Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 339
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Additional Side Story: Episode 3
‘If I have this, even I who was mocked as worthless can harness the power of water?’
To counterattack, I needed strength.
Survival of the fittest? Then I would become the strong one.
Without hesitation, I opened the glass case and seized the orb in my hand.
It opened without any mechanism, which was almost disappointing. Of course, I already understood why I had obtained it so easily.
These arrogant fools had only considered external intrusions.
‘They never imagined someone would climb over from the adjacent storage room and steal it.’
Even if someone did steal it, they likely had confidence they could pursue them to the ends of the earth through the power of earth.
I had exploited that very weakness.
‘I only heard about this by chance myself.’
The method of use… was it to swallow it?
I rolled the orb around in my hands for a moment before placing it in my mouth.
As I swallowed, I felt it dissolving into my body.
‘Did it work?’
But nothing happened at first.
I quickly returned the glass case to its place, stripped off my upper garment to erase any traces of my presence, and climbed back through the ventilation shaft to the storage room where I had been confined.
That was when the strange sensation began.
“Ugh…!!”
A tremendous force surged through my body. More precisely, it felt like something within me—something I hadn’t even known existed—was being jabbed repeatedly.
I collapsed onto the floor. My entire body ached. Simultaneously, laughter spilled from my lips.
This was definitely a winning lottery ticket.
I could feel myself growing stronger.
How long had I been sweating cold sweat and groaning through the searing heat?
My eyes snapped open.
“Wow.”
Was this what it felt like to be born anew? No, I had already been reborn once before, and this felt entirely different.
I looked around, and after a moment of deliberation, I grabbed my opposite wrist with one hand.
Crack!
“Ugh…”
It hurt, but I couldn’t help but smile.
“Wow.”
Clear handprints marked my skin. Bruises would surely form with time, but I didn’t care.
‘This is definitely the power of water.’
I had finally awakened to the power of water. Thanks to Lineius!
There are many ways to use the power of water. Right now, my physical body had been enhanced through it.
From now on, I wouldn’t feel pain from ordinary impacts, and my durability had become incredibly strong. Was that all? If just a slight application of force did this much…
‘Can I fire water blasts like Assel?’
A thrill ran down the back of my neck.
Then the most important thing was water.
I was trying to create water.
Gulp.
I swallowed hard and reached out my hand.
Splash!
“…!!”
It works. It works!
The moment I smiled, seeing the thin stream of water generated from my fingertips.
Crash!
Wait.
When I came to my senses, I was drenched as if I alone had been hit by a waterfall.
I blinked my eyes.
‘I was clearly trying to create just a thin stream of water?’
Something went wrong.
Red warning lights blared in my mind. Fortunately, I could dispel the water stream by my own will.
Of course, even that didn’t work immediately, so I succeeded only after desperately struggling while getting soaked…!
‘Damn it, if it’s like this, I can’t even use it.’
Now I understood why so many Orca Family Members specifically sought out family, relatives, or a master to learn the power of water.
This was something that couldn’t be self-taught!
‘Damn it!!’
First, I needed to clean up, so I grabbed a cloth lying around and wiped the water pooling on the floor.
How long had I been groaning with my head squeezed like a wet fish.
Creak.
The door, which had been firmly locked as if it would never open again, suddenly swung open.
“…!”
Just as I was startled and about to jump up, someone slipped through the barely cracked door.
Fluttering brown hair, chubby and rosy cheeks that I wanted to pinch. A small frame.
A very cute and lovely child.
Lili, the adopted daughter of this household and the being called the most precious treasure.
And the protagonist of the book.
My brow furrowed.
“…Sister?”
I had no idea how she got here, but Lili was alone.
“This isn’t your fault, Sister!”
The child who was the only one to take my side in both the first and second playthroughs. Yet my feelings toward Lili were nothing but complicated.
“Sister!”
The child ran toward me with startled eyes. Since I was ten years old, she must be around three or four now.
Small hands like autumn leaves grasped my wet clothes.
“Why are you all wet? Did someone hurt you?”
Teary eyes, a face flushed as if about to cry. She was still such a good child.
“Lili will heal you…!”
“Huh?”
A pure white light flowed out, and in the blink of an eye, the handprints that had remained on my wrist disappeared.
If they had remained, they would have surely become bruises.
“Cough! Cough!”
