Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: Toast
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"Ah, right!"
"Yeah!"
I suddenly shouted, making Baeksul—who was in the middle of eating—look up at me.
"No, eat up."
"It's delicious!"
Lily was one thing, but Manwook was important too. I'd completely forgotten about them.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Beginner Antidote] A beginner-level antidote effective against 100 types of poison. Even detoxifies memories filled with agony. [Recipe] Holy Water Mercuric Chloride Folic Acid Magnesium Stearate Duyksini's Horn Lizardman's Scales Fruit Infused with Mana .. .. .. .. Some ingredients could be found in the real world or bought from the shop.
The problem was Duyksini's horn and the Lizardman's scales.
Neither was available from the shop nor in reality.
I'd planned to grab the Lizardman scales while visiting Lily.
"Screwed up."
"Yeah!"
"No, just talking to myself."
Baeksul, dipping petals into the ramen broth, wagged her tail happily—or was it her butt? I still couldn't tell.
While Baeksul finished eating, I headed to the field in front of the porch and pulled out a chair.
Hiss, hiss.
"Phew— Ah, bitter."
Looking at the paper in my hand, even my usually tasty cigarette tasted foul today.
[One Sniff Voucher for Great Replenishing Pill]
"Ah..."
Was fixing time such a grueling task?
Then the original reward must've been a lick voucher for a Great Replenishing Pill worth billions.
"Wanna lick it."
"Lick?"
"Huh?"
Baeksul had snuck up to my feet at some point.
"All done eating?"
"Yeah!"
Baeksul proudly thrust out her plump belly to show off her good meal, then clambered up onto my shoulder.
"Lick."
She suddenly licked my cheek.
"Not that."
Baeksul, grooming my cheek diligently, tilted her head.
"This."
I held out the paper I'd gotten as a reward, and she tilted her head again.
"It's a Great Replenishing Pill sniff voucher. Wanna sniff it, Baeksul?"
She seemed to inspect the text, then sniffed the paper.
"You use it first, then sniff."
"Yeah!"
I rubbed her forehead with my thumb, and she gently closed her eyes.
Whatever, she just liked it.
"Use."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Voucher consumed] The paper was enveloped in a brilliant glow.
The gathering light swirled and incinerated the paper, leaving a wooden box to slowly descend from thin air into my palm.
It was just an ordinary wooden box.
I sniffed it—no scent leaked through the seams, just the smell of wood.
Click.
"Gah!"
Opening it without a second thought unleashed a cascade of radiant light.
My eyes squeezed shut on instinct.
I tried keeping them closed until the light faded, but an ecstatic fragrance wafting into my nostrils forced them open.
"Whoa, what is this."
A single brown-tinged pill sat atop the wooden box.
This must be the source of that subtle, alluring aroma.
Just inhaling it felt like it was purging toxins from my body.
I wanted to bury my nose in it, but that might waste the voucher.
"Baeksul, sniff."
Baeksul, ears perked since I'd opened the lid, turned to me.
"Just sniff this."
"Lick?"
"Sorry. Can't lick."
I drew the wooden box toward my chest, and Baeksul cautiously poked her head out from my embrace.
Moments later, the box vanished as if it had never been.
"Sniffed it?"
"Yeah!"
"How was it?"
"Good!"
The legendary Great Replenishing Pill vanished like a midnight dream.
She was always so positive—I had no idea what she even liked about it.
"Well, if Baeksul liked it, that's what matters."
"Yeah!"
The little one nestled against my chest licked my chin.
I picked her up, and her fur gleamed subtly.
"Did it actually work?"
"Good!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah!"
Stroking her amid the crisp, clear air of the training ground melted away all my worries.
"Baeksul, can you show me the list of training grounds I can enter?"
Baeksul, belly-up on my lap, poked the air.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ [You may select a training ground]
1. Main Story 2. Song Training Ground 3. Lovers of the Sonata 4. That is Love! 5. Secret Garden of Starlights 6. Nobu's Magpie and Vega's Crow: Their Secret Love Crossing Borders 7. Replenishing Pill Meat, Sirloin, and Tenderloin 8. Earth .. .. .. .. "What are these shady ones."
The seeds from that sudden grandma visit and the songs.
Excluding the song training ground packed with dizzying tracklist, the tutorial should've ended.
Yet unknowns had sprouted everywhere.
Some titles made my nose twist just reading them.
An instinctive revulsion.
I didn't know why.
Why?
Maybe a gut feeling honed by my raised physical level. No clue.
"Hmm."
They all seemed off the rails.
None tempted me.
The clear rewards were tempting, but Manwook's antidote took priority right now.
"Seriously, nothing but crap."
I had to test one at least.
Number 4 looked the most normal.
What wild stuff could a love story have?
