Round 15

Prev | TOC | Next

[Quest: Develop a New Crop]

[Discover or develop new crops.]

[New Crops: 0/3]

The more I knew, the more the world of the awakened I didn’t know unfolded.

“What’s the quest this time?”

Moreover, this time it included elements I had never even heard of online.

Dungeon transformations and dual awakenings had been passed down like urban legends, but this was a completely new form.

“It’s not a loss.”

Failing the quest wouldn’t cause any harm or loss, and the content seemed naturally achievable.

“…Ah, the quest.”

Thanks to the quest, I was reminded of the existence of quests I had forgotten. I was harvesting crops happily, but now I remembered there was a quest demanding offerings.

[Awakening Quest: Make Offerings]

[Collect and submit the specified items.]

[Dungeon Fruits Harvested Personally: 0/10]

[Magic-Infused Crops Harvested Personally LV.2: 0/50]

“I finally harvested Layla, and now I have to pick ten.”

Layla was the only one among my crops that counted as a dungeon fruit. Embergrill was a dungeon crop, but not a fruit, and the others were crops from Earth.

Out of a total of 30 Laylas, I just ate six.

After offering ten of the remaining 24, I wouldn’t have even half left.

“I can always plant more, so no big deal.”

It only took about four days to plant and harvest the seeds. 

It was slow compared to tomatoes or carrots, but honestly, it was still insanely fast growth.

Now I had to think about how to use the remaining 14 Laylas.

“Hmm, let’s start with liquid synthesis.”

My cooldown had just ended.

I asked Mark2 to give me some Magic Cherry Tomatoes he had harvested, and I went back up.

Then I immediately peeled one Layla, made it into juice, and prepared it with the juice from the Magic Cherry Tomatoes.

“And the half carrot I received yesterday.”

I roughly matched the proportions and synthesized the three juices.

Then, with a whirl, they combined and a notification of success immediately appeared.

[Magic-Infused Fruit and Vegetable Juice LV.1]

[Ingredients: Magic Cherry Tomato, Carrot, Layla]

[The ingredients were few, resulting in a mediocre completion.]

[Upon consumption, it allows partial visibility of monsters in sight for 10 seconds based on the amount of mana held.]

[Upon consumption, a detoxification reaction occurs.]

[Upon consumption, all hostile reactions from monsters, except dungeon bosses, disappear for 30 seconds.]

“Wow! This is really amazing!”

The duration to view monster information had increased from 3 seconds to 10 seconds. The phrase about detoxification based on the amount of mana held also became more intuitive.

Most of all, the upgraded abilities of Layla were miraculous.

“30 seconds of monster hostility nullified?!”

Honestly, it seemed like an overpowered ability.

It was as if I was invincible for 30 seconds.

Of course, hostile reactions would reappear the moment I attacked, but this would be incredibly useful for those researching or gathering.

‘It could also be handy for a quick dungeon escape.’

I had created something more impressive than I thought.

And it was an item that could satisfy both Young-seong and Kang Hanul.

I glanced at Rookie working hard and, after some deliberation, made another batch of juice.

I was short on carrots, so I synthesized the remaining Layla with Magic Cherry Tomatos and juice, but the difference was negligible.

“Hmm.”

Slime synthesis was also important, but since I had promised the juice, it couldn’t be helped.

I had finished making the fruit and vegetable juice, so I started preparing to go out again. I collected Poispois’s poison again. It seemed that Poispois also had a limit to its magic, as it couldn’t produce poison indefinitely. I also summoned a slime.

I took care of the Layla and hurriedly finished harvesting the Magic Cherry Tomatos. Perhaps due to the different varieties, the yield was less than expected, about 20kg.

Having gathered everything, I stepped outside and immediately called Young-seong.

Beep beep!

“Young-seong? I’m heading out now. Let’s meet at the cafe we were at yesterday.”

Soon after, I contacted Kang Hanul and descended the mountain. I was curious about their reactions to the fruit and vegetable juice I had made.

As I entered the cafe, like yesterday, Young-seong was already there.

“Have you arrived?”

“Uh-huh.”

Young-seong nodded and couldn’t take his eyes off the bag I was carrying.

Seeing his reaction, I smiled subtly and soon took out the fruit and vegetable juice.

“Bro, the effects have changed a bit. Want to check it out?”

“It changed?”

When I took out the fruit and vegetable juice, Young-seong immediately took it and checked.

“What are the effects? I’m not an awakened one so…”

“I wrote it down here.”

After verifying the newly made fruit and vegetable juice’s effects, Young-seong said thoughtfully.

“This is insane. It’s unbelievable. I wonder how much I need to drink to see the effect?”

“You’d need to drink about four-fifths of it.”

“Then I can send a fifth to the lab.”

“It’s safer that way. But don’t worry too much since I can make it every day.”

“Alright. Thanks, Kyu-seong.”

Unnoticed before, now I saw that Young-seong’s hand holding the fruit and vegetable juice was slightly trembling.

Unintentionally, my heart ached, hoping that what I made could cure his wife.

“So that’s what it was!”

Suddenly, someone appeared without a sound and exclaimed.

Startled, Young-seong and I looked at the person who had appeared.

Kang Hanul, whose arrival time was unknown, was trembling with tears in his eyes.

“I was so foolish, Choi Young-seong! To think you obtained the tomatoes for that reason!”

Kang Hanul then strode up and suddenly hugged Young-seong.

“Forget my share! You take it all!”

“What are you talking about? Kyu-seong said he can make it every day. Don’t you need this for your dungeon raid tomorrow?”

“That darn 4th level dungeon! I’ll smash it with my power!”

