Chapter 72 – Obtaining the Seed of the Corrupted Ent

“You rascal! Park Se-jun!”

When Kaiser, the granddaughter-fool blinded by jealousy, shot a water cannon at Se-jun through the black dragon statue installed at the fountain commemorating the 100th anniversary of Aileen’s birth,

“Father, please calm down.”

Anton, who had higher control over the black dragon statue, took the control of the black dragon statue away from Kaiser.

“Ahem.”

Belatedly realizing that he had gotten too excited and made a fool of himself, Kaiser cleared his throat, feeling embarrassed.

“For now, let us watch and see what kind of human this Park Se-jun is.”

“For what?!”

“This human named Park Se-jun is the hope to fix our Aileen’s Dragon Heart. We need to know what kind of human he is.”

“Ahem. Understood.”

They continued to watch Se-jun through the black dragon statue.

And they discovered something strange.

“What is with this human?”

Despite being incredibly weak, he was ordering various monsters around using crops obtained from farming. However, it was hard to call it bad because the monsters being ordered around were so happy.

And the crops had various effects. It was also thanks to the crops that Aileen’s Dragon Heart’s condition had improved.

“Hmph! He has talent!”

Kaiser, who had been watching with glaring eyes from the side, acknowledged Se-jun a little.

While they were watching through the black dragon statue for several days like that, they saw a Branch Scout of the Corrupted Ent approaching Se-jun’s farm.

“It seems the Corrupted Ents have spread again.”

“Tsk. Like weeds.”

The Corrupted Ent was one of the nuisances of the 99th floor of the tower that annoyed the black dragons. This was because if they did not clear it periodically, it would grow tremendously before they knew it and drive other monsters to extinction.

From the black dragons’ perspective, if they completely exterminated the Corrupted Ents, they would not need to clear them periodically and it would be convenient, but it was impossible due to the tower administrator’s duty of “not deliberately driving creatures settled in the tower to extinction.”

Still, the human was defending the farm well with the help of the monsters.

At that moment,

“It is one that absorbed the energy of the Blue Moon.”

“That looks a bit difficult.”

A Corrupted Ent that had absorbed the energy of the Blue Moon, which was born with a rare probability, was a monster difficult to defeat unless one was a black dragon.

“We must use that.”

“I did not put in that function for this.”

Even while grumbling, Kaiser did not object to saving Se-jun.

“Activate the black dragon statue.”

At Anton’s words, the red magic stone embedded in the eyes of the black dragon statue shone, and the black dragon statue began to move as if it were alive.

It was a skill that Anton had embedded through golem magic engraved on the red magic stone in preparation for when a dangerous situation arose for Aileen.

After defeating the Corrupted Ent using the black dragon statue like that, Anton flew back to Se-jun and spoke to him.

Anton judged Se-jun to be a trustworthy human after watching him for a few days.

***

Boom!

Along with a giant mushroom cloud, the Corrupted Ent that had absorbed the giant Blue Moon’s energy evaporated.

“They should have given me the final blow.”

He would not have been able to level up much anyway because of the Level 30 job quest, but it was still a bit regrettable.

While Se-jun was watching the mushroom cloud created by Anton with regret,

Flutter, flutter.

the black dragon statue flew over, moving its wings.

“Thank you for helping, Aileen’s father.”

-Just call me Anton.

“Yes.”

-And the help just now was nothing compared to your saving my daughter. Thank you for saving Aileen.

“Yes…”

Se-jun suddenly felt as if he was meeting his girlfriend’s parent. Although he had never had a girlfriend…

Se-jun was also in a similar situation to Theo. He just did not show it.

-I want to receive your help in the future as well.

“Help? Are you referring to treating Aileen’s Dragon Heart?”

-There is that, but I would like you to manage the Black Tower on behalf of Aileen.

The Black Tower was not being properly managed because Aileen could not leave the administrator area. Furthermore, Kaiser used to step forward on a 10-year cycle to organize urgent matters, but this time, he could not even do that.

