Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Can't I Raise It?
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Creak.
Heavy iron doors swung open, revealing a vast cave stretching endlessly before my eyes.
A silent, desolate space devoid of any life.
But at the same time, it was the perfect domain—mine alone, free from any interference.
'I'll raise them.'
Yeah, that was it. If the supply chain kept getting messed with from the outside, the solution was simple. I'd raise my own and become self-sufficient. No more getting pushed around.
"Master. What doin'."
Chun-sik had snuck up beside me at some point and was peering into the cave.
"Gonna raise somethin'."
"Raise?"
Chun-sik tilted his head.
"What raise. Nothin' here."
"Monsters."
A moment of silence. Chun-sik stared at me wordlessly, long and hard.
"...Master finally crazy."
He let out a deep sigh like he genuinely pitied me, then stood on tiptoes and reached his tiny hand toward my head.
Pat. Pat.
That touch full of sympathy. Exactly the kind you give someone who's lost their mind.
"For real."
I flicked him right between the eyes.
Snap!
"Ow!"
With a crisp sound, Chun-sik clutched his forehead and hopped away.
"Ah! Why hit!"
"What nonsense you talkin'. I'm serious."
"Then what. Raisin' monsters normal?"
I ignored him and pulled up the Alchemy Gallery again.
Title: So how do you raise monsters?
Author: Rabbit King
Explain easy so even idiots can do it
Material supply use
Monsters no, raise mushrooms?
These guys really cute….
?
What's hard about it
Just get female that spits needed materials and raise it
Breed and selective breeding
Doesn't that take long?
Laying eggs takes some time yeah?
Ah
Then go harvest style over farming
Use growth agents on fast growth cycle stuff
Growth cycle?
Recovery Potion Cave Coral Troll ver
Stone lumps grow on troll body for material so harvest and stick growth agent in
Already high regen plus growth agent makes it burn own life force for instant regrowth
Other materials grow quick too
Growth agent side effects shorten lifespan but get lots of materials before that
'...This is it.'
I checked the recovery potion recipe she'd posted and searched for rapid growth agent.
At my current level, that version of recovery potion was doable. The rapid growth agent was a bit tricky, though.
"Hmm."
If I arrayed it to target only specific creatures like before? That could cut down a lot of the hard parts.
Now the issue was catching that cave coral troll thing.
I picked up my smartphone and hesitated.
Yuna, who always handled these requests, was busy searching. I couldn't go hunt it myself either.
"......"
I swallowed dryly and dialed the number of that one guy Yuna gave me for emergencies.
- Yes! Lee Won-jun speaking!
He was the Normal Operations Guild hunter whose leg I'd fixed with my potion.
"Uh, h-hello... This is... Rabbitfoot..."
- Rabbitfoot!
I thought my eardrums would burst. Lee Won-jun's voice on the other end was thrilled to the max.
- My! Benefactor! Rabbitfoot! What can I do for you!
"Uh, um... Lee Won-jun... I have a f-favor to ask..."
- A favor? Say the word!
This guy was even more enthusiastic than I'd thought. I stammered out the main point.
"Um... Could you maybe... catch a live monster...? A c-cave coral troll..."
- ...Pardon?
Silence on the line. He sounded stunned too.
- A live B-rank troll?
"Y-yeah... And some blink mushrooms... and mana dew grass too..."
Lee Won-jun's voice doubled in volume.
- Got it! I'll rally the guild and bring 'em! Wait just a sec!
Click.
Call ended.
That went smoother than expected. Connections really matter.
I shrugged, then the conversation flashed back in my mind.
'Wait.'
Definitely said B-rank troll...?
"Uh..."
The guys who attacked me were B-rank hunters. And he was gonna bring one alive?
A chill ran down my spine. I bolted for the guard post.
"G-Grandpa!"
The old man reading in the post didn't even look up.
"Told you I can't help..."
