Chapter 410 – I Need a Core

Downtown Houston, USA.

Keeeek!

The city was full of Flesh Devourers.

The front line, which 100,000 hunters had barely managed to defend while fighting the Flesh Devourers, eventually collapsed after failing to last a few days due to the seeds of the Flesh Devourers that could not be removed.

As soon as the evacuation of the 7 million citizens living in Houston was completed, the hunters evacuated according to the pre-planned retreat operation.

The White House, USA.

“Mr. President, the hunters’ retreat operation has just ended.”

The Secretary of Defense reported to the President.

“I see. What about the casualties?”

“During the operation, 125 hunters and 1,129 soldiers died.”

“Hmm. The damage is larger than expected.”

“That is because mutated individuals suddenly appeared…”

“Mutated individuals?”

“Yes. Please look at the screen here.”

The Secretary of Defense played a video on his tablet.

On the screen, a video showed thousands of monsters with cherry tomato heads and human-like bodies attacking hunters and soldiers.

Unlike the Flesh Devourers, their movement speed was too fast, making it difficult for even the hunters and soldiers to cope.

“Fortunately, the mutated individuals die on their own over time, and they do not have seeds in their heads.”

“That is a relief at least. So, where are they moving?”

“Currently, the Flesh Devourers that occupied Houston have split into the east and west and are moving along the coastline.”

“Then, is the east going to Louisiana and the west to Mexico?”

“Yes. Therefore, we plan to first establish a defensive line in Lafayette, Louisiana, to buy time, while sending mage hunters to the tower.”

“What?! Even 100,000 hunters cannot stop them, yet you are sending mages to the tower?! Are you crazy?!”

At the Secretary of Defense’s words, the President became furious.

“Mr. President, please calm down. To defeat them, we must send mages to the tower.”

The Secretary of Defense hurriedly reported information about the Bomb Mage, a newly appeared class in the tower.

“So… you’re saying the pineapple bomb cultivated by Park Se-jun is being sold in the tower?”

“…Yes. That is correct.”

The President showed an expression of absolute disbelief. The Secretary of Defense swallowed his laughter and replied.

Because he had only believed it after seeing the pineapple bomb in person himself.

“The effect must be certain, right?”

“Yes. It is said that within an explosion radius of 50 meters, even the seeds of the Flesh Devourers are turned to powder.”

The Secretary of Defense additionally explained the class traits obtained upon becoming a Bomb Mage.

[Explosion is Art – Infusion of mana into the bomb increased explosion range and power by 10%]

[Bomb Timer – Installing a timer magic to detonate the bomb allowed scheduling the explosion time within 10 minutes]

[Precision Bomb Throwing – Increased bomb throwing accuracy by 20%]

“Understood. Proceed with it. And secure as many pineapple bombs as possible.”

“Yes!”

The United States moved to secure the pineapples that screamed after enduring once.

***

“Puhuhut. I will sell Sturdy Blade Green Onions in batches of 100,000, for a total of 10 million, meow!”

“10 million Tower Coins for 100,000!”

“15 million Tower Coins!”

With Theo’s words, the Neta tribe hunters began to competitively raise the asking prices.

Since there was also the certification(?) of the great Green Dragon that the Sturdy Blade Green Onion would drive the locusts to extinction, they had nothing to hold back.

“19.1 million Tower Coins!”

“19.3 million Tower Coins!”

“20 million Tower Coins!”

After the last call,

……

When no one called any higher,

“Sold, meow!”

Theo pointed his front paw at the hunter who had made the last bid and shouted.

“Waa!!! Long live the Deer tribe!”

“The Deer tribe won!”

With Theo’s words, some of the hunters cheered.

In Neta, there were hundreds of clans of such immense scale that they were called nations.

And the auction just now was like a national competition to them. Since they had won there, they naturally could not help but cheer.

“19.3 million Tower Coins!”

“Sold, meow!”

As the auction continued like that, when the winning bid started to drop slightly,

“They sell things here that will drive the locusts to extinction?!”

