Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 26

Truth be told, Kim Kkokko was a monster—likely stronger than Ji Yeonwoo, definitely not weaker. A tiny bit of alcohol wasn’t going to harm a creature like that. More than that, Ji Yeonwoo thought of Kim Kkokko as a friend and wanted to share a drink.

Had he known that the reason Kim Kkokko once collapsed after biting into raw bamboo shoots wasn’t because they were bitter, he might have acted differently. But in his current frame of mind, Ji Yeonwoo simply poured the chicken a shot of soju.

“All right, but just one glass, okay?”

*Kkok-kkok.*

Kim Kkokko accepted a small paper cup of soju. It pecked at it a bit, well aware from earlier that the cup wasn’t very sturdy, so it carefully poked a hole and sipped the liquid inside.

*Kkok-kkok…?*

It tasted kind of sweet at first, but ended bitter, and there was a strong smell rising into its nostrils—unpleasant yet not entirely off-putting. Kim Kkokko cocked its head back and forth, trying to figure out what this taste was.

Meanwhile, Ji Yeonwoo’s conversation with The Watcher continued.

“Please take care of me from now on. I’ll make sure you never regret becoming my… ‘pet.’”

A moment later came The Watcher’s reply:

—

– The Watcher says he, too, is counting on you, and that he’s actually the grateful one, thankful you’re living life to the fullest.

—

“Huh?”

Ji Yeonwoo was working hard for his own sake, after all—what did that have to do with The Watcher? But he didn’t dwell on it. His “big bro” was an angel, after all.

“Thanks for everything, big bro! Someday… if I ever make it out of here, I’ll treat you to a proper drink!”

After a few beats:

—

– The Watcher says that at the very least, he loves a good drink and would be thrilled if that day came.

—

“Absolutely! I’ll beat this place and walk out of here, just watch!”

Right then, Ji Yeonwoo looked up at the sky. Stars so numerous they looked ready to spill out of the heavens, a thin crescent moon, and the sea as transparent as a mirror reflecting it all. He might be stuck in this Rift, but enjoying a drink in such a scenic spot was wonderful.

Suddenly, a thought came to him.

“This reminds me of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. You know, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei—ever heard of them?”

—

– The Watcher says he’s not an expert but knows the basics.

—

“Then do you know about the Peach Garden Oath? We weren’t born on the same day, but let’s vow to die on the same day. That sort of thing.”

Thinking about it, The Watcher, Ji Yeonwoo, and Kim Kkokko were sitting around, sharing drinks—rather similar to that trio’s situation.

“They probably got tipsy like this, made that oath. So we’re enjoying our own version of that romance now!”

Ji Yeonwoo brought up the idea as idle chatter, but The Watcher took it a step further:

—

– The Watcher suggests that *we* do it, too.

—

“Huh?”

—

– He says: If we’re going to live, let’s live together; if we’re going to die, let’s die together.

—

“That’s… pretty sudden.”

But why not? It was just words, after all. It wasn’t like it would be magically enforced by the system. If Ji Yeonwoo died in the Rift, The Watcher on Earth wouldn’t lose his life; the same went for Kim Kkokko. And Ji Yeonwoo didn’t want to spoil the moment by overthinking it. Anyway, it was motivating to hear such words, especially knowing he could die any day.

He felt a lump rise in his throat.

“No regrets… right?”

—

– The Watcher promises he’ll never regret it.

—

Two out of three had agreed. One more, and they’d have their own sworn brotherhood.

“Kim Kkokko, you’re in too, right?”

He turned his head—only to be startled. Kim Kkokko was wobbling from side to side, barely able to keep upright.

*Kko-kkok…!*

Confused by the taste, it had sipped once, twice… until it finished every last drop in the cup. Now it was weaving unsteadily toward Ji Yeonwoo, looking very much like a drunk who had lost all composure.

“K-Kkokko?”

*Kku, kkurruk…!*

Wearing the crushed paper cup on its head like a hat, Kim Kkokko stumbled over and let out a raucous cry:

*Kkueeeek!*

“Eeek!”

*Kko-ooook!*

Gimme some more liquor! That was the clear message.

“No way! You’re drunk already! Besides, there’s only one shot left, and it’s mine!”

*Kko-kkok!*

“Alright, fine… I’ll give it to you…”

Kim Kkokko didn’t take a no as an answer. Overpowered by the chicken’s forceful demand, Ji Yeonwoo handed over the last shot. He let out a small sigh, but honestly, it was just as well. He was at that pleasant, tipsy stage, and one more drink might have tipped him into blackout territory.

“I kinda want to remember tonight clearly, anyway.”

*Bwaaeeek!*

*Whoooosh!*

After tossing back the final shot, Kim Kkokko began flapping its wings like crazy, whipping up clouds of sand all around. It lifted into the air.

“You… you’re flying!”