"A m-monster's comin'... Can you do somethin' about it... please!"
His brows furrowed slightly. Finally looking up from his book, he gave me a weird look.
"Why's a monster comin'."
"To r-raise it..."
Grandpa stared at me silently for a bit. Same reaction as Chun-sik.
"...Raise a monster?"
Then he burst into disbelieving laughter.
"Rabbitfoot! Your requested items!"
With Lee Won-jun's booming voice, a massive special container and a few boxes were lowered into the gate.
Thud.
The heavy vibration reached my feet.
"Th-that inside...?"
"Yes! Cave coral troll! A real sturdy one!"
He puffed out his chest proudly. But his guildmates behind him looked beat-up. Must've been a fierce fight. Still, they bowed politely to me.
"We'll head out then!"
The guild dumped the stuff and vanished like they'd seen a ghost.
"......"
I stared up at the lone massive iron container.
"Sh-should I open it?"
I undid the locks and backed away far.
Boom—!
Like the heavy door exploded, a huge shadow burst out.
Rawr—!
A eardrum-shattering roar filled the cave.
Over 3 meters tall, skin mixed with rotten moss and rocks, back covered in bluish stone lumps.
First live monster I'd seen. Overwhelming presence choked me.
It kicked the container off its foot and charged us.
But.
Stop.
It froze mid-motion. Like time stopped.
"Where to move it?"
Grandpa asked casually, like he was out for a stroll. Didn't even seem like he did anything.
"O-over there..."
I peeked from behind Chun-sik and pointed to the isolation spot.
"Master. Very ugly."
"...Shut up."
Grandpa shoved it into a cave corner and pinned it immobile.
Fixed to the space itself or something. A couple hand waves and he was done, heading back to his post.
Grrr...!
Anyway, it could only roll its eyes in rage. Totally helpless.
"Phew..."
Finally, I sighed in relief.
"Master."
Then Chun-sik tossed me something.
"Huh?"
Rubber gloves, mask, hammer.
"Harvest."
"......"
I stared blankly at the stuff in my hands.
"M-me? That?"
"Who else?"
Asking Grandpa to harvest the stones too felt awkward. And Chun-sik was smaller than me.
"Ha."
Guess it was me.
Reluctantly, I geared up in gloves and mask. Shoddy protection.
Legs shaking, I crept near it.
"Urk..."
Up close, the troll was hideously worse. Massive intimidation plus rotten fish and mold stench assaulted my nose. Breath caught.
Eyes squeezed shut, I knelt behind the immobilized beast.
Cave coral on its back. Material for new recovery potion, target for rapid growth agent.
"Ugh..."
First touch felt like solid rock.
But it pierced troll flesh, grew sucking its life force. Faint living energy from cold stone. Eerie, gross sensation.
Eyes tight, I raised the hammer.
Screw it.
Crack—!
Smash down, hard chunk fell with dull thud.
Rawr—!
Troll screamed in agony. Cave echoed.
"Whoa!"
I freaked, grabbed the cave coral piece, and bolted out.
"Hah... hah..."
Heart pounding wild.
"...Fuck. Shoulda asked to gag it too."
"Said raise it? Gag how eat?"
"Ah."
Chun-sik's point left me speechless.
'...True.'
Thinking of those screams nonstop already tired me. I looked at the cave coral chunk. Stench lingered.
Now, make rapid growth agent with this.
Meanwhile, time had passed midnight.
Deserted industrial zone on city outskirts.
Choi Yuna moved stealthily between abandoned buildings owned by Baekho, compass in hand.
'Not here either.'
All duds so far. Few spots left on Rep. Seo's list.
Impatience rising—
ZZZzt—
Compass blue light suddenly vibrated.
Spinning needle locked on one direction.
[A-04 Sector. Abandoned Research Hospital.]
Needle pointed straight to basement.
Choi Yuna's eyes gleamed sharp in the dark.
"Found you."