Chapter 206 – It’s Really Shrimp

As Hydra, the nine-headed snake, the 10th Seat of the Apostles of Destruction, appeared,

“Mini Black Hole!”

Iona used the magic she had prepared in time for Hydra’s appearance.

Boom.

With a roaring sound, a black hole opened in midair in front of Hydra’s heads, and the Mini Black Hole began to suck in everything around it.

And,

—Argh!

The golden head, which was in the center of Hydra’s three heads, was swallowed by the Mini Black Hole.

However,

—Ninth head, seventh head, pull it out!

—Understood.

Under the instructions of the black head, which was the first head on the far left, the green head, along with the black head, pulled the golden head out of the black hole.

Although it was only a fragment containing an extremely small portion of the power possessed by the Apostle of Destruction, the three-headed Hydra was not weak.

And,

“Kyu-kyu-kyu-kyu, you survived my magic, didn’t you?!”

Iona was not weak either. Angry that Hydra had escaped her magic, Iona reached stage 4 of the Kyu of anger.

“Power of dimension, tear the enemy to shreds according to my command! Triple Mini Black Hole.”

Boom.

Along with Iona’s magic, this time three Mini Black Holes appeared in front of each of Hydra’s heads.

Hydra’s heads struggled desperately to avoid being sucked into the Mini Black Holes, but

—Argh!!

—Save me!

—No!

In the end, unable to withstand the suction power of the Mini Black Holes, they were gradually sucked into the black holes.

Boom.

The heads kept being sucked in. But their body was one.

Rip.

The body tore into three branches following the heads and began to be sucked into the holes.

After a while,

Clink.

As the body, split into three parts, was completely sucked into the Mini Black Holes, twelve bronze coins fell to the floor.

“Kyu-kyu-kyu. So you should have just gone when I was letting you go peacefully!”

Iona said, picking up the bronze coins.

“Kyuahhh. I should sleep now.”

Yawning deeply, Iona went down to the 44th floor of the tower where Se-jun and Theo were.

***

“Absorb!”

[Talent: Friend of Fire absorbs the faint fire energy.]

Se-jun placed his hand on the barnacle’s shell and absorbed the fire energy. At first, he was flustered because the barnacle disappeared, but anyway, barnacles were overflowing on the lake turtle’s back.

Furthermore, it turned out that there were also many barnacles on the lake turtle’s belly. So Se-jun took charge of the lake turtle’s back, and the other animals were harvesting barnacles from the lake turtle’s belly.

While Se-jun was doing the barnacle removal work for a while like that,

[Talent: Friend of Fire absorbs the faint fire energy.]

[The absorbed fire energy condenses into one, partially improving the physical constitution.]

[Talent: Common Talent evolves into Uncommon Talent.]

[All stat potentials increase by 5.]

“Huh?!”

The basic talent Se-jun had obtained first when he awakened evolved.

“I heard that the basic talent obtained first after awakening rarely changes…”

Talent: Friend of Fire, perhaps he had obtained a more tremendous talent than he thought.

“Hehehe.”

Se-jun smiled and examined the evolved talent.

[Talent: Uncommon Talent]

-It is a talent slightly superior to a common talent.

-Receives 1 bonus stat every time you level up.

-All stat potentials increase by 5.

Se-jun was pleased that his basic talent had grown.

However,

“Huh?”

Se-jun realized something strange. Since his basic talent grew, his potential increased. That meant that hunters’ potentials differed according to their basic talents.

And basic talents were largely divided into three stages: common talent, superior talent, and genius, excluding modifiers like ‘common’ in front.

“What? Then it means the maximum potential of other hunters is not 99!”

Se-jun felt unjustly treated for no reason. While he had to diligently let the crops hear his footsteps for hours and eat bitter things to increase his potential, someone else didn’t have to go through that much trouble from the moment they awakened!

“As expected, the world is unfair.”

Realizing the absurdity of the world anew, Se-jun absorbed the barnacle’s energy again and removed the barnacle.

If other superior talent or genius hunters had heard Se-jun’s words, they would have felt extremely unjustly treated conversely. Other hunters had almost no means to raise their potential itself.

