Jackpot (1)
The Seondo’s scent was no joke from the very first whiff.
‘My mouth is watering.’
A soft, delicate sweetness drifted through the air.
It tickled the nose and spread outward.
Similar to a peach, yet deeper, richer.
Layered with honey and a faint herbal note that blended perfectly.
It felt like breathing crisp dawn air in a quiet, mystical mist.
At the same time, it carried the pure flavor of sweet nectar and fresh juice straight from nature.
Just inhaling the Seondo’s fragrance brought a sense of peace to both body and mind.
The scent lingered long after, leaving behind an elegant, mysterious aftertaste.
‘Even when I handed one to Archeron earlier, that smell nearly drove me crazy.’
Gulp.
Saliva pooled in my mouth.
“Popo!!”
『Dania wants to eat that too!!』
Popo and Dania were both burning with excitement.
Alright.
Time to share a taste with everyone.
“Anyone know how to cut this?”
“Popo!!”
Popo hopped forward at my words.
Apparently, Popo could handle it.
“Can you cut it into four pieces?”
Chuchu needed a share too.
Popo nodded.
Slurp!
A long strand of jelly extended from Popo’s body and wrapped around the Seondo.
Then light flashed.
“Huh?”
I blinked in surprise.
The Seondo inside Popo’s jelly had been sliced into four perfect pieces.
Not a single drop of juice had spilled.
How was that even possible?
“Popo-!!”
Popo gave me a bright ∩_∩ smile, clearly proud.
“Whoa. That’s our Popo.”
A one-slime household wonder.
“Alright, let’s divide them up.”
I set Chuchu’s piece aside.
I placed Dania’s slice on top of her shell, flesh-side down.
Popo popped one piece into its mouth.
I took the last piece and bit down hard.
Chomp!
The moment everyone took a bite, gasps of delight filled the air.
“Kya…!”
“Popo—!!!”
『Kkyuuuung-!! Sho good——!!』
The Seondo truly lived up to its reputation as the fruit of the gods.
The moment it touched my tongue, the soft flesh burst with refreshing sweetness and a clean, cool sensation.
The sweetness was on an entirely different level from ordinary peaches—subtle yet intensely rich.
It lingered on the tongue, imprinting the meaning of heavenly flavor into my very soul.
And it didn’t stop at sweetness alone.
A mysterious, delicate depth hid within the juice.
The instant I swallowed, it felt as though both body and mind were being purified.
‘There’s even a hint of acidity.’
The abundant juice was smooth, yet the light sour note kept stimulating the appetite.
The sweetness grew deeper toward the center, leaving behind a refined, elegant aftertaste rather than cloying sugar.
Once tasted, the flavor was unforgettable—unique and almost addictive.
“Hah!”
I devoured every last bit.
A pleasant fullness spread through me, as if celestial energy were flowing into my body.
‘Is this what it feels like to gain lifespan?’
Tingling.
Every cell in my body seemed to cheer.
Maximum mana has greatly increased.
Level has increased.
Level has increased.
Level has increased.
The taste was divine, and the level-ups came on top of it.
Even a quarter of the fruit had raised my level by three at once.
Now at Level 29.
Only one more level remained until 30, the threshold I suspected would unlock the second passage.
『Kkyuuuung—— Sho delicious!!!!!!』
Flash!!
Dania’s entire body radiated brilliant golden light.
‘Whoa.’
I could see her height increasing in real time.
Faint lines began to appear across her shell.
『Kkyuuung! Power is overflowing!』
Our Dania.
Her hatching felt truly imminent.
“Popo!!”
Guardian <Popo> has leveled up! 106Lv ▶ 107Lv
Popo leveled up too!
The Seondo had given us a moment of pure fantasy.
Heavenly flavor and a level-up party all at once!
“Too bad Chuchu isn’t here.”
Maybe I should have waited.
But once I caught the Seondo’s scent, there was no holding back.
“And no seeds either. That’s a shame.”
Seondo seeds.
Cultivating them was already difficult, and seeds rarely appeared even when the fruit was eaten.
That was why the price was astronomical.
“From now on, we’re keeping every Seondo for ourselves.”
It was the first time I felt reluctant to share.
