Chapter 76
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MJK
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Gorani's Dimensional Gate Drive
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Lately, Hasuo had been looking more and more listless.
He no longer toddled around the field like he used to. Instead, he spent most of his time huddled in a corner of the vegetable patch, just staring at the ground.
"Hasuo, are you feeling sick?"
"Ppeong..."
Hasuo weakly shook his head.
'What's going on?'
Come to think of it, the spot Hasuo was staring at was right where the [Seed of Hasuo Infused with Hope] had been planted.
'Ah.'
Maybe he'd started feeling down after we harvested that seed. Was it a sense of loss from seeing something we'd raised so carefully leave us?
I gently stroked the moping Hasuo's head.
"Just hold on a sec."
I fetched some wooden fencing and set up a small section in the sunniest spot of the vegetable patch.
[Hasuo's Vegetable Patch]
I even hung a little nameplate on the fence.
"There you go. This is your own personal patch from now on. Plant whatever you want here. Got it?"
"Ppeong?"
Hasuo's eyes went wide.
"Ppeong!"
Like a kid getting their very first room, Hasuo bounced around in delight.
Crunch, crunch!
He dashed straight to the shed, grabbed a tiny seedling spade in his mouth, and eagerly started digging up his new plot with overflowing enthusiasm.
I watched him fondly, but then my gaze drifted to the other side of the vegetable patch.
"Huh?"
It was the [Seed of the Forgotten Fruit Tree] that MK Chairman Lee Jin-seong had sent as a gift.
It was so small that I'd overlooked it before, but now a single tiny fruit had formed at the end of its spindly branch.
"No way... is this a lychee?"
The bright red, bumpy skin looked perfectly ripe.
Definitely a lychee—rare to see in Korea.
Curious, I plucked it right away to check it out.
[Item: First Fruit of the Forgotten Tree (Lychee)]
[Rank: Rare]
[Description: A mysterious fruit that the Forgotten Fruit Tree bears only one of at a time, whenever it's in the mood. It ripens only when its owner has completely forgotten about it. Its flavor is incomparable to any fruit in the world. The fruit type is random each time!]
'All about the taste, huh.'
I peeled back the shell and split the translucent flesh in half.
Then I handed one half each to Muryong and Hasuo.
-Hmew?
The moment Muryong skeptically took a bite...
-Hmewwooooow!!!
Muryong shuddered from head to tail, letting out a piercing wail.
"That good?"
I popped the remaining piece into my mouth.
"!"
Sweet, fragrant juice burst across my tongue.
I've only ever had frozen lychees before, but this fresh one was on another level. The tender, quivering texture enveloped my tongue, laced with a floral aroma that lingered in my nose.
-Hmew!!!
Muryong devoured his share in a blink and lunged at the rest in my hand like he'd lost all reason.
"Muryong, calm down!"
Hyaap!
After scarfing down the last bit, he collapsed to the ground with a look like the world had ended.
-Hmewaaaang...
It was all gone.
No more.
Realizing that, Muryong started bawling his eyes out.
I've never seen him cry this pitifully before—it threw me off.
"Ppeong..."
Hasuo toddled over to me.
He tapped my palm and pointed at the leftover seed I'd eaten around.
"This? What do you want to do with it?"
Hasuo stared up at me with pleading eyes, clearly asking for the seed.
Plop!
I handed it over, and he clutched it gently in his mouth before trotting happily to his little patch.
Poke, poke—
He carefully dug a hole right in the center of [Hasuo's Vegetable Patch] and planted his first seed.
Then he patted the soil over it and turned back to me with a shy smile.
"Ppeong!"
Like he was saying thanks.
His earlier gloom was completely gone—he was full of energy again.
Hasuo fussed over the soil around his planted seed with his tiny root hands, completely absorbed.
'Though it'll probably be a while before anything sprouts.'
I thought as I watched him tend to the seed so diligently.
The tree only bore fruit when forgotten by its owner, so the seed probably worked the same way.