As time passed, problems would begin to occur one by one on various floors.

Kaiser and Anton had been worrying about that.

At that moment,

“Wait, that is?!”

“Red Locust?! When did they invade?”

Not knowing that the Red Locusts had invaded the Black Tower, they were greatly surprised to see the wolves bringing carts full of Red Locust carcasses.

Once their numbers began to increase, there was no solution for Red Locusts. It was one of the decisive reasons the tower was created.

Fortunately, listening to the wolves’ and Se-jun’s conversation, they were relieved to hear that they were preventing the spread of the Red Locusts that had invaded the 67th floor of the tower.

And they thought Se-jun had the ability to solve the tower’s problems to some extent. Come to think of it, just by having the ability to move the monsters of the 99th floor of the tower, most things could be solved.

Therefore, Anton decided to entrust the position of acting tower administrator to Se-jun on behalf of Aileen.

“Managing the Black Tower?”

-Yes. It will not be difficult. Because we will support you.

“We…?”

-That is right! Park Se-jun! I am Kaiser Pritani! I am Aileen’s grandfather!

Suddenly, a hearty voice came out from the black dragon statue.

“Ah! Lord Kaiser, hello. I am Park Se-jun.”

-Ahem. You are a human who knows manners.

At Se-jun’s 90-degree bow, Kaiser’s heart, which had hated Se-jun, softened a little.

“But I cannot leave this floor.”

-There is a way for everything!

“Really?!”

-Indeed! First, put the cherry tomatoes of magical power into the mouth of the black dragon statue!

“Yes?!”

-Ahem! There is a use for everything! It is absolutely not because I want to eat them!

Perhaps feeling guilty, Kaiser was extremely excited. Stubbornly insisting first made it clear that he was indeed Aileen’s grandfather.

“I understand.”

When Se-jun picked a few cherry tomatoes and put them into the mouth of the black dragon statue,

Flash.

with a flash of light, the cherry tomatoes disappeared.

And

“We must recharge our strength first, so let us talk again later. Hurry and go to where the Corrupted Ent died. There will be something that can help the weak you.”

Flutter, flutter.

the black dragon statue left those words behind and went back up to the fountain and began to spit out water again.

***

Thump, thump.

Se-jun was riding on the back of the mother Crimson Giant Bear with the Black Rabbit and Cuengi, heading toward the place where the Corrupted Ent died.

“What is supposedly there?”

Ku-eong.

[Near where the Corrupted Ent died, there is a bead that makes you stronger.]

The mother Crimson Giant Bear satisfied his curiosity.

“A bead that makes you stronger if you eat it?”

Ku-eong, ku-eong.

[Yes. It is a blue bead.]

While they were talking like that, they arrived at the place where the Corrupted Ent died.

And in the middle of a giant crater, other than a single blue bead the size of a fist, a branch about 10 meters long and about the thickness of a timber log was lying.

Se-jun picked up the blue bead and the branch.

[You obtained the Corrupted Ent’s Enhanced Seed.]

[You obtained the Corrupted Ent’s Enhanced Branch.]

“Wow!”

Se-jun rejoiced at the messages and checked the options of the seed first.

[Corrupted Ent’s Enhanced Seed]

This was the seed of the Corrupted Ent that absorbed the energy of the Blue Moon.

The seed was enhanced by the energy of the Blue Moon.

Upon consumption, all stats permanently increased by 10.

If left on the ground, the seed germinated and grew into a powerful Corrupted Ent.

Expiration Date: 100 years

Grade: A

“If eaten, all stats permanently increase by 10…”

A fairly good option.

“Was this what he meant?”

The helpful thing Kaiser mentioned seemed to refer to this seed.

However, in the mind of Se-jun, a tower farmer who believed in the truth that planting a single seed would multiply it at least dozens of times, the choice of planting came to mind before the thought of eating.

‘What if Flamie gives it a Purification Flame buff here?’