Even the bubble tomatoes I once thought were miraculous didn’t compare.
“Chuchu!”
At that moment, Chuchu’s voice echoed from the tunnel he had entered.
Pop!
A golden bundle of fur appeared at the same time.
Chuchu had returned!
“Oh, Chuchu. Welcome back. You worked hard.”
“Chu…!”
The moment Chuchu emerged from the tunnel, his gaze locked onto the remaining Seondo slice.
Whoosh.
His head followed the slice as I lifted it.
Left, right.
Chuchu’s eyes tracked it back and forth.
“Haha, he’s completely mesmerized.”
Understandable.
Even we had lost our minds over the Seondo.
“Want some?”
“Chu…!”
Chuchu clasped his paws together and stared at the Seondo with longing eyes.
The sight was so adorable I wanted to tease him longer, but—
“Popo-!!”
Popo bounced beside me with an @_@ expression that clearly said “Don’t.”
So I stopped.
“Here! Eat up.”
“Chuchu!!!”
The moment I handed over the slice, Chuchu dashed forward, grabbed it, and began gnawing furiously.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!
The fruit shrank visibly with every bite.
“Chuchuchu!!”
He let out one blissful cry in the middle.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!
Then he resumed devouring it with single-minded focus.
“Chu!”
A moment later, Chuchu finished the last drop of juice and flopped onto his back.
He patted his round belly with one paw. Pat, pat!
“Chuuu…!”
His mouth hung open, eyes closed, as though he had reached nirvana.
He looked like he had tasted paradise itself.
‘No level-up for him.’
Chuchu’s level must have been too high; a single slice wasn’t enough to push him over.
Still, seeing him so happy warmed my heart.
“Chu!”
Chuchu suddenly sat up.
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“Popo?”
When we turned our attention to him, Chuchu reached into his belly pouch.
Then—
Pop!
“Chuchu!!”
What emerged was a root larger than Chuchu himself.
Uh…
That root looked suspiciously like a person.
“Chuchu!”
Chuchu set the root on the ground.
“How interesting.”
I poked the face-like part with my finger.
@Greeeeeee!
A sudden shriek burst from the root as it writhed!
“······!”
“Popo-!!!”
I stumbled backward in shock.
Popo bounced in place with wide (O_O) eyes.
“W-what is that?”
The unknown plant stopped moving after one twitch.
Herbal Medicine Master activated at once, revealing its name and level.
Mandragora, Lv115
Good heavens!
A Mandragora?
Name:Mandragora (Mandrake)
Level:115
Effect:Upon consumption, <Physical Regeneration> and <Magic Resistance> greatly increase for 60 minutes.
Permanent:Slight increase to recovery speed and magic resistance.
Permanent:Minor boost to physical regeneration and magic resistance.
Bonus:Slight amplification of sensory abilities.
Bonus:Slight increase in ability to sense nature’s flow.
Note:Repeated use greatly raises latent magic resistance. Continuous consumption may eventually grant magic immunity.
The information window scrolled before my eyes.
“Whoa…”
This was an elixir on the same level as the Seondo.
‘Where on earth did he find this?’
As far as I knew, Mandragoras had never actually appeared in the world.
Even the Mandragora’s existence was only known through mythical records discovered inside the Abyss Tower.
‘Search the Superhuman Net.’
I looked up information on Mandragoras.
Nickname: ElixirHunter30000
Title: Let’s Identify a Rare Elixir (31)
Content: Hello again. This is my thirty-first post. Today I’m introducing the Mandragora, an elixir long shrouded in mysterious legend.
First, a confession: I’ve never actually seen one either. This is just passing on records found inside the Abyss Tower.
Now, let me tell you.
The Mandragora is a plant found in nature, but it is no ordinary herb.
This elixir, with roots shaped like a human, is said to possess legendary power because of its form and properties.
Especially the true secret of the Mandragora lies in its roots.
When consumed, the Mandragora’s roots exhibit powerful restorative effects and maximize the circulation of internal energy.
Beyond simple recovery, records state this elixir excels at amplifying mental and spiritual energy.
It is also said to greatly enhance magic resistance.
