Chapter 4
[Entering Tower 1st Floor.]
The landscape changed as my vision flashed.
“Phew.”
A Tower visited after a truly long time.
I lifted my head harboring slight nervousness.
A green grassland spread out widely.
A landscape so realistic that one cannot imagine it is inside a Tower.
Should I say it feels like I came to Switzerland?
As I was losing myself for a moment at the scenery that is stylish whenever I see it, the fellow peeked its head out from my pocket.
PYUREUREUT, PYUREUREUT.
Spiky. Meaning the Angler Flower, twists its stem here and there as if excited.
“How is it? Is it a familiar feeling?”
Flutter, flutter.
It shakes its flower bud up and down.
At the same time, a message rising.
Defeat 10 Hard Snails.
Progress: 0/10
Reward: Lowest Grade Magic Stone 1kg
“Good, let’s give it a try.”
There is an area called ‘Safety Zone’ in the Tower.
That area, existing on all floor numbers, is a kind of safe zone and at the same time, the only method to escape voluntarily from inside the Tower.
That means, if you leave the ‘Safety Zone’, you cannot escape voluntarily.
Either clear the floor, or die.
Therefore, most Hunters lure monsters to hunt as they go up to higher floors.
Dragging them near the Safety Zone to fight, and throwing their bodies into the Safety Zone quickly if the situation becomes critical.
However, this is also from the 10th floor and up.
For me dealing with merely 1st-floor snails, there is no need for that.
In the first place, running away in underwear against snails is also embarrassing.
...Though I was expelled because I couldn't break the shells.
But now it is different!
Because I roughly got the sense of how to use my ability!
The System didn't give me the Angler Flower from the start for no reason.
Two seeds inside the inventory when I first awakened.
One is Dawn, the remaining one is Spiky.
If it wasn't for the book I discovered by chance, I would still haven't gotten the sense, but anyway.
“Spiky, can you do it?”
The fellow peeking its head out from the jacket pocket shakes its flower bud up and down, vroom vroom.
That appearance was insanely cute, but on one hand, worry came first.
Because the size of those crazy snails visible before my eyes wasn't normal.
A massive dark brown shell reaching up to my calf.
For reference, my height is 185cm.
Anyway, can this small and precious fellow even fight properly against gigantic snails?
Still, since they are guys with no attack power, that one thing is fortunate.
I took Spiky out of the pocket and put it down gently on the ground.
“Don't overdo it too much. If you think it is dangerous, you must return to me immediately. Got it?”
PYUREUNG!
The sharp spikes on the stem and leaves puff up.
Feeling like it was saying not to ignore it, I decided to stop nagging and cheer for it.
[You use Growth Acceleration.]
The skill I used every time I gave food.
My unique skill, used without missing a day since when I had no information about the fellows, was used.
However, that result value was completely different from usual.
[Spiky (Angler Flower) accepts its Master’s mana completely.]
“Uh?”
A message I see for the first time in my life.
The thought 'What is this?' was brief.
KUDUDUDUK.
Spiky’s bulk, which was emitting green light from its whole body, started to balloon in an instant.
Continuously, endlessly.
Spiky, which became gigantic in an instant like Jack and the Beanstalk, swish toward me with its leaves.
It dug into the ground like an arrow.
“Crazy, what is this...?”
The snails visible before my eyes are at least 15.
To the guys showing their own movements, like sticking to rocks or trees, or crawling on the grassland, one change occurred simultaneously.
KWADUDUDUK!!
Their movements were blocked by stems with sharp spikes that popped out of the ground out of nowhere.
Afterward, small mouths appeared here and there on Spiky’s stems and leaves.
KWAJAK, KWAJAK, KWAJAJAK.
In an instant, all 15 snails disappeared from before my eyes.
Losing my mind at that unbelievable spectacle was brief.
[You have acquired Creation Fragment.]
A message I see for the first time in my life floated before my eyes.
“EX-Rank...? There was something like that?”
