The Second Horn (2)
‘Whoa.’
What the hell just happened?
I blinked in disbelief and immediately checked Dania's level.
‘Holy shit.’
She'd hit a whopping Lv140.
She was just Lv130 a moment ago—that was a straight 10-level jump.
“That's insane.”
『Dania's body full of power!』
Dania shouted that triumphantly.
Then.
Crunch, cruuunch.
Changes rippled through her body.
She shot up in height.
Felt like she'd grown at least 5cm taller.
Her beautiful iridescent scales, shimmering with five colors, had deepened in hue even more.
“Popo!”
“Chuuu!”
The guardians who'd watched her growth celebrated like it was their own.
『Hehe. Thanks!』
I stroked the beaming Dania's head and eyed her new second horn.
Unlike the first horn, which gleamed pure white overall, this one was a vivid blue from base to tip.
‘The Horn of Amplification.’
I reached out and gently caressed Dania's second horn.
Vmmm.
The mana flowing from my hand resonated with the horn, and I felt that flow swell dramatically.
I could guess the mechanism behind "amplification."
‘It amps up mana. That's why the Shine Muscat's effects got boosted earlier.’
Thanks to the amplification power, her growth acceleration had spiked momentarily.
『Uuung, so tired~』
“Ah!”
I yanked my hand back at her reaction.
She must've burned through a ton of energy using the second horn just now.
And when I triggered it again, the sudden fatigue hit her hard.
“Sorry, Dania. Get some good rest for now.”
『Uuung! Dania gonna nap!』
With that, Dania curled up and drifted off.
She was snoring softly in seconds.
‘If I make good use of Dania's second horn from here on...’
It seemed versatile for growth speed and all sorts of other applications.
‘No idea how many horns she'll grow in total, but each one's a game-changer.’
I gazed warmly at the sleeping Dania.
“Master. I'll go craft that survey drone now. Design's all done, so it won't take long!”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks.”
She'd spaced out for a sec, but looked ready to roll.
Bellerin hurried out of the lair toward her workshop.
‘Time for me to grab more kiwis.’
Pluck, munch, munch.
The kiwi's signature tart-sweet burst filled my mouth.
Munch, munch, gulp!
‘Ahh.’
The mana surging up my throat digested with a refreshing zing.
Keep munching kiwis, and I could feel my mana settling in.
‘Maybe a bit more Seondo fragment.’
I spotted the unfinished chunk of Seondo.
Crunch!
I bit right in.
Heavenly sweetness exploded across my tongue again!!
Your maximum mana has greatly increased.
My levels shot up again.
That put me at Lv48.
Over 10 levels in a single day.
Even I could hardly believe the pace.
‘Damn.’
Leveling this fast made Lv100 feel right around the corner.
“Popo, Chuchu. We gotta ramp up kiwi harvests big time. Oh, and Shine Muscats too.”
“Popo!”
“Chuu!”
Popo and Chuchu piped up right away.
Perfect.
From now on, kiwis and Shine Muscats are our staple grub.
That's when system messages popped up.
<Lunadria, Lv ???> x5 sold at auction.
<Baekyang Herb, Lv ???> x5 sold at auction.
Auction proceeds (minus 10% Superhuman Net fee) have been deposited.
Oh!
Lunadria and Baekyang Herbs sold.
‘The amount...’
My eyes bulged like saucers at the final bids.
Lunadria x5: 3,561,500 Coins. Per stalk: 713,100 Coins.
Baekyang Herb x5: 11,629,500 Coins. Per stalk: 2,325,900 Coins.
Total: 15,191,000 Coins.
Over 15 million Coins in my pocket.
‘Why'd they fetch such insane prices?’
Curious, I checked the Superhuman Net forums.
‘Ah.’
Got it.
Chinese money poured in.
‘Next batch'll go even higher.’
Once folks taste the Lunadria and Baekyang Herbs, they'll be back for more.
Word of mouth breeds more buzz, drawing bigger crowds to the auction.
‘Hold off a bit to build hype? Or list now?’
Spacing 'em out would make buyers sweat, ramping up the bidding war.
But listing right away means faster Coins.
‘Hmm.’
Short deliberation, then decision.
‘List now.’
Time's money to me.
Delaying costs more in the long run.
Plus, the hype's hot—prices won't dip much either way.
‘This time...’
Lunadria x5.
Baekyang Herb x5.
And 100mL Gongcheong Oil to boot.
Three lots up for auction.
I headed to the Gongcheong Oil spring to harvest.
But, huh.
What the...?
‘The hole where the Gongcheong Oil flows out... it's wider?’
Not my imagination.
The opening had noticeably expanded.
I peered closely into the spring, puzzled.
***
“Ah!”
