Chapter 67 – Burning the Western Forest

Thump!

[You have defeated a large Branch Scout of the Corrupted Ent.]

[You have obtained 500 experience points.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have obtained 1 bonus stat point.]

“Phew. It’s finally over.”

Se-jun defeated the last remaining Branch Scout and leveled up.

“Status window.”

Se-jun invested his bonus stat point into Magic Power and checked his status window for the first time in a while.

[Park Se-jun Lv. 25]

Talents: Average Talent, Friend of Nature, Landlord

Stats: Strength (15.6), Stamina (16.1), Agility (13), Magic Power (17.25)

Job: Tower Farmer (C)

Skills: Sowing Lv. 4, Harvesting Lv. 4, Seed Shop Lv. 2, Seed Harvesting Lv. 2, Beekeeping Lv. 4, Rain Thunder Lv. 1, Cooking Lv. 3

“Wow…”

Se-jun stared at his status window with pride. His talents had increased by two, and his stats had also increased considerably. On top of that, he had seven skills.

Having only a near-lowest-grade talent like Average Talent, Se-jun was deeply moved to have such an excellent status window.

“You grew well, Park Se-jun.”

While Se-jun praised himself,

Thump.

“I did well too, meow!”

Theo, who had defeated the Branch Scouts, returned to Se-jun’s lap and appealed for his contribution to be recognized.

“Yes. Good job.”

When Se-jun stroked Theo’s head,

Hop.

Ppyak!

This time, the black rabbit climbed up to Se-jun’s shoulder and stuck out his butt, demanding praise.

“Right. Good job to you too, black rabbit.”

Pat pat.

While Se-jun was praising Theo and the black rabbit like that,

Cueng!

In the distance, Cuengi ran quickly toward them. It seemed he felt wronged since only his hyungs were receiving praise. Cuengi tried to throw his body at Se-jun just like his hyungs.

However,

“Cuengi! Stop!”

To survive, Se-jun hurriedly blocked Cuengi’s charge.

Although Cuengi reduced his body size while running, his mass remained the same. Cuengi’s kinetic energy, which was his mass multiplied by his velocity squared, was more than enough to send Se-jun to the afterlife.

Kkueeeng…

When Se-jun stopped him, Cuengi felt neglected, and tears began to well up in his eyes. I hate Dad…

“Cuengi did a good job too. Let’s eat honey.”

Before Cuengi’s tear ducts burst, Se-jun quickly coaxed him.

Cueng!

At the mention of honey, Cuengi’s expression brightened instantly, and he made his body large.

And,

“Huh?”

He grabbed Se-jun’s arm, placed him on his back, and ran to the brick house. This was because the honey was at Se-jun’s house.

Glug. Glug.

Arriving at the house, Se-jun poured honey into a wooden bowl made specially for Cuengi and gave it to him.

Dip.

Lick. Lick.

Cueng!

While Cuengi dipped his front paw in the bowl and licked the honey, repeatedly saying how delicious it was,

Zzzzz.

Purrrr.

Ppyarorong.

Se-jun, Theo, and the black rabbit quickly fell asleep.

And,

Kkurorong.

Cuengi, who finished eating all the honey, also climbed onto Se-jun’s chest and slept. Se-jun was said to have had a nightmare of being buried alive that day.

***

“Wow! We arrived…”

“Phew. It was tough.”

“For now, I want to eat anything…”

Oren and his gang, who couldn’t eat anything while climbing up to the 99th floor of the tower, looked around, searching for food. However, there was nothing around.

“Let’s go find the Bull Demon King first and sell these items.”

They could just earn money and buy food. Oren lifted the bundle containing the items from outside the tower and slung it over his shoulder.

“It’s this way.”

One subordinate walked ahead, looking at the map Scaram had given them. Like that, the nine cats slinging bundles entered the territory of the Black Minotaurs.

And,

Moo!

At the instruction of the Bull Demon King, Woo Sam-cheon-pal-i, the youngest of the Black Minotaurs who was waiting for the cats at the border of their territory, discovered the cats and sent a signal.

***

“Ugh… what was that?”

Se-jun, who had a terrible nightmare, woke up realizing what it meant to have his body ache all over.

“Huh? What is this?”

When Se-jun looked down at the heaviness felt in his right leg,

Dangle. Dangle.