Hunter Lee Se-hwa’s case was S-Rank.
But a rank higher than that.
Doesn't this mean there is a real possibility for becoming a Ranker?
That isn't all.
A small stone fragment was inside the inventory.
As I was staring quietly at the fragment sprinkling light clusters like the milky way, Spiky approached.
“Spiky!”
The fellow returned to its original size before I knew it.
It was shaking its petals gently as if feeling very good from feasting after a long time.
It would be understandable to be scared at the overwhelming destructive power, but in my eyes, it was just cute.
“You aren't hurt anywhere, right?”
When I lifted the fellow carefully, it started rubbing its petals against my cheek.
“Hahaha, that tickles.”
Fortunately, it seemed there were no injuries.
I brought plenty of potions just in case.
It is fortunate there was no need to use them.
“By the way, that’s amazing. You, you are extremely strong?”
PYUREUNG!
It makes such a sound and lifts its leaves.
A gesture as if asking if I just realized that.
Laughter came out automatically at that appearance.
“Haha, okay, okay. Thanks to you, there won't be worries about climbing the Tower.”
After putting Spiky, who was nodding its flower bud, into my pocket, I decided to wander around the 1st floor of the Tower.
Maybe I can discover a new plant species?
Like that, quite a while of taking the book out of inventory and searching thoroughly.
“Is it because it’s the 1st floor, there is nothing special...”
I wasted a considerably long time, but I don't feel it is a waste.
Setting aside obtaining the possibility for climbing, above all, grasping the ecology of the Tower is extremely important.
Since these guys are plants native to the Tower originally.
Therefore, I filled the collecting tools I brought with soil and tree bark that could become samples and put them in the inventory.
[You exit the Tower.]
While I’m at it, I should change the flower pots for Dawn and Spiky too.
Republic of Korea Awakened Management Bureau.
A place existing to manage the personal information of all Hunters existing in the Republic of Korea, and to support those who climb the Tower to prevent destruction.
Simply put, it is like this, but the actual work they do includes Player registration, nurturing, education, management, and even doubling as the role of an auction house processing and selling Magic Stones or various items coming out of the Tower.
That place, running busily 365 days a year, turned upside down just a moment ago.
“Yes. We are also doing our best to grasp the situation right now...”
“Department Head, emergency call from Hanshin Group!”
“Damn it, tell them I’m busy!”
A system message that floated up suddenly.
[Republic of Korea Tower 1st Floor has succeeded in EX-Rank conquest.]
Confusion started to spread rapidly centering around Awakened employees working at the Management Bureau.
EX-Rank? What is that?
Isn't S-Class the maximum?
So who is it?
You don't know? Then find out!
Due to the notice that floated up suddenly without any precursor, the Management Bureau was literally Chaos itself.
“No, so Chairman, the location cannot be grasped via system message...”
“Hey Reporter Kim, this is Department Head Park Chang-sik of the Management Bureau; you were writing an article right now, right? Let’s not upload that yet.”
“Separately organize an Excel sheet of people standing out from the list registered as Awakened recently!”
Due to the flood of inquiry calls, everyone from the lowest employees of the Management Bureau to department head level personnel skipped leaving work and entered emergency measures.
“First contact the broadcasters and block the news from going out somehow, and figure out the location quickly!”
“SNS and internet communities are also in an uproar!”
“Shit, we can't do anything about that. Let’s block the articles from going out first!”
The reason they are in such an uproar is none other than Lee Se-hwa.
A young and promising Hunter carrying the future of the Republic of Korea.
The signboard and pride of the Republic of Korea’s Awakened Management Bureau.
However, as she failed the 52nd floor conquest twice recently, she gave huge disappointment to the citizens.
Those arrows of criticism were all pouring onto the Management Bureau.
Saying it’s because the Management Bureau didn't support her properly.
Saying they take heaps of taxes and do nothing.
