Chapter 3

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 003

Chapter Title: Harvesting Genius #3

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Hammer shouted.

"Alright, double time to the training grounds!"

Training grounds?

Looks like they've got everything behind this Great Wall.

We hustled over, and the training grounds turned out to be about the size of a volleyball court.

Straw dummies everywhere.

What, we practice swinging swords here or something?

Hammer, who arrived first, caught his breath.

"You look scrawny, but you run pretty well."

"Anyone who couldn't run got caught and thrown in prison. I'm confident in my speed."

"...Well, whatever. You seem like the typical agility-type explorer. A weapon to match your speed... this should do."

Shring-!

Hammer pulled a blade from the weapon rack at the training grounds and held it out to me.

I looked closer—it was a kitchen knife, just a bit bigger than my palm.

"Predecessor left it behind. It's yours now."

"Ooh!"

First time I'd ever gotten my own weapon.

Stuff like soju bottles or rocks don't count as weapons.

"Hammer, I wanna go kill some monsters right now!"

Now that I had a weapon, I couldn't just sit around.

'Ether' and 'Night Diver.'

This world might just be the game world that changed my life through Harvesting!

Nodding when Ezekiel suggested I at least try struggling had been the right call.

"This guy's suddenly all motivated—kinda makes me uneasy instead. And call me 'Hammer sir'!"

There was a place called the "Strategy Room" behind the Great Wall.

Inside was a massive wooden table engraved with an enormous map.

Hammer placed his palm on the table.

"You try it too."

Slap-.

I did the same.

Text floated up in front of my eyes.

"Ooh! Something popped up!"

"Yeah. This table's a transfer magic device made with Ether. I don't know the details—Hermit's the one who gets that stuff."

No idea who Hermit was.

But probably one of the people I'd seen right after waking up here, I figured vaguely.

"If you're a real Blessed One, your first step into the Night Land will land you in a place blessed by the ancient gods. It'll feel like a temple or something."

What did a "temple-like feeling" even mean?

Like a church, I guess.

"Thanks to that temple, the monsters there are weak and pathetic. Of course, get careless and you'll die—"

"Pathetic but no slacking off! Got it!"

"Your first mission is to gather 5,000 Ether there. Once you hit 5,000, the way back opens on its own, so don't worry about finding the path."

I didn't show it, but I felt great.

If this was some noble granny's gigolo gig in exchange for a stay of execution, I'd have puked.

Luckily, it's Harvesting.

No way I'd pass up a chance like this.

Gotta work my ass off and make a good impression.

Of course, the details I'd only know once I experienced them firsthand!

"If you're ready, say 'Enter' in your mind."

"Enter!"

Ah, he said in my mind.

Whoosh-.

Soon, it felt like my body was being sucked into a black mist.

When I opened my eyes, I stood in the middle of twilight-shrouded ruins.

Moss clung thickly to stone pillars and shattered statues—it all felt strangely unfamiliar.

"So this is the temple."

Probably.

The statues all being headless was a bit off-putting, but it screamed "ancient temple."

Was this a place from the game?

No clue with my knowledge.

I'd always skipped story and background stuff in games.

Blasted through tutorials and leveled up in one go with jump events.

"Should've at least watched a story summary on Mitoob back then."

Rustle-.

Then, something crawling out from the darkness here and there.

Squelch squelch, sticky slime.

Purple jelly wobbling jiggly.

About half my size?

If you doused a rat or dog in harsh chemicals till it melted, it'd look just like that.

—Queeek!

—Zrrruuuh....

It was blatantly alien.

But not unfamiliar. Hell, it was downright welcoming.

"That's a Nightling, right?"

The monster I'd farmed endlessly in the 'Night Diver' beginner zone.

Yeah, definitely that guy.

Looks exactly like in the game.

No one told me, but in that moment, I knew for sure.

Kill those to gather Ether—.

"Die!"

I whipped out my dagger and stabbed the jelly blob.

Puk—tangl-.

But it was so squishy, I barely felt the stab.

—Queeeek!!

Worse, it bounced up and slammed into my solar ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plexus.

Thud!

"Gah!"

Felt like taking a full-power soccer ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ball to the gut.

Breath caught, vision spun.

"...Fuck."

Couldn't breathe. Thought I was gonna die for real.

Drip drip—.

Nosebleed flowing, even though ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it didn't hit my nose.