“What is it?! Why is the likes of the Tiger tribe here?”

“Why is the Lion tribe of all people lingering around here instead?”

The hunters of the two tribes growled at each other as they approached the shop.

They had come down after hunting on the upper floors upon hearing the news of the auction.

When the two tribes appeared, other hunters stepped aside and made room for them.

That alone was enough to tell the influence of the Tiger tribe and the Lion tribe.

“Let’s begin, meow!”

When the auction restarted,

“19 million.”

“30 million.”

“40 million.”

The representatives of the two tribes began to raise the bids like crazy.

“500 million!”

“Ugh! 55 million!”

“Eek! 60 million!”

The representatives of the two tribes called out bids while glaring at each other.

In the pride battle between the Tiger tribe and the Lion tribe, the other tribes did not dare to intervene and watched with bated breath.

And,

Grin.

Theo also covered his mouth with his front paw and smiled brightly while looking at the two tribes. ‘Puhuhut. Big suckers have come, meow!’

A moment later,

“Sold out, meow!”

The remaining Sturdy Blade Green Onions were all sold to the Tiger tribe and the Lion tribe, earning 3.6 billion Tower Coins.

“Puhuhut. As expected, one must hold an auction to make money, meow!”

Of course, by Theo’s standards, it was still a very insufficient revenue, but compared to yesterday’s shop sales, it had increased nearly 120,000 times.

“I must reinvest this money, meow!”

‘Chairman Park said he trusts me, meow! To repay Chairman Park’s trust, I need more money, meow!’

While Theo was contemplating how to spend the 3.6 billion Tower Coins,

“Hey. From next time, hand over all the goods to our Tiger tribe.”

Theseus, the representative of the Tiger tribe, approached with a murderous expression and threatened Theo.

“Puhuhut. Did you just threaten me, Vice President Te, meow?”

“Yeah. Hand over all the Sturdy Blade Green Onions while I’m speaking nicely.”

“Puhuhut.”

Slap.

Theo smiled and swung his front paw at the back of Theseus’s head. There was no showing mercy just because they were of the same feline family.

At this,

“Lord Theseus!”

The other Tiger tribe members rushed toward Theo,

Thump, thump, thump.

And Theo delightfully slapped the backs of their heads.

And then,

Stamp. Stamp.

He began to take their stamp signatures.

***

The 99th floor of the Black Tower.

[You have ruled 1 slave.]

[By the effect of , all stats increased by 0.01.]

…

..

.

“What is this?”

‘He told me to just trust him, so was it this?’

“Hehehe. Thanks, Vice President Te.”

Se-jun smiled warmly while looking at the rising stats, and

Pluck.

[You harvested a cherry.]

[Your job experience increased slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 8 increased slightly.]

[You obtained 1 experience point.]

He harvested the cherries.

Perhaps because the fertility of the soil had decreased lately due to the Earth Gem, about 10% of the fruits that grew rapidly under the Elixir of Harvest were undergrown.

Therefore, he harvested them late like this.

“I should use my authority a bit.”

Se-jun continued to harvest the cherries, thinking that he should choose a day soon to cast on the soil.

At that moment,

[You harvested a Scorching Cherry.]

[Your job experience increased slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 8 increased slightly.]

[You obtained 70 experience points.]

“Huh?”

“A Scorching Cherry?”

Se-jun harvested a cherry that had a prefix attached to it.

[You achieved the achievement of birthing a new variety in the tower.]

[Your exclusive cultivation right for the new variety was recognized in the tower.]

[The Scorching Cherry cannot be cultivated without your permission.]

[Your job experience increased significantly.]

[By the class trait, all stats increased by 10.]

Se-jun harvested his 24th new variety.

“Oh! It’s a new variety!”

Se-jun hurriedly checked the cherry’s options.

[Scorching Cherry]

A cherry grown inside the Black Tower, very delicious due to absorbing sufficient nutrients.

Its seed contained the energy of flame, so injecting mana caused it to burn hotly with an explosion.