Plus, lychees are subtropical fruit trees. In Korea's harsh climate, who knew if that little seed would even germinate properly.
'But whatever.'
As long as Hasuo was feeling better, that was enough for me.
Outskirts of the black market, an old house.
Early in the morning, Kim Se-jin awkwardly straightened his clothes in front of the mirror.
"Oppa, hurry up! Let's go!"
His little sister Kim Yu-na had been urging him on for a while now.
Today was the day they'd been invited to Kang-hyun's house.
Yu-na had been buzzing with excitement since dawn, like she was heading out on a picnic.
But Se-jin couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him.
'I got nothing decent to wear.'
His closet held only a few faded T-shirts bought on discount from the market.
He tried them on and off, but they all looked equally shabby—stretched necks, washed-out colors.
'I know he's not the type to judge, but...'
Showing up like this to someone else's home—would people point fingers and whisper about the orphan siblings?
Always wary of others' gazes, always on guard—that habit ran deep.
"Oppa, we're gonna be late!"
"Alright, alright."
Se-jin grabbed the small fruit basket he'd bought at the corner store with his crumpled-up savings.
Right on time, a sleek black sedan pulled up outside.
It was the taxi Kang-hyun had sent.
"Yay!"
The suited driver politely opened the door and even took the fruit basket.
Yu-na squealed with joy at her first ride in a luxury car, like a kid off on an adventure.
"Oppa, they have drinks and snacks here!"
"Yu-na, quiet down a bit."
Se-jin fidgeted anxiously, terrified of any slip-up—like sitting on pins and needles.
His sister, meanwhile, sank into the plush seats, gleefully pressing every fancy button she saw.
Before long, the car arrived at Kang-hyun's place.
"Whoa."
What caught Se-jin's eye was a picture-perfect scene.
Lush green fields, a cozy tiled house, and bizarre animals roaming the yard freely.
Worlds away from the black market's grim gloom.
"Tough trip?"
"Ah, hello! Hyung-nim!"
Kang-hyun was waiting to greet the siblings.
"Here... it's not much, but..."
Se-jin awkwardly offered the fruit basket.
"I told you empty hands are fine. You didn't have to buy this."
Kang-hyun ruffled Se-jin's hair.
And then.
"Hello! I've heard so much about you from oppa!"
A tiny girl popped out from beside Kang-hyun.
"!"
Se-jin's eyes went wide.
The doll-like child beamed brightly.
"Come on in. Let's eat first."
The spread Kang-hyun had prepared was packed with kid-friendly favorites: ome rice with sweet sauce, tender sirloin steak, tomato pasta loaded with cheese, and crispy fresh fries.
"Whoa, oppa! Try this! I've never had food this good!"
"Yu-na, don't talk with food in your mouth."
As Se-jin tried to correct his sister's manners, Kang-hyun chuckled.
"It's fine. Eat however you want here."
"Still..."
He said that, but even Se-jin found his sister's behavior unfamiliar.
Ever since she got sick, she'd barely had an appetite—seeing her eat so happily was a first.
"Try this too. It's super tasty!"
So-ye cut a bit of her steak and placed it on Yu-na's plate.
"Th-thank you..."
Yu-na shyly accepted, clearly warming to So-ye who was looking out for her.
Just a few weeks ago, So-ye had been bedridden in the hospital, struggling to breathe.
Now here she was, taking care of an even smaller kid first.
They say those who've suffered understand others' pain best.
It was heartwarming—and impressive.
"Little sis, still coughing a lot these days?"
"Nope! Thanks to hyung-nim, it's all gone!"
Kang-hyun eyed their thin clothes.
"Business seems to be picking up lately. Why not buy some new clothes?"
"Ah, well..."
Se-jin hesitated.
"I'm saving up to take Yu-na to the hospital. Doesn't seem like just a cold, and if it's mana-related, the tests alone cost a fortune."
Kang-hyun studied Yu-na quietly.
