New Family Member (3)
“Huh.”
A gasp of admiration escaped my lips.
Lunadria, Baekyang Herb, potatoes, sweet potatoes, Cheongmyeong Water Herb.
Every single one had grown to full maturity.
‘Wait a second.’
They looked even bigger than yesterday.
That wasn’t all.
‘Their mana content has increased too.’
Ever since awakening Dragon Blood, I could see mana particles.
The spirit herbs before me now held far denser mana than before.
Baekyang Herb, Lv100
A great rank has been attained.
Upon consumption, mana amplification rate increases for 60 minutes.
*Permanently grants a tiny increase to mana amplification rate thereafter.
*Permanently grants a small increase to mana amplification rate thereafter.
“······!”
Lv100!!
It had risen from 99.
“Whoa.”
I checked the others.
Dungeon Potato, Lv100
A great rank has been attained.
Upon consumption, stamina recovery speed increases for 60 minutes.
*Permanently grants a tiny increase to stamina recovery speed thereafter.
*Permanently grants a small increase to stamina recovery speed thereafter.
Dungeon Sweet Potato, Lv100
A great rank has been attained.
Upon consumption, stamina increases for 45 minutes.
*Permanently grants a tiny increase to stamina thereafter.
*Permanently grants a small increase to stamina thereafter.
Lunadria, Lv101
A great rank has been attained.
Upon consumption, mana purity rate increases for 70 minutes.
*Permanently grants a tiny increase to mana purity rate thereafter.
*Permanently grants a small increase to mana purity rate thereafter.
Cheongmyeong Water Herb, Lv101
A great rank has been attained.
Upon consumption, mana recovery speed increases for 70 minutes.
*Permanently grants a tiny increase to mana recovery speed and mana purity purification thereafter.
*Permanently grants a small increase to mana recovery speed and mana purity purification thereafter.
“Good heavens!”
Every crop had broken through Lv100.
“Popo!”
Popo waddled over to my side.
It wore its signature ∩_∩ smile and bounced happily beside me.
It felt like it was asking, “Did I do well?”
“Aigoo, our Popo. You did great, you did great.”
The reason the spirit herbs reached Lv100 was simple.
Popo had made the soil even more fertile.
As expected, Popo was a treasure of our lair alongside Dania!
Rub rub, rub rub!
I hugged Popo and rubbed my cheek against it.
Fluffy, squishy.
Popo’s jelly-like body always felt wonderful to touch!
‘I wonder what changed at Lv100?’
I glanced back at the spirit herbs.
All of them now granted longer buff durations.
Not only that, the permanent stat boosts had also increased slightly.
That meant…
‘If I keep eating these every day, I’ll end up with a transcendent superhuman physique.’
There was a myth about a bear becoming human after eating garlic and mugwort for a hundred days.
A great transformation that transcended species.
These spirit herbs might bring about something similar if consumed over a long period.
‘Jackpot.’
I swallowed hard and plucked a single petal from the Lunadria in front of me.
The petal gleamed with even more luster than before.
I popped it straight into my mouth.
“Kyah!”
The flavor was richer than before.
A heavenly sweetness that felt like my tongue was melting spread throughout my mouth.
The Lunadria that had crossed the Lv100 threshold had its effects—and its taste—greatly amplified.
“Popo!”
Popo begged for a bite beside me.
I tore off a petal and gave it to the slime.
Lick.
Popo stuck out its tongue and swallowed the Lunadria petal in one gulp.
“······!”
Its eyes turned into +_+ as it twisted its body in delight.
That was its way of showing it was moved.
Good.
Next up…
Potato? Sweet potato? Baekyang Herb?
No.
‘Cherry tomatoes.’
My eyes sparkled.
The cherry tomato vines that had reached my waist overnight were now heavy with bright red fruit.
Cherry Tomato, Lv100
A great rank has been attained.
Upon consumption, agility increases for 60 minutes.
*Permanently grants a tiny increase to agility thereafter.
