we relocate the sky whales.”

“You want them to leave the mountain?”

“The kingdom only deployed the hunting party to secure the air route. If the sky whales leave Mount Tumay, the hunting party will naturally disband.”

“Where exactly do you plan to send them?”

She narrowed her eyes, and although her tone remained calm, I could tell she didn’t genuinely agree with my idea. Rather, she sounded accusatory, as if challenging my suggestion.

Before I could continue, she listed several unfamiliar names, “Oraen? Senica? Purumo?”

I assumed those were nearby regions, but without any knowledge of this world’s geography, they were meaningless to me. I remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

“There’s no environment even remotely close to this region that can support the sky whales’ needs. Thanks to all that damned development.”

“Can’t we send them somewhere farther away?”

“

Pfft,

” Roxanne scoffed, before laughing dryly.

“Oh, sure. There’s a place—east of Regium, that hasn’t been developed. Yet. But do you know how many major cities lie between there and here?”

I didn’t even know where Regium was, let alone how many cities we would need to pass. Of course, I couldn’t admit that now, so I once again kept quiet.

“There are five. Five major cities. Even ignoring the fact you’d have to find a way to convince the sky whales to willingly move, you’d still have a massive problem, the hunters in each city. How many whales do you think will survive the journey?”

Her rebuttal was cutting and well-reasoned, painting a bleak picture. Though I didn’t know the specifics, sky whale hunts were clearly a common activity.

Considering the whales’ majestic, awe-inspiring presence, I wasn’t surprised. Additionally, their status as sacred animals only made them a more tantalizing target for human greed.

What am I supposed to do?

I bit my lower lip in frustration, although the dull pain barely registered thanks to my stats and skills. Listening to Roxanne, I realized how naive my initial assumption had been.

Well, the hunting party does have whale-baiting incense, but...

The whales literally soared through the skies, and neither I nor the elves could fly. Herding the enormous creatures—that were scattered throughout the mountain range—into one place seemed impossible.

Ugh... It looks like I will have to kill the sky whales if I want to clear this floor.

No other solution came to my mind. The tower’s trial required me to drive the whales out of the mountain, so betraying the hunting party and protecting the whales wasn’t an option either.

I didn’t go through the trouble of negotiating with the elves just to end up in a dead end.

Part of me had hoped the elves would offer a clue, but so far, they hadn’t. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

“I can see that you’re... different from the average human. To be honest, I didn’t expect someone like you to be part of a hunting party.”

Perhaps she had noticed my frustration or felt a pang of guilt after her earlier bluntness.

Her voice became more gentle. “And to be fair, your idea isn’t unfounded. The Mount Tumay air route is a critical trade route for the kingdom, so this conflict won’t end easily. It’s a war of attrition, and given our numbers, the elves will ultimately lose.”

A grim look fleetingly crossed her face, betraying her resignation to the inevitable. “But that doesn’t change what I said. Relocating the sky whales is realistically impossible. And you can’t exactly defeat the hunting party, can you?”

I wanted to deny her statement, but all I could do was shake my head weakly in agreement. “No.”

After all, I was bound by the tower’s trial.

“It’s fortunate we met someone who favors the sky whales, but the circumstances for both of us are far from ideal. Let’s call it a day. However, the next time we meet, I doubt we’ll be having a conversation like this.” With that, Roxanne turned and began to walk away.

Knowing that the elves knew they were fighting a losing battle made her retreating figure seem painfully small. I felt an unexpected wave of pity.

At the same time, my conviction that there was a hidden mission only strengthened.

She said it herself. If this drags on, the elves are bound to lose. Hmm, the tower did give me seven days...

That much time would only be necessary if I attempted to relocate the whales. Sure, I could probably earn extra points by restoring the trade route as quickly as possible, but the trial’s complexity made the time limit seem more significant.

Watching Roxanne’s diminishing silhouette, I felt a sense of urgency. For the second time, my instincts were telling me that the hidden mission would slip through my fingers forever if I didn’t act now.

Am I overlooking something?