To raise potential just by walking and eating was a spoiled complaint.

“Absorb.”

Without knowing that, Se-jun diligently removed the barnacles.

At that moment,

(Se-jun-nim! I brought ramen!)

The Golden Bat, who had briefly visited Earth, returned. As soon as he felt the inkling of going to Earth a little while ago, the Golden Bat immediately asked Se-jun what to bring, and Se-jun naturally ordered ramen.

Two bundles of ramen were hanging from the Golden Bat’s feet. He had brought a whopping ten packs of ramen. It was thanks to the elixir-grade cherry tomatoes Se-jun had fed him. He had to eat them even more diligently in the future!

“Good job!”

When Se-jun looked at the Golden Bat with proud eyes, placed him on his hand, and stroked him,

Baet, baet…

the Golden Bat enjoyed Se-jun’s touch in a completely limp state as if his body were melting.

After a while,

Baerorong.

When Se-jun carefully moved the Golden Bat, who had fallen asleep at Se-jun’s touch, to his back,

Wiggle, wiggle.

the Golden Bat, with his eyes closed, fumbled and moved his feet to secure his legs to Se-jun’s clothes and began to sleep soundly.

“Sleep well.”

When Se-jun put the Golden Bat to sleep,

Growl.

A loud sound was heard from inside the water. It was hungry Cuengi’s belly alarm. It was dinner time.

“Ice Cube.”

Se-jun hurriedly moved to the lakeside.

And,

Snap.

When he snapped his fingers to light a fire, a huge flame was created. It was a fire maintained by Se-jun’s magic power even without firewood.

Se-jun fixed the fire in one place, filled a pot with water, and began to boil it. Tonight’s dinner menu was barnacle ramen.

However, ten packs of ramen were far from enough for everyone here to eat. Therefore, he added barnacles, potatoes, green onions, and hot peppers to increase the quantity and seasoned it again so it wouldn’t taste bland.

As the dish was nearing completion like that, Se-jun ladled some broth and tasted it. Because he had finely minced and added some of the barnacles to fully taste the barnacle, the broth color had a greenish tint, but instead the broth became very rich.

“Wow. It’s done.”

Se-jun, who tasted the broth, put the ramen noodles into the pot and,

“Guys, let’s eat dinner!”

called the animals.

A little while later, when the ramen was almost cooked, the animals began to come out of the lake.

Patter, patter, patter.

Cling.

Theo came out of the lake first and clung to Se-jun’s lap.

Sniff, sniff.

Kkueng!

[It smells like ramen!]

As soon as Cuengi came out of the lake, he flared his nostrils and took his place in front of the ramen pot.

“Here you go.”

Se-jun put the ramen into bowls and distributed them to the animals, and Se-jun also put the barnacle ramen into his own bowl and sat down.

And,

Scoop.

he began to eat ramen with his right hand while scooping tuna porridge with his left hand and putting it into the mouth of Theo, who was lying on his lap and getting into position.

Slurp.

Chomp, chomp, chomp.

By the time the meal was nearing its end like that,

“Chairman Park, something is approaching, meow!”

Theo said, gently wagging his tail.

“What is it?!”

When Se-jun was on guard at Theo’s words,

Sniff, sniff.

[Dad, I smell Sister Iona!]

Cuengi sniffed around and said.

“Ah. Was it Iona? Cuengi, which way?”

When Se-jun asked,

Kkueng!

[Over there!]

Cuengi pointed with his front paw toward the place where Iona’s scent came from.

“Really? Then shall we go greet her?”

Se-jun decided to take a walk to digest the food as well.

However,

“Understood, meow!”

Kkueng!

[Understood!]

the two only replied and clung to Se-jun’s legs. The only one actually taking a walk was Se-jun.

After walking for about 30 minutes to greet Iona,

“Kyu-kyu-kyu. Se-jun-nim, long time no see!”

Iona flew in quickly and shouted.

And,

Snug.

Iona immediately curled up in Theo’s tail and closed her eyes.

Kkurorong.

Iona quickly fell asleep.

“Shall we sleep now too?”