*Permanently grants a small increase to agility thereafter.
The cherry tomatoes had also reached Lv100.
They carried a buff that raised agility.
I plucked one and popped it into my mouth.
Pop!
The thin, soft skin burst gently, releasing fresh, juicy nectar.
The first taste began with a refreshing, subtle sweetness.
It felt like the warm summer sunlight had been captured whole.
Then came a perfect harmony of sourness and umami.
The vivid sweetness of the cherry tomato lingered on the tip of my tongue.
It wasn’t an overpowering sweetness, but one that seemed to carry the vital energy of life nurtured from the earth itself.
Chew, chew!
The skin and flesh melted softly in my mouth.
Gulp!
It slid down my throat after just a few chews.
The aftertaste that followed was refreshing yet rich, leaving a powerful sense of satisfaction as if mysterious mana had awakened all my senses.
“Whoa.”
This was more than just fruit.
Every bite carried a special energy and mystery that created a magical, ecstatic flavor.
“This is insane. This is going to be a huge hit.”
I plucked every cherry tomato from one vine in a trance.
Then chew, chew!
“Popo-!!”
Popo’s eyes widened into ⊙_⊙ as it frantically gathered and ate the tomatoes beside me.
The taste was so addictive that we couldn’t even pause to breathe!
We ended up filming an impromptu cherry tomato mukbang.
If Dania had been awake, she would have screamed at this fantastical flavor too.
Your mana has greatly increased.
Your level has risen.
“Ugh.”
After eating until my stomach was full, my level even went up by one.
“Whoa, the moment I put these on the market, they’ll become the Erbes of the cherry tomato world.”
I was confident these were the finest cherry tomatoes imaginable.
‘I should put them up for auction.’
Even if I released a small quantity at first, I was certain people would talk about them like crazy.
Once that happened, the price would skyrocket from the next auction onward.
Since I needed a lot of coins to properly use the Lounge Channel, I had to run my business strategically like this.
“Let’s put them up for auction right away.”
There were still many things to check, but auctions took time to sell, so I decided to register them first.
‘Next…’
I glanced toward the Seondo.
Yesterday it had only grown to the length of my forearm.
And now?
A massive tree over five meters tall stood there, far taller than me.
Its trunk was thick and sturdy, covered in greenish bark with a faint golden sheen.
The dark green leaves radiated a mysterious aura.
I could tell at a glance.
It was a Seondo tree.
The cultivation had been a complete success!
And between the branches, I spotted two golden lights.
They resembled peaches but were much larger, glowing with intertwined gold and silver like jewels.
Their surfaces gleamed with a mysterious energy, and they emitted a heavenly fragrance beyond mere sweetness.
These were…
‘Seondo.’
As I approached, the Spirit Herb Master (SSS) trait activated and displayed the information.
Seondo, Lv100
A great rank has been attained.
Upon consumption, <mana recovery rate, stamina recovery rate> explosively increases for 60 minutes.
*Permanently grants a tiny increase to mana amplification rate and stamina recovery rate thereafter.
*Permanently grants a small increase to mana amplification rate and stamina recovery rate thereafter.
*Slightly increases affinity with nature.
*Slightly extends lifespan. Continuous consumption leads to eternal youth and longevity.
“Wow···.”
The options alone made my jaw drop.
Especially eternal youth and longevity?
That was an option powerful enough to make the wealthy and influential rush in with fire in their eyes.
‘What about the affinity with nature?’
Did that mean I might eventually be able to command spirits?
If so, that would be another massive jackpot.
After all, spirit contractors were known to be extremely rare, chosen only by the spirits themselves.
‘That’s a problem for later.’
“Huuu.”
I took a deep breath and focused.
What I was about to do allowed no room for error.
I was going to place the Seondo into Archeron’s energy core.
Uuuuuuung!
When I brought the Seondo near Archeron’s energy core, a vibration rippled through it.
Then—
Kwaaaaaaaa!
The Seondo in my hand turned into golden mana particles and was sucked into the energy core.
