Level Up

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"I thought we'd never get artillery support again now that the army's gone."

"No wonder the infantry always begged for it!!!"

Fireworks lit up the dark night sky. The only difference was that those fireworks exploding one after another weren't in the sky—they were inside Donghae City.

I mentally apologized to the unknown landlords. Screw that. For now, I was just gonna bask in this dopamine rush.

Mixed with the orcs' screams and the blasts, they started fleeing without any will to fight.

Watching them hightail it out of there, the awakeners of Haven all let out sighs of relief. Seola Han was no exception. She wiped the sweat and blood from her face with her sleeve and gazed up at the hawk drifting in the sky.

What on earth had happened over the past week or so?

Before she could even ask, Mae flew off again. Pushing aside her regret, as she started tidying up the area...

Not long after, he returned carrying two boxes stuffed full of potatoes.

"Potatoes!!!"

"Give them to the people whose wounds haven't healed yet first!!"

"The recon team that came back last time still hasn't recovered."

The place buzzed with energy for the first time in ages. Seola smiled as she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looked around. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the hardships of the past few days, hugging each other and giving thanks for surviving.

That's when Mae approached Seola. A letter was tied to his ankle.

A girl who gave without asking for anything in return. Seola felt grateful once more from the bottom of her heart.

"...Someday, I have to repay this debt."

She reaffirmed her resolve and set off to do her own tasks.

Whoa! Leveled up! Just from chucking bomb flowers and potatoes everywhere.

Better to dump the excess stuff quick and level up fast anyway. From that angle, sleeping through the last few days was a huge loss.

That's why trading with the military long-term is smart.

"...He's late."

Mae still hadn't come back from dropping off stuff at Haven, and with today's chores done, I was idly petting Nyangnyang.

Maybe because I'd finally washed up with hot water, I felt all fluffy and fresh.

"The power of civilization is amazing."

Some generator you crank with oil or whatever. The military's got all kinds of wild gear. I'd heard they had backups for wartime, but I didn't expect this.

Thanks to it, I got to run the washing machine again and even use the microwave. Pure bliss.

Satisfaction level: max. Mood's up, so mana regenerates faster too, feels like.

"Alright. Time to get to work for once."

"What sort of work, milady?"

"Gotta secure the area around the house first."

"More importantly... have you forgotten something?"

"Huh?"

Suddenly the turtle was writhing all over, rubbing against me.

Did he eat something bad? Or something he shouldn't have?

I stared at him coldly, and he burst out yelling.

"You've leveled up and got skill points! Invest in Taming and contract with this one already!!"

"...Oh."

Truth is, I hadn't forgotten. I'd just delayed a bit to savor this juicy reaction.

"Heh heh. What to do...?"

"Do it now!!!"

"Eh, we'll see how you do today. Let's head out."

I took the turtle and Nyangnyang outside. The house vicinity was somewhat cleaned up, but the surrounding area was a mess. Shattered trees and rocks, gouged earth, bloodstains everywhere, scorch marks from explosions.

The soldiers had cleared most of the battle debris, but not every trace was gone.

Closing my eyes, I could hear the forest's voice. The pained cries after the fighting. Roots torn up by impacts, blood seeping deep into the soil, hindering seed germination.

To embrace it all, I lightly waved my hand, scattering mana. Grasses lifted their heads from the earth, tree roots grew sturdier, anchoring the ground. The forest thanked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me for my help. I smiled back.

"Take care of me from now on too."

With that, we moved to the next spot. After tidying the chaos, now to hide the place.

Simply put, I planned to turn this mountain into a massive forest.

Sure, sunlight might be an issue, but rapid growth should handle it, right?

"A dense forest so thick you lose your way after entering."

Sounds perfect. Gotta block off casual intruders.

"But couldn't they just set coordinates to the center and walk straight in?"

"True. Still better than wide open."

"Won't that make scouting hard for Mae, though?"

"...Ah."

Didn't think of that. The forest would hide me from enemies, but it'd hinder our side too.

"You're a genius, Turtle! Wanna be companions?"

"Splendid!! Make it quick!!"

I quickly opened my status and leveled up the skill. Obviously Taming.

"The day I've awaited has finally arrived!!"

"Great. Let's do it."

I gathered mana and reached out to the turtle—

"Hold on!! Falconer!!!"

A voice called from the sky.

"What's up...?"

"Qu-quickly, I beg!!"

The turtle suddenly panicked, and Mae cried out desperately. As I wondered what was going on...

Something started plummeting from the sky.