“Stop the nonsense and take what Kyu-seong gives you.”

Watching the two bickering, I took out the other items I had prepared.

Two Laylas, 10kg of Magic Cherry Tomatos, and even Poispois’s poison.

The bag was nearly bursting.

It was a good thing it was a large-capacity bag; a normal one wouldn’t have managed it.

“Oh? Could it be that…”

Kang Hanul, spotting the Layla, widened his eyes and dropped Young-seong to come closer.

He was a simple, good man.

“Layla.”

Young-seong recognized it too and looked intrigued.

“Wait. But this shows up as an item?”

“What?”

Both of them probably hadn’t expected this.

Ordinary Laylas aren’t indicated as items.

But the Layla that I, or rather, the slimes had grown, became an item.

“Wow, monster affinity?”

“What? It has that ability?”

While the two were making a fuss, I also took out the remaining fruit and vegetable juice I had planned to give to Kang Hanul. Seeing this would surely surprise him more.

“Kang Hanul. This is the fruit and vegetable juice I intended to give you.”

“Uh-huh?”

Kang Hanul, who had been caressing the Layla for a while, took the fruit and vegetable juice I handed him. He immediately started examining the contents and reading the effects, exuding an intense energy.

Druuuuuu!

“What, what’s happening! Kang Hanul! Why are you like this!”

“Aaaaah! I can’t stand it!”

Grab!

Kang Hanul grabbed my shoulder, his eyes blazing as he leaned in close to my face.

“Kyu-seong, brother!”

“Yes, yes?”

“Please join the Ara Hongryeon Guild!”

His unexpected request momentarily stunned me.

My mouth also froze.

“I’m not asking for an answer right now. You probably already belong to another guild. I know I’m asking too much.”

“Ah… that’s…”

I, I needed to say something.

“I’m not affiliated with any guild.”

“What?! You’re not affiliated!”

Kang Hanul grabbed my shoulders again and shook me vigorously. I swayed back and forth like a piece of paper, barely nodding my head.

“Yeeees.”

“Then, then would you consider joining our guild! I’ll talk to our brother and make sure you’re treated well!”

“Ha, Hanul, let’s put this down first…”

“Hahaha! Sorry, sorry. I got too excited!”

Once Kang Hanul put me down, I was able to calmly reconsider what he had said.

‘Join Ara Hongryeon ? And Kang Hanul himself is asking me?’

Though it felt a bit declining, no one could deny that Ara Hongryeon  was still one of the top five guilds in South Korea.

Moreover, as the first guild in South Korea, it was a place that many awakeners admired, unlike ordinary people.

“Kyu-seong, take your time to think about it.”

At that moment, Young-seong, who had been lost in thought, quietly advised me.

“Joining a guild doesn’t automatically mean it’s good. Plus, your skills aren’t combat-related, so joining Ara Hongryeon  might not change much for you.”

“Ah, that could be true.”

Young-seong’s advice was not to be ignored, especially since he had once been a researcher for the Ara Hongryeon Guild.

“Cough. Why the rush! Have you seen the effects? Not only can you see monster information, but it also removes hostile effects! Such an insane ability! Kyu-seong absolutely must join our Ara Hongryeon …”

“Calm down. I’m just stating the facts. Honestly, what benefit would Kyu-seong have from joining a guild right now? This isn’t just about Ara Hongryeon ; it applies to any guild.”

It seemed Kang Hanul was focused on the guild’s benefits, while Young-seong was focused on my personal gain.

Naturally, I should take Young-seong’s advice.

“I’ll think about it more. You said I don’t have to answer right away.”

“Yes. Take your time to think about it, brother.”

He said this while examining the fruit and vegetable juice.

“Besides, now I’m curious about the price of this item. Kyu-seong, what price are you expecting?”

“Since it’s the first time selling it, it’s difficult for me to give a definite answer. Moreover, since I’m not a combat awakener, it’s even harder to set a value for this item.”

Hearing my honest response, Kang Hanul seemed to ponder for a moment. Then he subtly asked.

“The effects themselves are really exceptional. You probably know that much. But the duration is a bit ambiguous. No, not ambiguous, it’s lacking. So the amount I’m thinking is…”

Kang Hanul held up one finger.

“Ten million won.”

Then he extended another finger.

“If we succeed in this dungeon with it, 20 million.”

“……Thank you.”

It was honestly an amount I hadn’t even imagined.

Until now, I had only made a profit of 100,000 won per day by buying potions and synthesizing them, and suddenly being offered 20 million won was staggering.

‘Just the other day, Young-seong suddenly gave me 20 million won.’

It looked like I was going to earn 40 million in just a few days.

Of course, it was still far from my first goal of acquiring the slime dungeon, but it seemed I would soon gather the needed amount.

“That’s an ambiguous amount. It seems both sufficient and insufficient.”

As Young-seong murmured, Kang Hanul shook his head.

“We still don’t know how strong the effects are. I won’t deny that the effects are unique and useful.”

As he said, if checking a monster’s information only showed its size or weight, it wouldn’t be very useful.

But if it reveals more, perhaps even weaknesses, then my fruit and vegetable juice would certainly become highly sought after.

“That’s also true.”

While Young-seong agreed, I opened the bag containing the Magic Cherry Tomatoes I brought.

“Oh, tomatoes… but why do they look different from the ones I saw before?”

“I’ve improved the variety.”

In fact, not just the fruit and vegetable juice, but there was also great anticipation for these Cherry tomatoes.

Tomatoes that increase magical power!

“I’ll also offer a tasting opportunity especially for you two.”

I threw an irresistible bait.

Prev | TOC | Next