Hong Seolhwa let out a sigh.
Lunadria and Baekyang Herb.
Failed to snag either.
“What a shame.”
She sounded genuinely bummed.
Just one of those crops could've supercharged her clanmates' growth.
“Sorry. I'll ramp up our funds for next time.”
“Please do.”
Hong Seolhwa's eyes sparkled at her uncle's words.
Madoje's spirit herbs.
They'd boost not just her, but the whole clan's power.
‘Where the heck does Madoje source these?’
Growing them?
She was dying to know.
Top of the list to ask if they ever met face-to-face.
‘...But why no reply?’
Shed sent a message a while back, mustering the courage to suggest meeting up.
Still crickets.
Ghosted? Nah, he's probably swamped... She forced optimism.
“Master, what about the mithril Madoje listed?”
“Bid high on that too. It's gotta be something special.”
Madoje's mithril wasn't drawing Lunadria-level heat yet.
His rep would push it above standard mithril prices, sure.
But she sensed way more value there.
‘We have to secure the first batch.’
It'd be an honor, plus a perfect excuse to ping Madoje again.
Her eyes gleamed at the listing.
***
Far from Seojun's Dragon's Lair.
Ruuuumble.
A spot shrouded in dark mist.
『Perished at last.』
A formless, rippling presence murmured lowly.
『Foolish thing.』
Red-and-gold eyes flashed.
『Grim Reaper. Your lingering essence will serve our grand design well.』
With that.
Eerie light blazed from its eyes once more.
***
The frigid Forbidden Zone in the north.
Alexei Volkov and his superhumans held the line against another monster wave.
“Hup.”
Alexei inhaled deep, cocking back his fist.
Ziiiiing!!!!
Massive ice mana converged on his fist.
He thrust forward.
BOOM!!!!
A third of the wave vaporized.
“Woooah!”
“Captain's unstoppable!”
“Man, ever since hitting the Twelve Heavens... it's just awe-inspiring.”
Alexei with Heart of the Arctic (SSS).
Past Lv80, his might made him a war god amid this eternal blizzard.
Waves were getting tougher, sure.
But with him? They'd hold forever.
“Hm?”
Then.
Shaaa...
A hazy silhouette.
Ominous aura.
A freakish monster unlike any before.
“Huh?”
“What the hell's that?”
Alexei's men spotted it late, voices puzzled.
“Kusta!”
“Scanning now!”
The guy called Kusta dashed forward.
His trait: Scout (SS).
Peer into foes' info.
“Replica Grim Reaper...?”
He blinked, continuing.
“Level 8, 80!”
“...!”
Alexei and everyone froze in shock.
No Lv80 monster had ever hit a wave or break.
“This ain't good.”
Alexei narrowed his eyes and stepped up.
“Fall back, all of you!”
His men retreated—couldn't tank the shockwaves.
Boom, boom, KABOOOM!!
Explosions rocked the earth, air quaking.
A grueling fight.
Victor?
“Huff...”
Alexei Volkov.
“Woooah!”
“Captain—!”
“Knew it!!”
Alexei raised a hand, signaling he was fine.
But inwardly, he clicked his tongue.
His eyes reflected his shattered gauntlet from the brawl.
More of these? Defense might crack eventually.
‘Need gear to fully harness this frost power.’
Only then could he endure whatever came next.
But.
Where to get it?
His worries deepened.
***
“Hm. Nothing stands out...”
The Gongcheong Oil spring.
No real differences beyond the widened hole.
‘Only change is the Gongcheong Oil's level bumped up.’
Definitely Lv99 before.
Now Lv100, somehow.
Unlike Popo's tilled crops hitting Lv100 with flair, this seemed quiet...
‘Ah!’
Come to think of it, last time.
Dania's hatching burst of five-colored light.
It lingered at the Gongcheong Oil spring too.
That the cause?
‘Feels even clearer now.’
Whatever, better for me.
‘List 'em now.’
Lunadria x5, Baekyang Herb x5, Gongcheong Oil 100mL.
Back on auction.
Then another kiwi bite.
Crunch.
Nonstop munching.
“Eat while you work, Bellerin.”
“Yessir! Thanks, Master!”
Bellerin grinned brightly.
Her drone was taking shape.
A small orb with a mana stone lens.
Peer through that from inside the lair to scout outside.
‘Once that's done, we'll pinpoint the lair's location.’
From what I knew, it screamed Abyss Tower.
But doubts nagged too.
Nailing the spot would help plan post-lair life.
So.
‘Drone's key.’
I watched Bellerin craft intently.
Then.
Flicker!
“...!”
A faint blue gleam streaked by.
Source?
‘The Gongcheong Oil spring?’
The widened hole inside.
Yeah, it sparkled from there.