Upon consumption, cold resistance was strengthened for 1 hour.

Cultivator: Tower Farmer Park Se-jun

Expiration Date: 120 days

Grade: A

Although the options were ambiguous as they were useless, he decided to be satisfied with having one more new variety.

“At least it became tastier.”

‘Hehehe. I’ll multiply it to five and plant them tomorrow.’

While Se-jun was putting the harvested cherries straight into the Golden Box of Abundance,

Kking?

[Who touched my secret warehouse again?]

Kkamang-i tilted his head while looking at his secret warehouse.

Not only the first secret warehouse, but even the second secret warehouse was filled with food.

Theo, Cuengi, and Baet-baet had filled the youngest’s secret warehouse.

However,

‘Did someone mistake it for another warehouse?’

Kkihikit. Kking!

[Heehit. Then I’ll eat it all and pretend not to know!]

Not knowing that, Kkamang-i began to eat food diligently in case they would take it back.

But,

Kking…

[I’m full…]

Compared to his overflowing greed, his stomach was pathetically small.

‘This won’t do! I need a core!’

Kkamang-i had not created a core until now, thinking that he would find his original core.

Because if he created a new core, a conflict would occur between the two cores when he found his original core later.

But now, he did not want to find his original core.

‘Because if I find my core, I won’t be able to play with them, and I won’t be able to eat dried roasted sweet potatoes either!’

Now he liked this place more. No. Saying he liked it more was strange.

Because…

When he was an Apostle of Destruction, his heart had always been filled only with anger.

He had never had fun.

‘But here, just sleeping in his arms makes me excited! So I’m going to make a new core!’

Thus, Kkamang-i resolved to create a new core.

Kking!

[Gather!]

The food he had eaten just now digested rapidly, creating a very small core the size of a grain of sand.

Kkihikit. Kking! Kking!

[Heehit. I have a core now! Now I can eat a lot!]

Kkamang-i repeated eating food and absorbing it, starting to grow the size of his core.

The super sunfish Kkamang-i, trying to overtake the sunfish Se-jun.

However,

“Kkamang-i, who told you to snack before meals?!”

The sunfish Se-jun did not just let it slide.

Kking!

“Where did you learn to run away with food in your mouth?! Come here right now!”

Se-jun only shouted and slowly chased Kkamang-i.

Kkihikit. Kking! Kking!

[Heehit. Having a core makes my footsteps light! Even he cannot catch up!]

Unaware of that, Kkamang-i was pleased, thinking he had shaken off Se-jun.

***

The 1st floor of the Green Tower.

“Puhuhut. Is there a Traveling Merchant Association here too, meow?”

Theo, who was contemplating how to multiply his money, asked while grilling fish with the fire coming from Agni’s body.

“Yes. There is. There are also the Mage Association and the Mercenary Association.”

“Puhuhut. Good, meow!”

A moment later,

“Slaves No. 1 to No. 105, gather, meow!”

Theo, who had finished grilling the fish, went outside and called the trolls.

“Yes!”

The trolls gathered from Slave No. 1 to No. 105 at Theo’s call.

“Stand in order starting from Slave No. 1, meow!”

“Yes!”

At Theo’s instruction, the trolls moved quickly to line up, and Keurta, who was Slave No. 1 and the youngest of the Immortal Gang, stood at the very front.

‘Is this the maknae on top?’

Keurta was proud to stand at the very front, bypassing his seniors, and looked at Theo with eyes full of respect.

‘I am on Lord Theo’s line now!’

While Keurta swore loyalty to Theo in his heart,

“Puhuhut. Now you guys are going to become traveling merchants, meow! Slave No. 1, manage the money as the representative, meow!”

Theo gave the money to register with the Traveling Merchant Association to Keurta, the representative.

Theo intended to make the trolls traveling merchants to promote Se-jun’s crops in the Green Tower.

“Puhuhut. Then, go on, meow!”

Theo sent the trolls, and

“Chairman Park, I’m back, meow!”

He returned to the Black Tower.