Although it was corrupted, purification might be possible. If not, he could eat it then. The expiration date was also long, so he did not have to worry about it spoiling.

“I must store it for now.”

Having packed the seed into his pocket like that, Se-jun examined the options of the branch.

[Corrupted Ent’s Enhanced Branch]

This was the branch of the Corrupted Ent that absorbed the energy of the Blue Moon.

The sturdiness of the branch was strongly enhanced by the energy of the Blue Moon.

When mana was infused, the size could be adjusted at will, making it a good material for transforming weapons.

Restrictions on Use: Lv 35 or higher, Strength 50 or higher, Magic Power 30 or higher

Grade: A

“I cannot use it.”

Se-jun, who could not meet all the restrictions on use, thought that it was picky for a mere branch.

At that moment,

Kkueng!

[Dad, I want to use that-da-yo!]

Cuengi, who had always envied the Black Rabbit’s hammer, coveted the Corrupted Ent’s Enhanced Branch.

“Okay. You use it for now.”

Kkueng!

Cuengi rejoiced upon receiving the branch.

As they collected the items and returned home like that,

Squeak!

Pyah!

the rabbits were waking up and preparing for morning farming.

“It is ambiguous.”

After contemplating for a moment, Se-jun started morning farming with the rabbits.

***

The shopping area on the 75th floor of the tower.

“Follow quickly, meow!”

“Yes!”

“Oh! Intern Jeff, your answer is loud, meow! 1 day reduction of the contract period, meow!”

“Thank you!”

Theo did not move straight to the 38th floor of the tower, but was moving to the headquarters of the Traveling Merchant Association with his group.

The reason was to apply for the use of the Express Merchant Passage.

A mid-level traveling merchant had the qualification to apply for the Express Merchant Passage. If only they had the application fee of 10,000 tower coins…

If the general merchant passage took about a day to move 10 floors of the tower, the Express Merchant Passage made it possible to move 10 floors in half a day.

Therefore, Theo, who wanted to finish transactions quickly and return to Se-jun’s lap, had always wanted to use the Express Merchant Passage, but could not apply until now due to a lack of money.

However, receiving 20,000 tower coins as a transaction incentive from Se-jun this time, Theo was finally able to apply for the use of the Express Merchant Passage.

“10,000 tower coins received. Mid-level Traveling Merchant Theo, you can use the Express Merchant Passage from now on. Here is your new pass.”

The staff member of the Traveling Merchant Association handed the silver pass to Theo.

“Thank you, meow!”

‘Puhut! Finally, I can also use the Express Merchant Passage, meow!’

When Theo came out of the Traveling Merchant Association headquarters building with a majestic stride after receiving the new pass like that,

“Kyut, kyut, kyut.”

Iona passed by, humming next to him.

“Iona, good to see you, meow!”

“Ah! Representative Theo, hello.”

Like that, the two chatted briefly.

“Are you going down to the lower floors now, Representative Theo?”

“No, meow! I am going to Granier Village, meow!”

“Ah! Really?! That is great! I am also going to Granier Village, so let us go together!”

Iona rejoiced and crawled onto the head of Elka, who was waiting outside.

Originally, Theo had intended to go down quickly to the 38th floor of the tower through the Express Merchant Passage, but

“I have news to urgently deliver to my father. If you go to Granier Village instead, I will pay 1,000 tower coins.”

“Good! I will go, meow!”

By Oren’s proposal, he changed the destination to Granier Village. Rather than the money, the desire to show off his successful self to the cats of his hometown was much greater.

‘Puhut. I will show them my successful self, meow!’

“Representative Theo, who is this?”

Oren asked, looking at Iona.

“It is Iona, meow! We will go to Granier Village together, meow! Let’s depart, meow!”

With Theo’s shout, the group departed.

‘Damn it!’

At the joining of a new being, Oren’s face froze for a moment.

However,

‘It is just a single hamster.’

Oren quickly put on a fishy smile and hurriedly followed after Theo.