……(Omitted)……
Furthermore, the Mandragora is said to possess the power to completely rebirth a person, making it an elixir sought by transcendents when they wish to surpass their current realm……(Omitted)……
As expected of a legendary elixir, the description was long.
Yet every detail was fascinating enough to make my eyes light up.
- Whoa. So Mandragoras are real elixirs.
- I want to dig one up.
- Me too.
- If I keep climbing the Abyss Tower, maybe I’ll find one someday?
Every comment was just people wishing they could have one.
“Chuchu, you little rascal…!”
I looked at Chuchu with admiration.
“Chuchu!”
Chuchu placed both hands on his hips and gave a proud “Ahem.”
“Haha.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the cute display.
“Good job. Really good job!”
“Popo!”
When Popo and I hugged and praised him—
“Chuchu!”
Chuchu, clearly delighted, raised both arms to the sky and wiggled his hips.
‘Chuchu really is a walking lucky charm.’
Bringing home a Mandragora on his very first trip.
I couldn’t wait to see what he would bring next.
“Let’s plant this for now.”
The Mandragora.
Eating it right away felt like too much of a waste.
So I made a decision.
I would grow it here, let it bloom, and harvest its seeds.
If I planted every seed across the Dragon’s Lair…?
‘……I’d have an entire Mandragora field.’
Kya.
The thought sent a thrill through me.
The same plan applied to the Seondo.
Every time I obtained seeds, I would plant them and keep increasing the numbers.
‘At this rate, becoming a legendary elixir farmer might be faster than awakening as a mythic superhuman through dragon blood.’
Pfft—
A pleased smile tugged at my lips.
That path didn’t sound so bad either.
***
After the joyful commotion finally settled, Seojun, Popo, and Chuchu all fell asleep beside Dania.
At that moment—
Outside the Dragon’s Lair.
A shadow slowly emerged from the darkness.
Slither.
A serpentine creature over fifteen meters long from head to tail.
Covered in sharp, gleaming scales of red and black, the being was a spirit-type monster known as NagaTara.
Because it resembled an eastern dragon, people sometimes called it a cheap imitation of a Dragon.
The inner core it carried inside its body contained mana proportional to its level, so spirit hunters would shout “Jackpot!” whenever they found one.
However, that only applied up to a certain level.
This particular NagaTara was Level 185.
Its power was so catastrophic that it could bring about the end of the world alone.
Facing it was something to fear even in dreams, let alone attempt to hunt.
“Shhhriiiit.”
The creature gazed at the Dragon’s Lair with glowing red eyes.
The delicious-looking golden-furred lifeform’s trail ended here.
“Shhhrit!”
Realizing this was Chuchu’s hidden lair, the NagaTara licked its lips and gathered crimson mana into its tail.
It was preparing a single strike to shatter the lair’s barrier and drag its prey outside.
Ziiing!!
The mana around its tail reached its peak.
BOOOOOOM!!
The air around the tail twisted violently as destructive mana surged.
Power enough to erase the entire land.
Just as it swung its tail toward the barrier—
Crack! Riiip—!
Space tore open and a figure burst forth.
“······Shhhit?”
A tiny body less than fifty centimeters tall.
Wrapped in black armor from head to toe, the being looked completely harmless at first glance.
However—
The instant red light flashed from its eyes—
“Shh, shhhit.”
The NagaTara understood.
The creature before it was not something it could possibly oppose.
And the master of the place guarded by such a being could only be…
Of the greatest race.
『Archeron. Intruder identification complete. Beginning incineration protocol.』
Creak, creak.
The small arm slowly rose.
Even facing that slow motion, the NagaTara could not move.
Like a butterfly caught in a spider’s web, it could only submit to Archeron’s execution.
Flash—!
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The crimson beam fired from Archeron’s arm swept across the NagaTara’s head.
Thud!!
The headless body collapsed to the ground.
『Corpse incineration in progress…』
Just as Archeron raised both arms to cleanly dispose of the remains—
“Chuchu!”
Chuchu suddenly appeared in front of Archeron.
“Chuchu! Chuchu!”
Chuchu crossed both arms in an X shape.
Then he dashed straight toward the NagaTara’s corpse.
And then—
“Chu!!”
His eyes sparkled as he pulled a pair of golden gloves from his belly pouch and slipped them on.