『Archeron. Beginning temporary energy circuit activation.』
Goooo!!
An unprecedented aura surged from Archeron’s body.
“Ooooo.”
The reaction was completely different from when I had poured Taeumyangjeong on it.
The idea of feeding Seondo to Archeron’s energy core had been a resounding success!!
“Popo!”
Popo seemed to sense the success as well.
Its eyes turned into +_+ as it bounced excitedly beside me.
『Kkyu-ung··· Hungry.』
Just then—whether because of our commotion or because its stomach clock had rung—
Dania woke up.
I had been about to eat the remaining Seondo myself.
“You really do have good luck with food.”
I sat in front of Dania with the last Seondo in hand.
“Popo!”
Drawn by the fragrant scent, Popo hurried to my side as well.
“Alright, shall we try the Seondo too?”
“Popo!”
『Kkyu-ung! It smells sweet! I like it!!』
With Dania and Popo’s enthusiastic replies,
we began preparing to consume the Seondo.
At that very moment—
In a place where sunlight barely reached and thick fog covered everything—
The cold, damp ground gave off a musty smell, and an unknown tension hung in the air.
Moss-covered trees and sprawling vines looked untouched for centuries, creating a quiet yet precarious beauty.
Small puddles dotted the area, their surfaces calm yet somehow unsettling.
“Chuchu!”
In that silent space—
A tiny golden-furred creature appeared.
Chuchu looked around, sniffing the air, then dashed toward a certain spot.
Shashashak-!
A golden line traced through the air.
Its speed was incredible, like a master of movement techniques.
In front of Chuchu stood a small patch of grass that looked ordinary at first glance.
“Chuchu!”
Wearing its golden gloves, Chuchu began digging with lightning-fast movements.
Pabababababat!
Deep beneath the soil, a root shaped like a human figure revealed itself.
“Chuchu!”
Chuchu yanked the root—larger than its own body—out with all its might.
@Greeeeh-
Then, astonishingly—
The root writhed and let out a strange cry.
But—
Pop!
The unknown plant disappeared into Chuchu’s belly pouch.
“Chuchu!”
Chuchu raised both hands to the sky and danced with joy.
It looked exactly like someone who had found a rare herb.
Then it turned and sprinted back toward the lair at full speed.
After Chuchu left, only a dreary wind remained.
But then—
Sssssst.
A mysterious figure began moving in the deep darkness.
Flash.
Two burning red lights glowed in the shadows.
The entity started following the direction Chuchu had gone.
“Wow···.”
Just looking at the options made my mouth fall open.
Especially eternal youth and longevity?
That alone was enough to make the rich and powerful come running.
‘What about the affinity with nature?’
Could I eventually command spirits?
If so, that would be another huge win.
Spirit contractors were said to be chosen only by the spirits themselves.
‘That’s a problem for later.’
“Huuu.”
I took a deep breath and focused.
What I was about to do allowed no room for error.
I was going to feed the Seondo to Archeron’s energy core.
Uuuuuuung!
When I brought the Seondo near the core, it vibrated.
Then—
Kwaaaaaaaa!
The Seondo turned into golden mana particles and was absorbed.
『Archeron. Beginning temporary energy circuit activation.』
Goooo!!
An unprecedented aura burst from Archeron’s body.
“Ooooo.”
The reaction was far stronger than with Taeumyangjeong.
Feeding Seondo to Archeron’s energy core had been a brilliant idea!!
“Popo!”
Popo’s eyes sparkled as it bounced excitedly.
『Kkyu-ung··· Hungry.』
Just then, Dania woke up.
I had been about to eat the last Seondo myself.
“You really are lucky with food.”
I sat in front of Dania holding the final Seondo.
“Popo!”
Popo hurried over, drawn by the scent.
“Alright, shall we try the Seondo too?”
“Popo!”
『Kkyu-ung! It smells sweet! I like it!!』
With Dania and Popo’s eager replies,
we prepared to eat the Seondo together.