Chapter 94 – Gaining Authority

“Elka, how did you know I was here?”

Se-jun asked Elka. This was because he had moved to the 67th floor of the tower without having a moment to tell anyone.

“I heard it from the Golden Bat.”

“Ah…”

Se-jun realized that he had forgotten about the Golden Bat.

Perhaps because he had been locked in prison for a long time, the Golden Bat liked hiding in dark places, and Se-jun occasionally forgot about the Golden Bat’s presence. It was a Golden Bat with a weak presence.

At that moment,

Keruk, keruk.

Following behind the wolves, the Lizardmen entered.

“Mr. Se-jun, this is Tamuro, the Lizardman Great Warrior, who is in charge of this 67th floor of the tower.”

Elka introduced to Se-jun a Lizardman who was a head taller than the other Lizardmen.

“Hello. I am Tamuro!”

Tamuro bowed 90 degrees to Se-jun. This was because he had heard from Elka beforehand that they were going to see the Great Black Dragon. He wanted to show his best side as much as possible.

However, the timing was not good.

“How on earth are you managing the 67th floor of the tower, meow?! Because of you, our Chairman Park is suffering, meow!”

Theo, who had climbed onto Se-jun’s lap and become triumphant, scolded Tamuro. He was in a state ready to strike with his front paws at any moment.

And,

Squeak?!

Kkueng?!

The Black Rabbit and Cuengi scolded Tamuro, following their eldest brother. They slung the hammer and branch over their shoulders to intimidate Tamuro.

‘What is this?’

Seeing the tiny guys acting up, Tamuro was flustered because he could not even get angry in front of the Great Black Dragon.

However, if he had known that the only being he could beat here was Se-jun, he would have been even more flustered.

At that moment,

“Kyu—Kyu—Mr. Tamuro, how did you manage the floor? Surely the number of Red Locusts was decreasing thanks to Mr. Se-jun’s Blade Leaves.”

Iona, the president of the Wizards’ Association, questioned Tamuro.

“I am sorry. Actually…”

Tamuro, who dared not lie to Iona in her ‘Level 2 Angry Kyu’ state, bowed his head and confessed that he had accepted money from Tarik, the leader of the Chow Merchant Group, and allowed individual activities.

“You are saying that every time Tarik went out with other traveling merchants, the number of Red Locusts increased significantly?”

“Yes. I don’t know why he did such a crazy thing, but it seems he fed the Red Locusts.”

“Are you sure about that? Is there any evidence or witness that Tarik fed the Red Locusts?”

Iona asked in detail. Tarik, who led the Chow Merchant Group, was one of the board members who had a powerful influence on the Traveling Merchant Association.

If she, the president of the Wizards’ Association, attacked a traveling merchant of the Traveling Merchant Association without evidence or witnesses, the situation could get complicated.

“Well… there is none.”

He had not thought of making evidence, and to monopolize the money alone, he did not make other witnesses.

At that moment,

“If there’s no evidence or witness, we can just make them. But by the way…”

Se-jun, who was listening, said.

Reaching out,

Se-jun extended his hand to Tamuro.

…?

“Hand over the money you received from Tarik in the meantime. All of it.”

Because of the money Tamuro received, he and the animals were suffering. He intended to get back everything he could.

And,

Rustle.

Beside Se-jun, Theo was pulling out a contract from his bundle. As expected, he was worthy of claiming to be Se-jun’s successor.

***

The office of Grid, the great landlord of the 55th floor of the tower.

Slam!

“Why is there still no news?!”

Grid angrily broke the armrest of the chair he was sitting in. By now, the news that the Locusts had crossed over to the 68th floor of the tower should have been heard.

“T-That… it is certain that we scattered over 100,000 monster corpses on the 67th floor of the tower, and we also confirmed that they turned into Purple Locusts. It’s just that the forces on the 67th floor of the tower seem to be fighting too well.”

Watching the angry Grid’s reaction, Shred, Grid’s right-hand man, answered carefully.