"Baeksul, I'll be back."
"Yeah!"
I tapped 4, and the world flipped instantly.
I hurriedly opened my eyes to find myself in an unfamiliar house.
Looking down, I wore an unfamiliar uniform.
Student concept?
Then a sound came from the table beside me.
Ring ring—!
It was a smartphone—so modern world.
The screen showed not a call, but an alarm.
Ring ring—!
7:00 A.M.
The moment I reached to silence it, an eerie sensation hit, and the world froze.
Like it filled with gray haze.
⚙ CHOICES ⚙ 1. Turn off the alarm and head to school. 2. Skip school without permission. 3. Lie to the teacher that you're sick. 'What the hell. Dating sim or what?'
Everything halted; only my eyes barely moved.
Rolling them moved an arrow.
Tick!
⚙ CHOICES ⚙ ▶1. Turn off the alarm and head to school. 2. Skip school without permission. 3. Lie to the teacher that you're sick. Choices halted everything—even that weird detail.
'Still, the straight path first?'
Finding the right answer in an unplayed game was a waste of time.
Follow basic morals even a kid knows; might lead to the solution.
I eyed 1, and light seeped back into the world.
My body moved.
Grabbed the phone, flopped onto the living room sofa—then the world flickered, teleporting me to the table.
Like ripping one frame and reinserting it.
Or save-load.
Info mattered in any game.
This one forced the chosen action.
No choice; I grabbed the bag nearby, found the door, and stepped out into a cool breeze.
Spring here, apparently. Cherry blossoms bloomed gloriously.
Hiss, hiss.
"Phew— Where's the school."
A guideline appeared on the ground like it was waiting.
"Tch."
Walking slowly, cherry petals swirled from the trees.
The scenery was nice, at least.
Enjoying the falling blossoms, I followed to a corner where the line bent.
Right as I turned—
Thud!
"Ow!"
A massively muscled redhead, toast in mouth, barreled into me and tumbled backward.
The fallen guy was a giant, easily over 190cm.
No presence even this close. The training ground blocked it—felt off.
"Ehet. Sorry, sorry. My bad for being clumsy."
He bonked his head with his fist.
Why that pose? Despite falling back, he was in a W-sit—usually just for girls.
His pants were so skinny tight, the bulge was obvious.
Dusting himself off, his size put his crotch right at eye level.
"Hehe, you okay?"
Bending low to match my short height, traps bulging.
"Could you move your face?"
"Ah! Sorry, sorry. Habit."
There was etiquette for dressing right for the time and place. Self-aware, not enforced.
Looks too. No rules for big builds, but this was excessive.
Too girly for that physique—revulsion surged to my tongue.
"I'm fine, so go on your way."
"Hehe, they say even brushing clothes is fate. Same school? Wanna be friends?"
"Student...?"
"Yeah!"
No wonder the casual speech.
Those bursting skinny pants—uniform?
Good lord.
My eyes were rotting.
"Quit the bullshit. Drink a protein shake, not toast. Why scarf that crap."
"Haha. Joke! I don't eat that."
Stuck out his tongue, bonked his head.
Would split anyone's skull.
"Mumble grumble."
"Huh? What?"
The dyed-red muscle giant bent down again.
"Don't, you bastard!"
"Gahk!"
💥 FAILURE! 💥 <Failed That is Love!>
<Retry?>
"No! Fuck, no!!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Returning> The world flipped.
A sigh of relief escaped me.
Any longer there, and I'd go mad.
I hadn't learned to love today.
If that's love, I want no part of it.
Love was too gross.
Eyes open to white fluff.
"Hnggg, Baeksuuul."
"Yeah!"
Hugging Baeksul and rubbing my face against her washed away the grossness bit by bit.
"It's okay."
Baeksul patted my cheek with her tiny paw.
Time passed, and I calmed a little.
"Sniff. Gonna try again."
"Yeah!"
Not that one right away, though.
Even if, need time to stomach it.
I tapped the next title that looked halfway normal.
Hard to judge from text alone.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ <Earth> "Be back soon."
"Come back!"
Baeksul's voice hit as the world flipped.
Eyes open to somewhere unexpected.
"My place?"
My rooftop room, yet an eerie deja vu.
The cheap chair and table I always smoked at—gone.
Looking closer, everywhere felt off.
Lived-in spaces show wear; this was too pristine.
Kyaak!!
While scoping the rooftop, a scream echoed from outside.
Peering down: a young woman shrieking in terror.
"S-Save me..."
Legs gave out from fear.
Dragging backward on her butt with just her arms.
Trailing her, drooling: a hulking, rippling abomination.
From above, easily over 3m, dark brown skin.
Tap.
I leaped from the roof; ground rushed up.
Boom—!!
"What're you? Like toast too?"
Grrrrowl.