TL: A_Passing_Wanderer
ED: Chrissy
'Isn't this...'
Kim Gi-Wu quickly assessed the situation.
From the perspective of the indigenous population, this situation seemed crystal clear.
Well, wasn't this a situation of a lifeform with a similar appearance as theirs, descending from the skies, with his massive wings spread out wide and all? They would obviously have no idea what a parachute was, after all.
The indigenous North-American populace believed in animism where they worshipped spirit-like existences. So, Kim Gi-Wu's descent could have looked like a great being possessing the power of spirit appearing before them.
If that was the case here, then this situation could be considered a massive jackpot for him. Kim Gi-Wu speedily decided on what his future conduct would be like from this moment on.
To make a perfect landing in front of them, he slowly circled around the prostrating crowd in the air. And not too long after that...
Pow-!
Kim Gi-Wu finally touched the ground. The impact from the landing was considerable, but he didn't pay any attention to it. After straightening himself, he quickly disconnected the parachute from his back.
"Oh, oooooh!"
"W-whoaaaa!"
"Wa-kantanga! Wakantanga!"
The primitive-looking males were fervently welcoming him. Kim Gi-Wu smirked deeply and spread his arms wide in their direction.
The moment he landed, this powerful sense of relief from knowing that he had survived washed over before exhilaration took hold of him next.
"Yes, I made it! I said, I freaking made it out alive! Ahahaha!"
No matter what he uttered now, none of these people could understand him anyway, so he wasn't worried at all. However, for some reason, their cheers grew louder and more raucously the more Kim Gi-Wu spoke.
It kind of felt like he had become a leader of a cult.
No, wait. A cult leader, is it? I'll just become a real deal, then!
Indeed, as long as he could save this blue planet through his actions!
Why would he care about the methods as long as he could at least ensure the continued survival of the human race?
No one would dare to criticize him for his approach.
Kim Gi-Wu quickly completed the process of self-justification and got ready to move on.
*
"Wait!"
The man with the best eyesight in the group, Far-Seeing Eyes, suddenly raised his hand up. That was the signal for everyone in the group to stop moving.
In a wide-scale hunt like this, opinions of the man with the best eyesight in the group were absolute. That's why all the men participating in the hunt halted their steps and silenced their breaths, waiting.
"What is that?"
"What are you talking about? You see something?"
"..."
Tough Boulder standing behind him asked a question, but Far-Seeing Eyes didn't bother to respond. He simply narrowed his eyes and focused on the object only he could see for now.
When he remained still and continued to glare at the empty sky, others also began turning their gazes in the same direction. But none of them had as good eyesight as Far-Seeing Eyes, and they could only tilt their heads in confusion.
In the middle of all the head tilting...
"I-isn't that...?!" Far-Seeing Eyes's brows shot up high. "... That's a person!"
"A person?"
Only then did the other men spot a faint, indistinct outline in the distant sky.
Even then, Tough Boulder still stepped up as the group's representative to voice their collective denial. "Don't be absurd, Far-Seeing Eyes. How can that be a person? You know that a person cannot fly through the sky."
"Tough Boulder is right. That must be a bird. Look how big its wings are!"
"Shut up! Are you all looking down on my name?" Far-Seeing Eyes yelled angrily while pounding his chest when his group said those things. But that was understandable since his far-reaching and accurate vision was not only his source of pride but his identity, too.
"No, we would not dare, but even so..."
"That is definitely a person." Far-Seeing Eyes declared firmly, feeling confident of his findings more than ever.
That caused a bout of silence to descend among the group, however. But this silence didn't last for long.
That's because the object flying in the sky changed its heading and began descending towards the group, gradually getting closer and closer.
"Heok!"
"It can't be!"
"Far-Seeing Eyes was telling the truth?!"
"Was I lying then? My eyes are never wrong!"
Just as the man flying through the skies, Kim Gi-Wu, had discovered the indigenous people on the ground, they had also confirmed his outer appearance. And they now knew that the flying man looked like them.
"It's a divine spirit!"
Right at that moment, their chief's only son, Upright Tree, loudly called out.
But such a thing couldn't be helped. The sky-flying being wore some kind of 'ceremonial' clothing that none of them had ever seen before, while the huge wing on the being's back enabled him to glide serenely in the air. This scene was more than enough to evoke the image of a divine spirit in Upright Tree's mind.
Unrest spread among the group in the blink of an eye. No one among them could argue back and say that the unfamiliar being was not a divine spirit.
According to their common sense, only a divine spirit would be able to pull off such miracles, after all.
"W-whoaaaaah!"
"Oh, the Divine Spirit!"
"Oh, oooh! Dear Divine Spirit...!"
All the members of the group went down on the ground to prostrate without anyone prompting them. This was the most polite greeting they could offer right now.
And this commotion reached its fever pitch when Kim Gi-Wu landed on the ground, spread his arms wide open, and roared out in Korean.
*
'Anyway, what does that wakantanga thing even mean? Is it like, uh, Wak*nda Forever or something?'
Should he blame his current mood for suddenly recalling a certain African superhero from a famous movie franchise?
Unless one studied the history of the indigenous American population in-depth, it would be impossible to understand, hence, it was difficult to speak their native languages.
Obviously, Kim Gi-Wu was stuck in that boat. His knowledge on the subject of ancient America was incredibly limited in scope. That's why he couldn't understand a single lick of what the natives were shouting so reverentially in his way. That also applied to the word 'wakantanga' that he kept hearing intermittently.
But he could more or less guess that he was now the subject of their animism worship.
'I better learn their language as quickly as possible.'
Kim Gi-Wu was able to fluently speak Korean and English, but that was about it. He never felt the need to learn any other languages besides those two until now.
However, to ensure his continued survival and also to fulfill the purpose of why he had to travel to the past in the first place... He acutely sensed the urgent need to learn the indigenous language as soon as possible.
[Oh, Lord Divine Spirit. This here is where we live.]
Upright Tree smiled brightly while gesturing toward their 'houses'. Now that was a pure, innocent smile reminiscent of a child wanting to be praised.
Kim Gi-Wu theatrically nodded his head away. Didn't someone say that body language was universal no matter where you were? He could more or less figure out what this indigenous man was trying to convey.
'Is this where the group calls home?'
Kim Gi-Wu was slightly stunned inwardly. That's because the tribe's scale was somewhat greater than he had expected. Of course, it was still only on the level of a city-state, though.
However, this was already better than nothing. At least, the situation wasn't as bad as he initially feared.
[We'll now go and call for a tribal meeting. Upright Tree, Sharp Stone, and Large Craggy Face, you three should guide Lord Divine Spirit around the village.]
[Got it.]
The group whispered amongst themselves before disappearing into the village while leaving three of their members behind.
Kim Gi-Wu was then guided around the village by the enthusiastic Upright Tree taking the lead, while two more indigenous men joined them. With their help, Kim Gi-Wu got to check out the various sights this village had to offer.