Theo was sleeping while hanging onto Se-jun’s knee.

“Hey, wake up.”

When Se-jun shook his knee to wake Theo up,

“I’m awake, meow.”

Theo answered with his eyes closed.

Se-jun went down to the cave with Theo dangling from his leg.

When he went down to the cave,

[Master! Good morning!]

Flamie, who now had three leaves, greeted him with a lively morning greeting.

“Yes. Good morning.”

Mark.

As he answered, Se-jun went to the wall, added a stroke, and completed 8 marks of “” on the bottom fifth row. The morning of the 240th day of being stranded began.

“The 9th Blue Moon is not far off.”

The next Blue Moon would occur from midnight of the 242nd day. In terms of time, less than 40 hours remained. However, because of Aileen, Se-jun did not worry much.

Se-jun had once proposed to Aileen to eat together at his farm when she revealed herself during the Blue Moon. He intended to repay her directly.

However,

[The Tower Administrator says that because her energy is too strong, you might faint or, in severe cases, die if you look at her directly.]

[The Tower Administrator tells you to grow stronger quickly instead.]

Aileen, who could not leave the Tower Administrator’s area, told a well-intentioned(?) lie. And at Aileen’s words, Se-jun completely erased his worries about the Blue Moon.

With Se-jun’s current ability, he would not faint even from the roar of Mother Crimson Giant Bear or the Bull Demon King.

But to think he would faint or die from just a roar… Se-jun misunderstood that Aileen was overwhelmingly stronger than other monsters.

Splash.

Se-jun filled a wooden watering can with water and watered Flamie. Feeling sorry for not being able to do much for it so far, he was paying more attention to Flamie.

“Our Flamie, grow big and strong.”

[Hehehe. Master! Thank you!]

Chew chew.

After watering Flamie like that, Se-jun ate dried roasted sweet potato strips for breakfast while watching the flames Flamie made.

And,

Chomp chomp chomp.

Theo closed his eyes, moving only his tongue, diligently enjoying the Churu.

While Se-jun was zoning out while watching the flames Flamie made,

[Master! Your expression doesn’t look good!]

“Ah. Maybe because I didn’t sleep well, my body feels stiff.”

[In that case… Master! I will make you feel refreshed!]

“Huh?! Refreshed?”

One of Flamie’s three leaves turned white, sending a white flame toward Se-jun’s body.

Swoosh.

The white flame seeped into Se-jun’s body without any resistance.

[The Flame of Purification seeped in for 3 hours.]

“Flame of Purification?”

[The Flame of Purification burns away impure things to improve your body condition.]

Whoosh.

“Huh?!”

Se-jun was enveloped in white flames and began to burn. However, it was not painful or hot at all. Rather, the waste accumulated in his body burned away, making his body feel lighter.

Purrrr.

Theo, who fell asleep while eating the Churu before he knew it, did not even know that flames arose on Se-jun’s body.

“Flamie, you… are amazing?!”

Flamie. This kid possessed incredible abilities.

[Hehehe. I am so happy to be of help to Master!]

“Do you have other abilities too?”

[Yes!]

One of Flamie’s leaves turned yellow, and a yellow flame seeped into Se-jun’s body.

[The Flame of Affinity seeped in for 3 hours.]

[The Flame of Purification disappears.]

It seemed the flames could not be used overlappingly.

[The Flame of Affinity helps the user control fire and enhances the fire’s power.]

Flamie possessed flames with different abilities for each leaf.

The first leaf was the Flame of Purification, which burned away impure things.

The second leaf was the Flame of Affinity, which helped the user use fire.

And the last third leaf…

[I still don’t know what kind of ability the last leaf has.]

For the leaf obtained most recently, it seemed even Flamie had not yet grasped what its ability was.

“Shall I test the Flame of Affinity first?”

Se-jun wanted to try the Flame of Affinity. So he decided to go to the western forest, which had plenty of things to burn. If possible, he also had the idea of burning all the Branch Scouts so he could sleep soundly at night.

In this way, the western forest expedition was formed.

The members were Se-jun, Theo, the black rabbit, and Cuengi. And the guardian, Mother Crimson Giant Bear.

Kuwerng!

Se-jun and the animals, riding on the back of the Mother Crimson Giant Bear, arrived at the entrance of the western forest in just 30 minutes.