I rapidly reviewed everything that had happened since my arrival. Thankfully, since only an hour had passed, it wasn’t too difficult. Then, a realization struck me.

The airship... and the whale-baiting incense!

Roxanne was nearly out of sight. My thoughts weren’t fully organized, but there was no time to waste.

I called out to her, “Wait!”

She stopped and turned. Without waiting for her to reply, I approached, deliberately closing the gap slowly to give myself time to think.

With only about thirty meters separating her and me, I still hadn’t completely formed a plan, but it was too late to stop. I gathered my resolve.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I think I know how we can relocate the sky whales.”

“You do?”

My idea wasn’t fully fleshed out, so I kept my explanation concise. “If we use the airship and the whale baiting incense, I believe we can guide the whales. If any hunters try and cause problems during the process, I’ll handle them.”

Roxanne scratched her neck, seemingly deliberating my newest idea.

I continued my explanation, hoping to address its shortcomings, “We could use the airship to disperse the scent from above, leading the sky whales to safety.”

“The airship and the incense, hmm... It’s not a bad idea. Considering you can summon lightning, handling any hunters should be well within your ability.”

Her response encouraged me. If she was intrigued, my plan wasn’t entirely off the mark.

“However, even if your hunting party has bait, how do you plan to acquire an airship?”

“Uh...” Caught off guard, I hesitated, and Roxanne let out a small chuckle.

“I assume you’ll be operating independently?”

“Yes... I’ll be working alone.”

“Then return to me once you figure out how to secure an airship. The idea itself isn’t bad.” Roxanne extended her palm toward me, and a gentle breeze swirled around the Ring of the Dawn Breeze. “When you wish to find me, channel mana into your ring to summon a wind spirit that will guide you to me.”

***

[Drive away the sky whales from the vicinity of Mount Tumay. Time remaining: 166 hours 11 minutes.]

“

Ugh

, Doppy, what are we going to do?”

“

Kriee!

Don’t know!”

After parting ways with Roxanne and returning to the barracks, I had wracked my brains for a way to acquire an airship. Instead of brilliant plans, though, doubts continued to form one by one, consuming my thoughts.

Even if I managed to commandeer an airship, I wasn’t sure if I could even pilot one. Flying one couldn’t be as simple as driving a car.

If only the elves could fly it...

Unfortunately, that, too, seemed unlikely. The nature-worshiping elves were in a state of war because the humans were focused on industrialism. The idea of elves, loyal protectors of the natural world, operating a product of industrial development—like an airship—felt far-fetched.

Plus, I need to figure out how to deal with hunters.

I recalled the harpoon guns the hunting party had wielded earlier. Since this world boasted airships and simple automotive vehicles, weapons would exist specifically to shoot down aerial targets or large constructs.

Even though I could protect a fleet of sky whales with Shadow Veil, I couldn’t sustain the skill for an entire week.

Do I even have sufficient mana to use Lightning Essence during every attack?

The answer felt uncertain.

First things first, though. I need to locate an airship.

Hoping for a lead, I sifted through the documents piled within the barracks. Unfortunately, my efforts yielded nothing actionable. The only information I took away from the notes was a broader understanding of the elves’ culture and a grasp of the surrounding regions.

Apparently, the elves’ skeletal appearance stemmed from their extreme devotion to the preservation of nature. Their dietary habits were so strict they didn’t even eat plants. Instead, they sustained themselves solely on pests harmful to the environment.

Wow. The elves are on a whole other level compared to vegetarians on Earth.

“Forget it, Doppy. Let’s take a break. Go lie down on the bed.”

“

Kriee!

Yes! Rest time!”

After spending over thirty minutes poring over dry reports, my head felt ready to burst. I leaned back heavily in my chair and exhaled in frustration.

Suddenly, the vice-captain’s voice came from outside the tent. “Captain, may I come in?”

“Yes, come in.”

The words barely left my lips when the tent flap opened, and the vice-captain stepped inside. His expression was a mix of curiosity and unease, suggesting his thoughts were in turmoil.

