Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 89

The Watcher didn’t mention the life-or-death struggle Yeonwoo had gone through. And that was the right call—because Kim Kkokko’s expression was already priceless without those details.

Clu-cluck…!

—

*– The Watcher tells her not to worry—he’ll be back soon.*

Cluck-cluck-cluck!

The Watcher’s presence faded.

Kim Kkokko felt… strange.

Relieved he was alive, yet still uneasy.

Somewhere in Yeonwoo’s sleeping mind, a notification might have flashed—Kim Kkokko’s favorability has increased to 50—but neither would ever know.

CLUCK-CLUCK!

Kim Kkokko suddenly stood.

Why sit here worrying when I can climb the cliff and find him myself?

She was about to scale it right then.

But—

Peep… peeeep…

……

The five Ari chicks had snuggled into her feathers, fast asleep.

Kim Kkokko stared, annoyed, then reluctantly sat back down.

Not out of concern for them.

But Yeonwoo’s last words weighed on her.

—

“Take care of the Ari squad, okay?”

—

Clu-cluck…!

If I leave them behind, he’ll be upset.

But… they’ll probably be fine?

An angel and devil bickered in her mind.

Finally, she stood—carefully.

She tiptoed away—until something tugged her tail feather.

One of the chicks had latched onto her in its sleep.

Snap.

She ruthlessly pulled free.

Peeeep!

The chick whimpered, curling tighter. The others, sensing her absence, did the same.

Peeeeep…

Kim Kkokko scoffed.

Hmph!

She turned toward the cliff—

Then glanced back.

The five chicks huddled together, shivering.

Her eyes hardened.

You’re just Yeonwoo’s toys.

And she began climbing.

Stab-stab-stab!

Her talons struck the cliff face with unusual precision.

—

### *Morning*

The Ari chicks didn’t wake naturally.

That was odd.

Usually, Big Sis Kim Kkokko’s morning crow roused them. Today—silence.

One chick jolted awake, sensing something wrong.

Yeonwoo? Gone.

Kim Kkokko? Nowhere.

Neither had ever left without warning before.

Peep-PEEP! PEEEEEP!

Its panic woke the others. Soon, all five wailed in despair.

PEEEEEEEP!

The cries of lost children, calling for their mother.

No one answered.

—No.

COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO!

……!

Their heads snapped toward the cliff.

There, midway up, stood Kim Kkokko—talons dug into the rock, glaring down imperiously.

CLUCK-CLUCK-CLUCK!

She scolded them: Pathetic. Still crying like babies?

CLUCK!

Get over here.

The chicks scrambled up eagerly, as if this were a game.

Cluck-cluck-cluck…!

Their cheerfulness irked her.

Do they even realize why I’m stuck here?

You’re just Yeonwoo’s toys.

Toys that can’t fly are worthless.

So—

CLUCK!

Flight training starts NOW.

The chicks tilted their heads.

Peeep?

But our wings are tiny…

CLUCK!

Excuses mean you’ll NEVER fly.

I won’t tolerate deadweight.

P-Peeeep!

PEEEEEEP!

Their wails echoed across the beach.

Kim Kkokko’s gaze turned icy.

But they were still young.

For fools who couldn’t understand words, actions spoke louder.

The carrot-and-stick method began.

Cluck-cluck. CLUCK!

Follow my lead, and you might become like me.

She spread her wings—

WHOOSH!

—and took flight.

A triple axel midair, then an inverted dive.

PEEEEP?!

The chicks’ eyes sparkled with awe.

Kim Kkokko landed in a backflip, puffing her chest with pride.

PEEEEEEP!

The effect was instant.

They were ready to learn.

Cluck-cluck. PECK! CLUCK!

All sounds are now ‘PECK.’

PECK!!

Her beak curled into a smirk.

Cluck-cluck. CLUCK!

First—how to fall. Then—how to rise.

Begin.

PEEEEP!

The bravest chick lunged first.

The others followed, scrambling up the cliff.

Kim Kkokko had spent the night carving perfect footholds for their tiny legs.

Yet one still slipped.

THUD!

Peeeep…!

PEEEEP!

As it cried, Kim Kkokko leaned in.

Cluck.

Strong birds never cry.

……!

The chick’s expression steeled.

Its reply?

PECK!

And it climbed again.

Watching their determination, Kim Kkokko smiled.

I trust Yeonwoo.

He’ll survive. Grow stronger. Return.

And when he does—

CLUCK!

—I’ll show him my progress.

The thought made her chuckle.

Stifling it, she crowed at the sky.

COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO!

PECK!!

Morning sunlight bathed the six birds.

—

### *Meanwhile: Yeonwoo*

While Kim Kkokko drilled the chicks, Yeonwoo…

“Mmm… so warm…”

…was still asleep.

Burrowed in his sleeping bag, he savored the coziness.

How long has it been since I felt this good?

Back home, he’d blast the AC just to bundle up in winter blankets. This was heaven.  (TN: me too xD)

But—

—

*– The Watcher tells you to wake up.*

“Ugh… five more minutes…”

—

*– They complain they’re hungry. Demand food.*

“Ah… if you’re hungry, I guess I have to…!”

Now that he thought about it, he was starving too.

“Did I sleep longer than usual?”

—

*– They confirm you overslept.*

“Ah…”

No need to ask why.

“Will Kim Kkokko be okay? She must be worried…”

He’d promised to return today. He’d even left days’ worth of mana bamboo shoots—but guilt gnawed at him.

—

*– The Watcher says they already explained everything to Kim Kkokko.*

“Huh? You can do that?”

Now that he thought about it, Kim Kkokko had shown up mysteriously when he’d first encountered the root octopus and when he’d fallen. The Watcher’s doing?

“You can talk to her?”

—

*– They say she can’t hear them but seems to understand.*

“Wow… Seriously, bro, I’d probably be dead without you.”

—

*– The Watcher gets flustered.*

Who else would’ve warned him about the sea serpent?

Taught him to build a bamboo raft?

Told him to rub the bull shark’s nose? Explained how to butcher it, make a millstone, or cling to a cliff?

Yeonwoo felt insanely grateful this encyclopedia of a Watcher was linked to him.

“I’ll cook something amazing today. Just wait!”

—

*– They say they’re excited and demand to be fed immediately.*

“Yes, sir!”

Yeonwoo wriggled out of the sleeping bag and suited up. He deactivated the golden sweet potato’s glow and tucked it away. Stepping outside, he pondered: Which cut should I use today?

‘Had tartare, grilled loin… Maybe a hot stew?’

He wasn’t worried about the goat spoiling—if anything, the cold would preserve it.

But—

“……”

The carcass was gone.

“What the—? Who took it?”

—

*– The Watcher suspects the snow leopard.*

“Damn it…!”

The one that had ripped off the head.

It made sense.

Should’ve built the shelter farther from the bloodbath…

“Didn’t think it could drag the whole thing away…”