"Gah?! What the—?!"

I dodged aside frantically. Whatever it was slammed into the ground.

Poof.

But the sound from that not-so-threatening fall was pathetic. No dust cloud either.

"P-pull me out!!"

A dark blue-feathered bird with its beak stuck in the dirt, flailing around. I knew exactly what it was.

"P-penguin?!!!"

An emperor penguin, the kind from Antarctica, had appeared smack in the middle of Gangwon Province, Korea.

"Phew... thanks!"

The penguin gulped down water happily, beaming. Where'd he come from? Dropping from the sky, and Mae's voice earlier...

Like with the turtle, Mae must've spotted him and brought him.

"Thanks again, Mae bro!!"

"No trouble."

I watched them chatter and asked the obvious.

"What happened?"

"I sensed you'd leveled up, falconer. Figured you'd pick Taming, so I scouted around. Then I spotted this one... well, 'fallen into' the lake, sort of. Anyway, there he was."

So Mae brought him. Simple enough.

"Anyway, you're a new companion candidate?"

"Yup! Nice to meet ya!"

"Then... now we choose."

"Choose what?"

Leaving the clueless penguin aside, I faced a dilemma.

Turtle or penguin. Loyalty-wise, turtle's been with me longer.

But gotta check out the new face first, right? Time to choose.

"Self-intros start now!"

The turtle stepped up first.

"This one boasts overwhelming defense. Had I been contracted, those soldiers we met wouldn't have laid a scratch on you!"

"Ooooh!!!"

Turtle came prepared. Knows my weak spot and hit it perfectly. Brain's a brain.

"Your turn, Penguin."

"Yeah, check this!"

Penguin waddled to the fridge—which hadn't worked since power went out.

He spat something inside. Instantly, cold air filled it.

"...Chilly."

"I can breathe sustained cold mist! Freeze stuff on contact too. And if we contract, I've got a special ability!"

Penguin grinned mischievously. That sealed it for me.

But the turtle saw my eyes and yelled desperately.

"W-wait! Milady, think again—"

I ignored his pleas and started contracting with the penguin.

Poor turtle bawling... but next time, right?

Of course, if another friend shows up, he might get pushed back again... but that's future me's problem.

For now, this cold breath was way too useful. Soldiers would guard the area awhile anyway.

"Pure combat classes suck for this reason."

"This one aids with water spits, milady."

"True. If water only worked post-contract, you'd be top pick."

"So superior, yet pushed back... unjust!"

Pat pat. I soothed the turtle.

"Want french fries?"

"Yes."

"Me too!!"

Wait, can penguins eat grass? Nah, his reaction says it's fine.

"New companion acquired—party time!!!"

"Wooo!!"

"Marvelous!!"

"...Scout the area first."

"Got it, nyang! Hurry up and make food, nyang!!"

"Is that really possible, Sergeant?"

"Saw it with my own eyes. Grew in seconds."

Hyunwoo Park fiddled with the potatoes from Hayun as he spoke. Planted and harvested without hands in moments. Impressive.

We had a druid too, but not that skilled. Growth acceleration maybe 2-3x tops, not seconds.

"Definitely an S-rank druid."

"No doubt."

As soldiers chatted, Lieutenant Sua Kwon muttered while handling a potato.

"Potatoes, huh..."

"Something wrong, Lieutenant?"

"Well, the Ark mentioned recently—special potatoes as healing potions."

"Fake news? Ark's full of scams. Just the other day, 'free stuff' turned out to be bandits."

"But it matches the local events."

Ark's biggest flaw: no way to verify info. Scavengers and frauds run wild.

"Still, she gave them freely for a reason. Any wounded kids?"

"Medics already treated everyone."

"Hm. Gotta make a wound then."

As Sua reached for her knife—

A soldier stood.

"Private Seunghwa Jeong!! I'll test it!!"

"Ahaha..."

Sua felt awkward. Jeong was the unlucky guy assigned day ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one before gates hit. The unit's sole 30-something private. Eldest rookie. And a giant.

Hard not to feel burdened. But hierarchy...

"...O-okay."

With permission, Seunghwa drew a huge knife across his arm. Blood spurted.

But he ignored it, chomping the raw potato.

"Raw potato okay...?"

Everyone watched his wound idly.

No change.

"Figured as much."

Potatoes healing humans? Ridiculous.

As eyes shifted away in disappointment—

Sua spotted the change instantly.

"It's—it's healing!!"

The potato actually healed him. The Ark post about the miracle girl giving french fries wasn't fake.