Chapter 108

Translator: MJK

Chapter: 108

Chapter Title: How to Use the Magic Stones in My House

The massive White Snake, curled up its enormous body, looked around with wide eyes, as if it couldn't comprehend the situation at all.

"S, ssss?!"

Upon closer inspection, at the tip of its tail was a precious piece of scorched rice it had shared with the badger, carefully curled up there.

It seemed the snake had been leisurely enjoying snack time at the senior center on the back mountain when it was suddenly summoned to this murky swamp without a clue why.

The sight of such a huge creature clutching scorched rice in its tail, looking utterly flustered.

'Could it be, from that time?'

Suddenly, a hunch came to mind.

A while back, when treating Kkoko, the White Snake had shed one of its scales for me.

If a tiny bit of blood had dripped from that spot onto the field...

'Just like with Gorani, it might have become bound to me?'

Absolute's Herb Garden recognizes any creature that sheds blood on the field as part of the territory's family.

I'd unintentionally forced this mountain elder into a summoning.

"Ssss?"

The White Snake still wore a baffled expression, flicking its tongue repeatedly at the unfamiliar, stagnant air of this place.

"White ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Snake, sorry about this, but stick around for a bit. It's dangerous here, so stay behind me..."

Kieeeek-!

At that moment, the swamp's ghost horde detected the intruder and swarmed in.

A legion of fog spirits immune to physical attacks.

But.

"Ssss."

The White Snake clicked its tongue in annoyance.

The moment its slit pupils gleamed...

The cores of the fog spirits—invisible to ordinary monsters or hunters—shone as clear as daylight in the spirit beast's eyes.

"Ssswick—shoo."

Fwaaaaa-!

A dazzling flash erupted from the white crystal horn on the White Snake's forehead.

Chiiiii-!

The instant the light touched them, hundreds of fog spirits filling the swamp melted away without even a proper scream.

One flash.

And that was it. Done.

The spirit beast White Snake's aura purified the entire map, vaporizing the fog spirits in a single blow.

'Whoa...'

I couldn't hold back my admiration.

The White Snake wasn't just big—it was the real deal, a true spirit beast.

Its power was divine and overwhelming, different in nature from Gorani's brute force.

"Great job, White Snake! You're amazing!"

I gave it a thumbs-up, and the White Snake bashfully lowered its head a little.

The White Snake elegantly coiled its body and gazed at me.

"Ssss?"

I smiled, stroking its sleek scales.

"You're the best. Thanks to you, I can pick up So-ye on time from school."

Time to prepare some special treats when I get home.

Hunter Net exploded once again.

It had gone quiet for a bit, but news of Muryong's new record blew it up.

All sorts of predictions poured in over its feats: dominating even intellect-heavy floors and physically immune monsters with overwhelming speed, on top of raw power.

Public opinion was slowly reigniting the hype around the hero known as Muryong.

At the same time, in Assemblyman Park Min-cheol's office in Yeouido.

Park Min-cheol grimaced at the report on his desk.

"Still no contact with Gorani Man?"

"Yes, sir. He's outright refusing meetings. Rumors say he's backed by the president's line, so forcing him would be awkward."

Park Min-cheol irritably loosened his tie at his secretary's words.

"Pushing too hard would just backfire. With the president shielding him ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠already, it's not easy to touch."

If he couldn't control Gorani Man, he needed something even stronger.

Then, his eyes caught the monitor screen.

The top real-time search term.

[#1. Muryong]

"Muryong, huh..."

Park Min-cheol's eyes gleamed.

The mysterious newcomer shattering every Tower record.

Public interest rivaled Gorani Man's.

"People chanting 'Gorani Man' like he's all that—honestly, it's getting stale."

Park Min-cheol snorted.

"Farming all day, dragging around some animal called Gorani? Novel at first, but now it's just hick vibes. Image is wearing thin. The public always craves something more stimulating, more fresh—a new hero."

Right, why hadn't he thought of that?

Gorani Man's image was too plebeian, too unruly.

But Muryong? The overwhelming conqueror of the Tower.

"That's it. True power in this era lies in the Tower."

Park Min-cheol stood, murmuring as he gazed at the National Assembly building outside.

"Think about it—why is the world obsessed with hunters?"

"Uh... because they slay monsters well?"

"No. The Tower is still humanity's unknown frontier, an infinite resource trove. Magic stones, artifacts, rare materials... all future wealth and power pours from its peak."

He gestured to Seoul's nightscape beyond the window.

"Know where 30% of our energy comes from? Magic stones mined from the Tower. Perfect clean energy, zero radioactive waste!"

And that was just the start.

New alloys from the Tower had conquered aerospace; compounds from dungeon plants had cures for cancer and dementia within reach.

"Remember this: magic stones drive it all."

Park Min-cheol pulled out a premium magic stone he kept like a treasure.