Her pale cheeks had some color now, but her shoulders trembled faintly with each breath.
And a subtle red tint lingered around her neck.
A bit different from So-ye's symptoms back then.
'Looks like mana allergy territory.'
Similar to the caregiver aunt's son.
Fortunately, it hadn't progressed too far yet.
"Don't worry too much. She'll get better soon."
Se-jin knew it was just reassurance, but somehow it felt like a promise—one that moved him deeply.
"Yes, hyung-nim!"
Se-jin dug back into his food with renewed vigor.
Gyeonggi Province, contaminated zone—Death Swamp.
A bizarre land where an A-rank rift had never fully closed after bursting, blurring the line between reality and the otherworld.
Tower mana leaked endlessly, turning it into barren death ground.
Paradoxically, that's why unique plants and minerals unseen in the real world grew here.
The Bureau left it alone as too dangerous, but to Valhalla's new materials survey team, it was a goldmine.
"Phew, this is killing me. Why are we picking these flowers anyway?"
One guild member grumbled while harvesting blooms.
"Team leader Yu Seo-jin's orders."
"Orders are orders. Just curious why she's mobilizing so many people for this."
It was genuine curiosity, not complaint.
Then the adjutant distributing snacks chimed in.
"She said these are all gifts for Gorani-man."
"What? For Gorani-man?"
"Seriously?"
The guild members' eyes lit up.
"Should've said so sooner! For Gorani-man, I'd dig all night!"
"Hey, more over there! Get 'em all!"
"Who knew the great one liked flowers from this wasteland!"
"Harvest carefully! No scratches—it's disrespectful!"
They even volunteered for extra tasks unasked.
Yu Seo-jin watched with a satisfied smile, sipping juice made from the [Extra-Large Vitality Kale] Gorani-man had sent to celebrate the contract.
'Now that's the taste.'
She hummed as she spotted something useful among the haul.
[Dark Coffee Tree Seed]
"Think he'll like this?"
Maybe with a dash of ulterior motive—hoping for some tasty coffee.
Deep into the night.
When everyone slept, it was playtime for Gorani.
His new hobby? Dimensional gate drives.
"Hiiing!"
First, he poked his head through the gate to Okinawa.
Muggy night air, salty sea breeze.
And far off, massive mana beasts wriggling in the depths.
Woooong—
Beneath the waves, the massive Hydra and Kraken approached the shore, peering curiously at Gorani.
What was that creature?
No mana beast aura despite looking like one—just a normal animal.
Yet the sheer presence suggested something special.
Truly a fascinating research subject, no matter how many times they looked.
Prurr!
Satisfied, Gorani shook himself off and headed to the Seoul building gate next.
Fourth floor.
Two stone buddies just like him stood there.
"Kki-yot!"
Gorani headbutted one excitedly, playing around.
Thud!
But the statue didn't budge.
"Kkiing?"
Gorani tilted his head and pawed at its leg.
Tap tap.
Still no reaction.
The statues were programmed to neutralize unauthorized intruders on sight.
But their power source now? A mana core infused with Gorani's loyalty.
To them, Gorani felt like an irresistible resonance.
Step, step.
Bored with the unresponsive statue, Gorani lost interest and left.
Once he was fully gone...
A faint crack echoed through the quiet fourth floor.
Crick—
On the statue's shoulder where Gorani had headbutted.
A tiny crack glowed blue, healing itself.
It had been holding back to not show it.
[Loyal Guardian Gorani Statue (Right) repairs minor damage.]
[Consumes additional mana core beyond standby mode maintenance. (-1 Mana Core)]
No one knew.
The cute culprit behind the extra mana core drain was Gorani.
[Through physical contact and mana resonance with the original, the statue's durability and loyalty increase.]
[Loyal Guardian Gorani Statue (Right) humbly vows to grow stronger for Gorani-nim.]
[Individual Goal Set: Commencing self-performance enhancement for perfect guardianship.]
And that every night, he was tempering his own clones.