Saying if Korea ends up like Australia, it’s all because of the incompetent bastards at the Management Bureau.
A situation where they are eating all the insults they would eat in a lifetime.
Furthermore, in such a situation, a server-wide notice that someone succeeded in EX-Rank conquest popped up out of nowhere.
In the first place, the Tower doing a server-wide notice is when Hunters belonging to that country conquer a new floor.
And, when the Tower’s destruction is imminent.
Until now, only these two cases have been revealed.
A situation like now couldn't be found even after searching every country in the world.
“Fuck, just who is it? Which bastard is this amazing!”
While spitting out words ambiguous to be called insults, the Management Bureau employees were only suffering from the flocking baptism of calls.
“Heave-ho, done.”
I moved and planted Spiky who fell asleep Zzz after feasting to its fill after a long time.
Afterward, I even changed the flower pot for Dawn with soil brought from the Tower.
PYORONG, PYORONG.
Flicking the center with golden light, I felt good along with the fellow liking it.
“You like it that much?”
Pyorong.
Thinking about it again, it is fascinating.
Plants that communicate.
While staring blankly at that appearance, I took out a black, smooth oval seed from the inventory.
[Dark Lantern Flower Seed]
“I will let you meet a new friend sooner or later.”
I moved and planted this into a new flower pot made with soil brought from the Tower.
And the book, Chwaruruk.
I intended to follow the proper raising method as much as possible.
“Likes shady and dark places...”
Do I have to make a darkroom?
“It seems Magic Stones are food that all of them can eat in common.”
That one thing was fortunate.
...The money going out is the problem.
Anyway, money is the problem, money.
“Mixing Magic Stones in the dawn dew of the last day of the lunar month is a special meal?”
What a peculiar friend.
It also seems to suit the name Lantern well.
First, settled in a corner space where sunlight doesn't reach as much as possible.
I gave water mixed with ground Magic Stones from the cart.
Ah, come to think of it.
Growth Stimulant.
I was forgetting this.
Since I remembered, I should give it.
One gift each for Dawn, Spiky, and Lantern.
Afterward, I used Growth Acceleration containing sincerity for them to grow well.
[You have acquired Growth Stimulant as a reward.]
“These days it keeps giving only Growth Stimulants.”
Already 6 stimulants piled up in the inventory.
Well, since it is for my babies, I have no complaints.
Still, can't it give nutrients or things like that too?
“Tsk.”
Smacking my lips, I came outside.
Today I planned to rest from potion manufacturing and set up future plans firmly.
First, I started by organizing the rewards I currently have and the events that happened in the Tower today.
“6 Growth Stimulants, 1 Creation Fragment. 4 Healing Potions. Money is roughly around 1.5 million Won.”
Adding the events that happened in the Tower today.
At this point, I’m an idiot if I don't notice.
“I, might have really obtained an amazing ability.”
While other Awakened cannot use skills outside the Tower, I was able to from the start.
Of course, there is a possibility it’s because it’s not a combat skill.
Even the Daily Quest where rewards are given daily.
Plus EX-Rank conquest.
One strange thing is that the effect of the skill inside the Tower and outside was completely different.
“No matter how I think about this, I don't know.”
Just as I was worrying if there was anywhere to ask, the thick Introduction to Alchemy placed on the desk caught my eye.
Thinking about it, all this started after discovering that book.
Therefore, I turned on the Alba Hell app immediately, and couldn't help but get goosebumps.
[Withdrawn Member]
It isn't simply just Alba Hell.
Call records, texts, taxi payment history, even the 1 million Won deposit history all disappeared.
“No, what on earth...”
Can this be possible?
If it was simply Alba Hell withdrawal, maybe, but calls, texts, deposit history, and even the taxi, all of it?
Feeling a chilling sensation, I entered the address into the satellite map as I remembered it, but.
What floated on the phone screen was just a forest where nothing existed.
Only a dense forest existed there.
(End of Chapter)
— Translated by Prime Works —