“What?! Fighting well? Is that what you have to say?!”

“I am sorry.”

“Incompetent fellow! Tell Tarik to scatter more monster corpses on the 67th floor of the tower right now!”

“Yes. Understood.”

Having received Grid’s command, Tarik headed toward the 67th floor of the tower again.

***

Stamp.

“Here. Manage your subordinate well.”

Se-jun handed the contract stamped with Tamuro’s thumbprint to Theo.

“Don’t worry, meow! I will keep an eye on you, meow! Employee Tamuro!”

Theo said to Tamuro, glaring with his eyes wide.

“Yes…”

‘How did things turn out like this?’

While Tamuro worried about his bleak future,

[Your crop has defeated a pest.]

[You have acquired 1 experience point.]

…

..

.

[You have leveled up.]

[You have acquired 1 bonus stat point.]

As the detoxification components of the Detoxifying Green Onion killed the Purple Locusts, Se-jun kept leveling up.

And,

[A quest has occurred.]

[Class Quest: Realize the Joy of Harvesting.]

Use the Harvesting skill 100,000 times (0/100,000)

Reward: Level 51 unlocked, 50,000 Tower Coins, All class skills of the Tower Farmer + Lv. 1

He reached level 50.

“Oh!”

The reward of all class skills of the Tower Farmer + Lv. 1 caught Se-jun’s eye.

Se-jun currently had four class skills: Sowing Lv. 5, Harvesting Lv. 4, Seed Shop Lv. 2, and Seed Harvesting Lv. 3.

Although Sowing and Harvesting were not expected to have great effects even if their skill levels rose, he was looking forward to Seed Shop and Seed Harvesting.

In the case of the Seed Shop in particular, since the grade of the Seed Shop would also rise if its level rose, his expectations were high.

However, to receive the reward…

“Sigh. Using Harvesting 100,000 times.”

A number that made him sigh on its own. Even if this were the 99th floor of the tower, it would take 20 to 30 days to be possible.

However, this was the 67th floor of the tower. It was safe to say there were no crops to harvest in the place where the Locusts swept past, except for the Detoxifying Green Onions Se-jun had planted.

At that moment,

[The Purple Locusts have evolved into Red Locusts.]

[The quest has been updated.]

[The achievements made so far are reflected in the quest reward.]

[Middle Manager Quest: Exterminate the Purple Locusts on the 67th floor of the tower.]

Red Locusts: 0/6,997,621,289

Reward: 1,500,000 Experience Points, 15,000 Tower Coins

Upon Failure: You cannot return to your original place until you complete the quest.

“Huh?!”

The number of Locusts decreased, and they changed back to Red.

***

[The population of Purple Locusts on the 67th floor of the tower has decreased to 7 billion or less.

[The population of Purple Locusts on the 67th floor of the tower has met the devolution conditions.]

[The Purple Locusts on the 67th floor of the tower devolve into Red Locusts.]

“Khehehe. As expected of Se-jun!”

Aileen laughed as she looked at the alarm appearing on the crystal ball.

“Ah! This is not the time.”

Aileen was, until a moment ago, examining the authorities she could bestow upon Se-jun’s Middle Manager Token. It was information she had learned while learning about the manager’s duties from Kaiser.

…

..

.

While Aileen spent several hours agonizing as she looked at the authorities to give to Se-jun like that,

[The population of Red Locusts on the 67th floor of the tower has decreased to 6 billion or less.]

The number of Red Locusts was decreasing rapidly.

“Since Se-jun is weak, this would indeed be good, right?”

Aileen chose the authority to bestow on Se-jun’s Middle Manager Token.

[Bestowing upon the Tower Middle Manager Token.]

Aileen worried about Se-jun’s weak body day and night.

***

“Then, Elka and Tamuro, go back and spread rumors that the number of Locusts has decreased, and if Tarik comes, catch him in the act.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

Since it was not difficult to defeat the Locusts even without the help of the Lizardmen or wolves, Se-jun had the two catch Tarik, who had worsened the situation by feeding the Red Locusts.