Recalling the cost of Lili’s healing ability—something the protagonist in the book, the squirrel Beastkin, and Lili herself had all experienced—I hurriedly grabbed the young girl’s shoulders.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes! Just a little dizzy for a moment! Lili is strong!”
Whether that was true or not, the child withdrew her hand and smiled brightly. I was relieved that the cost didn’t seem to be too great in reality.
Yet my heart grew complicated once more.
I understood well through the previous cycles why this child was the protagonist of this world. She was kind and pure, thoughtful, and gave equal love to everyone without exception.
I liked Lili, cherished her, and in some ways pitied her.
‘It’s better not to grow close this cycle.’
Though Lili didn’t intend it, the more interest she showed in me, the harsher the Black Panther and the Crown Prince became toward me.
“…Thank you.”
But I couldn’t skip even a greeting. I carefully placed my hand on Lili’s head, then—
The moment our eyes met, I hastily withdrew it.
For me now, receiving my Parents’ love felt like a distant memory, and I was unaccustomed to both being loved and giving love.
That’s why interacting with Lili felt somewhat awkward.
Lili quickly took my hand and placed it back on her head. It was such a small, delicate hand.
“Lili likes being petted! Likes it!”
“…”
“If big sister pets me, the pain goes away!”
I blinked, then smiled slightly. Curiosity sparkled in Lili’s eyes.
“Big sister smiled for the first time! So pretty!”
“…”
“So very pretty! Like the flower Lili likes? The flo?”
“Flower?”
“Yes! You look like a flower.”
The child held my hand and made me stroke her head while beaming with joy.
“Big sister is a flower!”
I blinked, then found myself laughing along with her. It was the first comfortable laugh I had experienced since opening my eyes in this cycle.
“Yes, thank you.”
After hearing nothing but fishy smells, fish, worms, and countless insults and slurs, to be called a flower…
That’s why I could never bring myself to hate this child.
“You can’t stay here. Go back quickly.”
I was grateful for her help, but if we were discovered, it would be troublesome for both of us.
As I gently pushed her away, Lili whimpered.
“Big sister, no, big sister…”
It had always been this way—this child showed affection and kindness from the very first meeting, even though I had given her nothing and done nothing for her.
“Lili wants to be with big sister.”
“Hmm….”
I glanced around, pondering the matter.
“Then Lili, would you help your sister with just one thing?”
If Lili had ears, they would have perked up.
‘How adorable.’
I suppressed another smile and gently tapped the child’s cheek.
“If it’s possible, could you bring me some clothes I can change into and something to clean with… without anyone finding out?”
It seemed Lili had found the situation strange as well. She nodded quickly, tilting her head in confusion.
“Yes! Lili can do it!”
A short while later, Lili truly succeeded—I still don’t know how.
‘Aside from the cleaning supplies… how did she even find clothes in my size?’
Questions remained, but since the child was so proud that no one had discovered her, I decided to let it pass.
Besides, it was endearing.
Even if we were discovered, what’s the worst that could happen? Death?
What mattered was one thing.
‘I’ve obtained the power of water.’
By swallowing what these fools had in their grasp?
* * *
A week later.
I was released from the warehouse. And I obediently did exactly as the Black Panthers wanted.
‘What’s so difficult about it?’
With countless examples from the first and second playthroughs, mimicking them wasn’t hard.
And from the retainers’ conversation that day, I learned something—these foolish beasts obtained Lineius yet.
They didn’t seem to know what treasure Lineius actually was or what it was used for.
‘Well, only the Dolphin leader or direct Orca bloodline would know.’
They hadn’t even noticed that Lineius had disappeared.
The power of earth—what I’d worried about most—using it to read the land’s memory was fortunately.
Impossible because the Dragon Duke and Assel were both absent simultaneously.
Reading the land’s memory was possible for a maximum of ten days. And both of them would return later than that.
It was my victory.
Foolishly so.
Barely freed, I sat in my room, clenching and unclenching my fist.
‘Obtaining the power of water is good and all.’
But as I saw in the warehouse, I can’t control it.
And while my body has become stronger and more resilient, it ends here.
This cannot be where it stops.
For the next stage, I need combat.
I need an opportunity to learn to fight. Whether it’s swordplay, hand-to-hand combat, anything will do.
‘This will probably….’
The moment I thought of someone to use, a small smile crossed my lips.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————