Still, his demeanor had changed noticeably, perhaps thanks to my earlier display of power. His eyes no longer carried the blatant skepticism they once did.

“I want to know what you discussed with the elves earlier.” Although his tone was polite, his words were unnecessarily sharp.

Of course, I couldn’t fault him for his attitude.

From his perspective, their captain—initially dismissed as an undeserving outsider—had not only demonstrated immense strength but also gone so far as to converse with the enemy. For someone like the vice-captain, who had likely led the troops until now, this would have undoubtedly been difficult to swallow.

“We didn’t talk much. I only stopped the fighting because it was pointless. The elves were already there, meaning hunting the sky whale was no longer an option. Understand?”

Reluctantly, he agreed. “Yes.”

“That’s why I called for a ceasefire. There was no sense in risking our hunters’ lives. As for speaking with the elves, it was merely a means to defuse the situation.”

He grunted, frustration bubbling to the surface. “Still... taking a few of them out would’ve made future hunts easier.”

I tilted my head slightly and feigned surprise. “Really? From what I saw, we were losing ground. Quickly.”

“We could’ve turned the tide if we had timed the mines properly!”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but respond skeptically, “Come on now. Aren’t you overestimating the hunting party’s capabilities?”

The vice-captain’s mouth snapped shut, and he looked away. It was evident to both of us that, from the beginning, the hunting party had struggled against the elves. Since the expedition’s deployment, they hadn’t killed a single sky whale.

The reports I had read clarified why. We weren’t facing any ordinary group of elves, but some of their most elite forces. Furthermore, they had been tipped off somehow and arrived at Mount Tumay ahead of the hunting party.

Putting the final nail in the coffin, the kingdom hadn’t dispatched any reinforcements yet. That was because, foolishly, neither the captain nor the vice-captain had reported the obstacles to their superiors, likely to avoid jeopardizing their personal accolades.

“Were you aware that the elves were baiting your troops into suppressive fire to create openings and close the distance?”

“No.”

“And during my discussion with the elves, I learned they were aware of the mines. With how boldly they approached our encampment, they likely prepared a countermeasure.”

“That’s—!”

His eyes widened in disbelief. Of course, the latter part of my statement was fabricated. Still, rank carried weight, and he couldn’t question me outright.

“I acted logically. Engaging a prepared enemy is rarely a wise decision.”

“I understand. My apologies.”

“Now, we need to rethink our approach.”

“What do you mean?”

“Aren’t the elves the root of all of our problems? If we deal with them, everything else falls into place. Instead of attempting to hunt sky whales under their watchful eyes, wouldn’t it make more sense to eliminate the elves first?”

“You’re suggesting...?” His tone grew expectant, and I smirked.

“Yes, we’ll strike first. I’m giving you three days to come up with a plan for an ambush.”

“Understood!”

“For now, ignore the sky whales, even if they appear. Each hunt only draws the elves, resulting in unnecessary casualties.”

“Okay, sir.”

Though I had bent the truth somewhat, it was enough to shift the vice-captain’s perspective. While his trust in me was still tenuous, I could see the beginnings of respect in his eyes. Suggesting an attack on the elves also ensured no one would prematurely hunt the whales.

Giving them three days was strategic. If I couldn’t secure an airship within that time, the hidden mission would slip through my fingers, forcing me to revert to hunting the whales.

I had seven days in total. Roxanne mentioned that crossing five major cities would be necessary. Assuming each city took one day to traverse, that accounted for five days.

If I couldn’t secure even one airship within the next two days, I would have no choice but to resort to killing the sky whales. I had already prepared a contingency plan for that eventuality.

Just then, as the vice-captain saluted and was about to leave the barracks, he turned back abruptly. “Oh! Captain.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“It’s about the airship you arrived on last week. Since we thought things would end quickly, it’s still waiting at the temporary dock per your orders. I almost forgot about it. Should we send it back?”

There it is! An airship!

I felt my eyes widen instinctively at his words.

***

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has initiated the hidden mission ‘Sky Whale Protector.’」