***

Moo!

Moo!

The Black Minotaurs surrounded the cats in several layers so that they couldn’t escape.

“W-we are wandering merchants who came to sell rare items from outside the tower to the Bull Demon King.”

“P-please don’t hurt us!”

“Spare us!”

Oren and his subordinates shouted, seized with terror. Although they knew in their heads that the Black Minotaurs wouldn’t harm wandering merchants, their bodies simply shivered when facing the Black Minotaurs.

It was the natural reaction of prey facing a predator. Theo, who caught Woo Chun-sam as a thief and confidently brought him to Se-jun, was the one who was not normal. Although he wouldn’t admit it himself.

Moo!

The Black Minotaurs guided the cats to the Bull Demon King while keeping them surrounded.

“Phew. Thank goodness.”

“Indeed. I thought I was going to die.”

“Now the suffering is over.”

The cats moved along, following the Black Minotaurs while feeling relieved that their suffering was over, but their suffering had not even started yet.

If they had known that meeting the Bull Demon King was the start of their suffering, they might have gone down the tower immediately. However, such good fortune did not come to them.

***

At the entrance of the western forest, dried up tree branches were spread out like obstacles.

“Why are there so many tree branches.”

When Se-jun was about to step forward and cut the branches,

Thump.

Mother Crimson Giant Bear blocked Se-jun with her huge front paw.

Kuong! Kuong.

[Be careful! If you get close, they attack.]

“Do those move?”

Kuong.

[Yes.]

When Mother Crimson Giant Bear brought her front paw close to the branches,

Crunch.

The dried branches suddenly moved and began to wrap around Mother Crimson Giant Bear’s front paw. At the same time, a name that was not visible appeared.

[Rotten Branch Sentry of the Corrupted Ent]

To think they could camouflage…

Mother Crimson Giant Bear shook off the Branch Sentries clinging to her front paw.

In that short interval, dozens of Branch Sentries nearby entangled themselves with her fur and body, so Mother Crimson Giant Bear had to pull out even her fur together.

“Annoying.”

Although not strong, it was an extremely bothersome monster.

Clang!

Se-jun, who examined the Rotten Branch Sentry through Mother Crimson Giant Bear’s demonstration, struck his dagger and hand axe against each other.

And as sparks flew, Se-jun enlarged the spark using the fire control ability of the Flame of Affinity.

A flame about the size of a golf ball was created on top of Se-jun’s hand.

“Burn.”

When Se-jun threw the flame toward the Branch Sentries,

Whoosh.

The fire began to burn hot as it consumed the Branch Sentries.

[You have defeated a Rotten Branch Sentry of the Corrupted Ent.]

[You have obtained 10 experience points.]

…

..

.

“Go.”

Se-jun controlled the fire to head inside the forest. The fire moved toward the west little by little according to Se-jun’s will.

However, the speed of the flames moving was extremely slow. At this rate, even if he burned all day, he wouldn’t even be able to see the inside of the western forest.

At that moment,

Whoosh.

Mother Crimson Giant Bear grasped Se-jun’s intention and lightly swung her front paw, creating wind for him.

Whoosh.

Receiving the help of the wind, the flames expanded their power in an instant and consumed the Branch Sentries.

Perhaps because they did not react to fire, the Branch Sentries silently burned to death. Thanks to that, the huge flames completely covered the outskirts of the western forest, and Se-jun leveled up twice.

And when he invested his bonus stat points into Magic Power, controlling the fire became even easier. It was an extremely comfortable hunt where he didn’t even lift a finger.

Purrrr.

Ppyarorong.

Kkurorong.

Before he knew it, Theo, the black rabbit, and Cuengi, who came along, were sleeping comfortably on the back of the Mother Crimson Giant Bear.

When quite a bit of time had passed since they started burning the western forest like that,

Shhhhh.

Mist began to spread from inside the western forest.

Pssss.

Upon meeting the mist, the fire rapidly lost power and went out. It did not seem like ordinary mist.

At that moment,

[The Flame of Affinity fades.]

The Flame of Affinity he received from Flamie disappeared as 3 hours had passed.

“Guys, run!”

Se-jun climbed onto the back of the Mother Crimson Giant Bear and fled grandly.