Seeing Iona sleeping soundly with a happy expression made him want to sleep for some reason.

Like that, the 333rd day of being stranded passed.

***

The next morning.

“Ice Cube.”

Rising earlier than usual, Se-jun was freezing the ice island with Theo and Cuengi hanging from his legs.

At that moment,

“Kyu-kyu-kyu. Se-jun-nim, I will help you!”

Iona, who woke up feeling refreshed, stretched and began to chant a spell.

“Power of ice, freeze the enemy with severe cold, snow, and wind according to my command! Blizzard.”

When Iona used her magic, the ice island was engulfed in a blizzard and transformed into a much larger size than before.

And,

[The temperature of the lake has dropped.]

[The quest is completed.]

[As a quest completion reward, you have been recognized as the rightful owner of the lake land deed.]

[The skill of the land deed: Lake Information Lv. Max is activated.]

[As a quest completion reward, 300 Blue-backed Penguins decide to help with the lake work.]

The land deed quest was completed.

“Let’s see.”

Se-jun checked the land deed.

[Lake Land Deed of the 44th Floor of the Tower]

[This is a land deed proving ownership of the lake on the 44th floor of the tower.]

[Owner: Tower Farmer Park Se-jun]

[Grade: C+]

[Skill: [Lake Information Lv. Max]]

[Lake Information Lv. Max]

[Size: 50,000 pyeong]

[Workers: 301 (Land Owner, 300 Blue-backed Penguins)]

[Special Note: There are very many freshwater shrimp.]

“Freshwater shrimp? Here?”

Se-jun, who saw the description of the land deed, looked closely inside the lake. However, in Se-jun’s eyes, only transparent water and other fish were visible.

“Chairman Park, hang in there, meow!”

Knead. Knead.

Theo, who woke up, massaged Se-jun’s face as he was looking into the lake and said. Staring at the lake wouldn’t smooth out his rotten face, meow!

“Hang in there for what?! By the way, Theo, have you ever seen shrimp in the lake? It looks like this.”

Se-jun bent his finger, making a shape similar to a shrimp.

However,

“Hm meow… I don’t know, meow!”

Theo wore a face of complete ignorance.

At that moment,

Ppuaang!

[Good morning, ppu!]

The lake turtle, who woke up, rose from the bottom of the lake and greeted Se-jun.

“By any chance, is what Chairman Park mentioned something like that, meow?”

Theo said, pointing to the lake turtle.

“Huh? What?”

“Don’t you see the guys jumping up on the lake turtle’s back over there, meow?”

“Jumping up?!”

Convinced by Theo’s words that it must be shrimp, Se-jun strained his eyes and stared at the lake turtle’s back, but

“Ugh. I don’t see anything though?”

Nothing was visible to Se-jun’s eyes.

“Of course, meow! They’ve all gone into the lake now, meow!”

“What? Turtle, go down and come back up once more.”

Ppuang!

[Understood, ppu!]

At Se-jun’s words, the lake turtle descended to the bottom of the lake again and rose to the surface.

“Theo, are they there now?”

“Yes, meow!”

“Alright. Tell me when they disappear.”

Se-jun focused and looked after speaking to Theo, but still nothing was visible.

“Turtle, go down once more. Ice Cube.”

Se-jun made ice to approach the lake turtle’s back. However, the freshwater shrimp were not visible this time either.

“Why can’t I see them?!”

“Puhahat. Chairman Park, I will catch them for you, meow!”

Swish, swish, swish.

When Se-jun got annoyed, Theo, who climbed commandingly onto the lake turtle’s back, lightly swung his front paws a few times, pretending to catch something.

And,

“Puhahat. Chairman Park, did you see my great work, meow?”

Theo returned with an extremely arrogant expression and opened his front paw,

“Huh?!”

There was nothing in Theo’s front paw. However, gradually small-sized freshwater shrimp began to be visible to Se-jun’s eyes. As they died, the stealth skill of the freshwater shrimp was released.

“It’s really shrimp.”

Se-jun wore a deeply moved expression as he looked at the shrimp. He was finally able to make salted shrimp.