“If you use this, you can record evidence videos.”

Iona handed a small necklace to Tamuro.

After sending the wolves and Lizardmen back to the waypoint,

“Let’s sleep.”

Se-jun and the animals, who were taking a rest, went to bed. Beginning with hunting in the western forest this morning, it was too long of a day.

The next morning.

“Umm…”

Se-jun woke up feeling his body heavy.

And he began to clear away the things that had made his body heavy.

“Ugh.”

First, he untangled the hands of Cuengi, who was hugging him from behind.

Subsequently, he removed the Black Rabbit and Pyupyu sleeping on his stomach, and Theo and Iona on his lap.

Seeing the Black Rabbit and Pyupyu sleeping together, he felt an unknown sense of betrayal, but he tried to ignore it.

“Heave-ho.”

Se-jun placed the animals he removed onto Cuengi’s body and stood up from his spot.

At that moment,

Grab.

“Huh?”

Se-jun lifted his leg at the feeling of something touching his lap.

“Meow.”

Thereupon, Theo was dragged up along Se-jun’s lap. He held Se-jun’s lap tightly as if not to let go even in his sleep.

And,

“Kyuuut.”

Iona, who was holding Theo’s tail tightly as if not to let go like Theo, came up together.

Dangling.

“Puhaha.”

Se-jun burst into laughter, looking at the two hanging on even while sleeping. They were so cute.

Grab.

Se-jun grabbed the scruff of Theo’s neck and made him hang properly on his lap.

And just as he was about to go outside to check if the Detoxifying Green Onion was growing well,

[The Tower Administrator bestows upon the Tower Middle Manager Token.]

“Unbreakable Body?”

Se-jun checked the black dragon tattoo on the back of his hand.

[Black Tower Middle Manager Token]

A token proving that one is a middle manager of the Black Tower.

You have the authority to manage the Black Tower.

Authority:

The body is absolutely unbreakable.

“The body is absolutely unbreakable?”

Se-jun took out a dagger. It was to test the authority.

However,

“What if it hurts?”

When he actually tried to test by making a wound on his arm with the dagger, fear overcame curiosity.

Slip.

Se-jun put the dagger back in, and

“Ahem. This is not the time for me to be doing this.”

Pretending to be busy, he moved to the place where he had planted the Detoxifying Green Onions.

“Wow.”

When he arrived at the place where he had planted 5,000 Detoxifying Green Onions, he saw many green onions whose grades had risen in places and whose leaves had turned deep green.

“Good.”

Se-jun began to harvest the green onions whose grades had risen.

[You have harvested a Detoxifying Green Onion that slaughtered a swarm of poisonous insects.]

[99,999 times remaining until the completion of the class quest.]

[Your class experience points increase slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 4 increases slightly.]

[You have acquired 30 experience points.]

While he was harvesting the green onions like that,

“Meow? Chairman Park, where is this place, meow?”

Theo woke up from sleep.

And,

Massaging.

“What is this, meow?”

Theo found Iona sleeping while massaging his tail.

Swish, swish.

Theo swung his tail strongly to remove Iona, but Iona, who was sleeping after using adhesive magic, did not fall off at all.

“Eek!”

While Theo made efforts to remove Iona like that, Se-jun’s green onion harvesting finished.

“I should try making this for breakfast today.”

Se-jun said in a proud voice, looking at the 1,000 harvested green onions.

Se-jun’s crops had a formula of ‘the higher the grade of the crop, the more delicious it is’. It seemed that if he cooked with this, a more delicious dish with better options would be born.

While Se-jun was returning to the cave, imagining the taste of the dish,

Squeak!!!

Kkueng!!!

Having woken up, the Black Rabbit and Cuengi ran outside in a hurry, calling Se-jun anxiously as Se-jun was not around.