*Kkueeeek!*

Unlike last time, when it had managed just a tiny hover, now it soared five meters up, swooping back and forth, even climbing again after a dive, spinning around in circles, flipping itself upside down while keeping its head upright. It was practically performing an aerial acrobatics show in the moonlight.

With the bright moon behind it, Kim Kkokko’s silhouette looked downright surreal—almost like it was dancing. Ji Yeonwoo, feeling the buzz, couldn’t help but join in. He stood up and started to dance himself.

His half-baked moves—reminiscent of a high-school dance club’s 8-beat Eurodance routine—came to life in this empty Rift, where nobody else was watching.

—

– The Watcher is shocked by your dance skills.

– He timidly stands up, swaying his hips in time to the rhythm.

—

Well, then, how could they possibly skip the singing? Ji Yeonwoo belted out some random tune. It was another vintage hit his father used to sing when in high spirits.

“Why’s everyone so down? What’s the problem, huh~~?”

And so, the three of them—one man, one chicken, and one invisible companion—danced and partied. All that movement got Ji Yeonwoo’s blood pumping, making his drunkenness peak. Maybe that’s why:

—

– You have successfully held your first “drinking and revelry” in this place.

– Your actions are being reflected.

—

He didn’t catch the system message at all.

“Just turn the steering wheel any direction—let’s head somewhere fun—!”

A single bird, one human, and The Watcher behind the scenes kept dancing and laughing. Ji Yeonwoo even forced Kim Kkokko to stand upright, holding its wings like arms and waltzing around in a silly tango. The Watcher laughed uproariously at the sight.

Eventually, the one who toppled first was the bird. Ji Yeonwoo teased it—“How can you have even lower tolerance than me?”—but then scooped it up and carried it into the tent.

Normally, Kim Kkokko would have resisted, but not tonight. Human and chicken curled up together for warmth and fell fast asleep.

—

– The Watcher looks at you both fondly.

– He envies how easily you get drunk from just one bottle.

—

The Watcher sipped his own liquor a bit longer and then faded from the Otherworld.

*Shhhh.* The gentle sound of the waves rocked them to sleep, and thus that whimsical, romantic night drew to a close.

…

*Kko-kkyooooo-ok!*

“Mmm… just a bit more…”

*Kkio-oo-ok!*

It was Kim Kkokko’s usual morning crow, but somehow it sounded more urgent. Maybe even annoyed. Half-asleep, Ji Yeonwoo realized Kim Kkokko wasn’t inside the tent.

“Huh?”

He distinctly remembered falling asleep petting Kim Kkokko’s soft belly.

*Kkio-oo-oo-ok!*

He got up, still groggy, and followed the sound. He found Kim Kkokko in a sunny patch of dirt behind the tent, aggressively devouring *Bamboo Shoots*.

“What the— Are you hungover? You’re going for a bamboo shoot cure? When did you wake up?”

Kim Kkokko didn’t answer. It wore a thoroughly irritated expression, chomping away. It looked like it had taken every piece of Bamboo Shoot from its dedicated pot.

“Why the long face? We had such a good time last night!”

*Grrr…*

“We even formed a sworn brotherhood! We did that tango dance, remember? It was super fun. Don’t you recall?”

He tried to recreate the scene, bounding over to give the chicken a big, fluffy hug. But—

*Kko-oook!*

Kim Kkokko extended a wing like a hand, stopping Ji Yeonwoo in his tracks. That was definitely not normal behavior. Ji Yeonwoo halted, puzzled.

“What’s wrong?”

*Kkok…*

Kim Kkokko sighed and stood up carefully. As its soft, cotton-candy-like belly lifted, Ji Yeonwoo noticed something underneath.

“…Eggs?”

No fewer than five of them. Apparently, Kim Kkokko had laid all the eggs it had been holding onto at once. And they weren’t their usual pale sky-blue color. The surface shimmered like a rainbow in a wave pattern.

Which could only mean…

“Are these… fertilized eggs?”

Ji Yeonwoo felt his heart sink. Here in the Rift, anything could happen.

“Uh… we didn’t do anything weird last night, right?”

*Kko-kkok…?*

Kim Kkokko could understand Ji Yeonwoo, more by sensing his intent than parsing his actual words, but the question “We didn’t do anything…, right?” was beyond its realm of experience. It blinked in confusion.

“Never mind, just checking,” Ji Yeonwoo said, shaking his head. Then he turned back to stare at the gleaming eggs under Kim Kkokko’s belly. They definitely looked different from unfertilized ones.

[ If you liked the chapter and want to read more, feel free to join my PATREON page: ] https://www.patreon.com/otaku_senpai

Otaku_Senpai

I'm currently Translating the following novels: Super Card System! the best novel in the universe If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!⏬⏬⏬⏬⏬⏬

• 
• 
•