Clothes sizzling like splashed with acid.

"...Ah, yeah. This vibe. Could actually die here."

Had to rethink Hammer's definition of "weak monsters."

Wipe-.

Wiped the blood with my hand's back and gripped the dagger again.

Puk, paat-!

Charged it again, stabbed its body.

But this time, twisted lightly clockwise—and that worked great.

Pop-!

Liquid monster burst like a water balloon.

Remnants melted, leaving a few coins and a slime lump.

"Yep! Nightling!"

Deadly little bastard.

Hard to believe this came from an all-ages game.

Still, meeting a familiar foe made me happy.

Wanted to dance, but better to hunt one more Nightling instead.

In Harvesting, time is life.

"Hammer, what do you think of the new recruit?"

The mage Hermit in the conical hat asked the fighter Hammer.

Hammer crossed his arms, lost in thought.

"Seemed sharper than expected. Got that innocent country boy vibe from Maril Land."

"Innocent? No innocent guy's got 14 priors. And do con artists walk around with 'scammer' tattooed on their face? Nah, they all grin nice and friendly."

Ache ache-.

Mage Hermit ignored her increasingly sore back.

Her mistake for trusting that friendly smile.

"I'm questioning if we even need a thief in the party. Why risk betrayal, backstabs, and lies by including criminals?"

"Hermit, I get your feelings. But the rooms with the best Ether rewards are locked and trapped to hell. No thief, no access. Then our squad misses quota."

"Quota...."

Ugh—moaned mage Hermit.

"How's the rookie's skill?"

"Looked frail, but fast. First dive's easy, so max two hours? Slippery type might take three."

"Predecessor took four hours."

First dive was perfect for gauging talent.

Hammer and Hermit waited to evaluate the new guy.

27 hours passed.

"...Never taken this long before. He's dead, isn't he?"

Hermit asked.

Hammer, the newbie trainer, stomped irritably.

"Gonna lose my mind. Our rare pick dying on first dive?"

Not unheard of.

Human affairs are unpredictable, after all.

Kill monsters, earn Ether—.

This simple grind was so fun I couldn't stop.

Grrrowl-.

Problem was, being human meant getting hungry eventually.

And needing sleep.

In my old life, I'd have ignored it.

Chug a drink or energy bar when hungry.

Nap during loading screens.

Wanted to do the same this life.

A hard-won chance at success again.

Didn't wanna waste time on anything but Harvesting.

But part of me wondered if that was okay.

If my previous life's heart disease death was from skimping on food and sleep—.

—What if I died the same way this time?

Chilling thought.

"There's a reason people say take care of your health."

In that moment, I set my life's major direction.

Food and sleep: handle thoroughly.

Gotta stay healthy to Harvest long-term.

'Am I sounding super smart right now?'

Head spinning.

In that state, I wrapped up my thinking fast.

'Sleep rough nearby, fine.'

'Problem's where to get food.'

Issue: no food here.

Per my new Harvesting rules, if I couldn't eat here, best to exit.

Then something caught my eye.

Edible item.

On a whim, popped it in my mouth and swallowed.

"...Urk, cold and slimy!"

Like the konnyaku I'd eaten before.

Tasteless.

But filling.

"This is it!"

Hunt Nightlings for cash and food?

Infinite fuel achieved!

Who knew I was this genius!

Napped a bit.

Ate fragments, lost track of hours.

Stamina still full.

One problem, though.

"Pockets are full."

Ether coins merged into bills or pouches by amount.

Game had varying money forms by sum—same here.

Ended up with 28 pouches.

280,000 Ether total.

Too much for one guy.

Stuffed sleeves, pants pockets, every trick—couldn't carry more.

"Should've brought a bag."

Finally, had to trudge back heavy-footed.

How do I exit again?

Yell 'Exit' in my mind like entry?

Pondering that, rustle—the ruins' brush stirred.

Nightling? No room for more Ether anyway.

Absentmindedly about to pass by—

Someone spoke.

Startled, I aimed my dagger as a boyish thing half my size approached from the brush.

Weird part: its neck was smoothly severed above the shoulders.

Just like the ruined statues here.

No head where a head should be—instead, holding its own severed head in its hands.

Monster...!?

Never heard of a boss here.

Never seen this in 'Night Diver' either.

Might drop tons of Ether if killed.

Sweaty grip tightening on the dagger—