"Anti-grav engines, space-expansion artifacts, immortality elixirs—all junk without high-purity magic stone energy. It's the 21st century's oil! Nations are ranked by how much they hoard."

The surest way to seize future tech dominance.

A war over who monopolizes the most magic stones.

Conquering the Tower meant money and power, inevitably.

"Seen Gorani Man climb the Tower? At best, he farms. Blocking the great rift? Grateful, sure, but not worshipped. But Muryong?"

"You're right, sir. Pops up after months, clears just one floor, and now global media and communities are in a frenzy."

"Exactly."

Park Min-cheol was convinced.

To seize the presidency, he needed the Tower's ruler: Muryong.

"Forget Gorani Man. We're going after Muryong."

"But sir, Muryong's identity is completely unknown... no way to reach them."

"That's the opportunity. I'll unearth what no one else can and present it to the world."

Park Min-cheol smirked, pulling a document from his desk drawer.

A bill draft up for legislative preview.

[Virtual Asset and Unregistered Hunter Real-Name Act]

"What do guys like Muryong fear most? Lack of money? Power? No. They hide behind anonymity but crave spending their Tower haul in the real world."

Park Min-cheol's eyes cunningly glinted.

"They've cashed out via black markets till now, but once this passes, their throats ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tighten. No real-name verification, no spending a penny."

"Then...?"

"I'll legally open that backdoor. Designate them special managed assets under my guarantee—no identity reveal, full asset legalization. Tax breaks as a bonus."

Park Min-cheol's plan was meticulous.

Muryong's gold and items were surely astronomical in value.

But hiding their identity meant they couldn't spend freely—must be frustrating.

'Like fruit you can't eat.'

The agony of wealth you can't touch.

Become their sole savior, and Muryong would come crawling.

"Not bad, right?"

"Brilliant as always, sir!"

At the secretary's flattery, Park Min-cheol sank contentedly into his chair.

"Watch. No matter how elite the hunter, money talks. They'll come begging on their knees."

At the same time, in the countryside home's yard.

Kang-hyun sat on the porch, toying with a sparkling magic stone like a plaything.

Clatter—

Flipping the pouch spilled out the shimmering stones he'd swept up from Floor 23.

"Wow, really racked up a haul this time."

"Stuffed the security systems full, stacked 'em like briquettes in storage, and still this much left."

Kang-hyun grinned, picking up the largest, most radiant top-grade stone.

He wove it into a leather cord necklace.

"Here, White Snake. Come here."

The White Snake in the corner of the yard slowly raised its head.

He draped the necklace around its neck.

The red glow against its white scales suited it perfectly.

"You worked hard today. This is a gift."

"Sssss..."

The White Snake seemed pleased, stretching its neck this way and that to admire it.

"And this is your special treat."

Kang-hyun set down a bowl from the kitchen.

Inside: eggs laid by Kkoko, softly boiled and drizzled with fragrant sesame oil—a tonic snakes loved.

"Sssup!"

The White Snake's eyes went wide.

Such premium spirit eggs were a rare delicacy even for ancient spirit beasts.

Forgetting decorum, it dunked its head in and gulped one down.

Gulp.

"Sssss~!"

It writhed happily at the taste.

"Now, what to do with the rest."

Kang-hyun pondered the mountain of stones.

"Muryong, wanna play with these?"

He rolled five fist-sized premium stones to Muryong.

Gems worth hundreds of millions tumbled across the ground.

-Hrmyu!

Muryong excitedly juggled stones as big as itself.

Then, curious Hasuo toddled over from the side.

"Ppoeng?"

Hasuo grabbed one with its stubby root hand.

Heavy, but it grunted and tossed it in the air like Muryong.

Thud.

The stone bonked right onto Hasuo's head.

"Ppo... ppoeng."

Hasuo rubbed its head, sniffling.

Muryong demonstrated.

It tossed all five skyward, caught them on its forepaws, then snatched them mid-air—advanced tricks, even catching one in its mouth and spitting it out.

"Ppoooo!"

Hasuo seal-clapped in awe.

Muryong strutted, piling stones before Hasuo and teaching it to flick and catch one by one.

"They're having a blast."

Kang-hyun smiled warmly, grabbing handfuls of the rest and scattering them around the yard.

"Gets dark going to the bathroom at night—perfect for lighting."

The embedded stones glowed softly like streetlamps.

No electric bill, just the right brightness—ideal.

He even laid some under the straw in the chicken coop.

"Kkoko, chilly nights lately? Better than a heating mat."

"Kko, kkooo..."

Kkoko looked touched by the toasty warmth from below.

Perfect postpartum temp for the daily layer.

"Hasuo, you too."

To Hasuo, whose hands were cold from tending the perennial snow ginseng.

"Ppoeng!"

A lavish scene: national strategic assets as yard lights and chicken coop heaters.

In Kang-hyun's home, magic stones were just shiny rocks.

Nothing more.