TL: Hanguk
“Buy the building at this address in the name of Chairman Park, meow!”
Theo came down to the 40th floor and immediately asked Han tae-jun to buy the building, just as Han tae-jun expected.
“This place?”
“That’s right, meow!”
“Vice Chairman Theo, do you know how expensive this building is?”
Han tae-jun purposely acted surprised at Theo’s request.
“I don’t know, meow! Is it very expensive, meow?”
“It’s 200 billion won. In Tower Coin, that’s 200,000 Tower Coins. It’s a burden even for me, so let’s count this as one favor.”
“Okay, meow!”
“Here!”
As Theo used the favor, Tae-jun immediately handed over the building contract signed in Sejun’s name.
“Meow! Excellent, meow! Chairman Park will be very pleased, meow!”
Theo quickly took the contract. In a flash, Sejun had acquired a 200 billion won building in Gangnam for free, with just a flick of his cat’s paw.
“So, is there anything else?”
“There’s more, meow! I’ll use one more favor, meow!”
“Really?!”
“Fill the building with food for the rest of your life, meow!”
Having acquired the building, now it needed to be filled.
“Okay. How much could it be? I’ll fill it up completely.”
Theo’s word ‘lifetime’ did make Han tae-jun a bit nervous, but his face brightened at Theo’s words that he would use one more favor.
Compared to the building’s price, the cost to fill it with goods was not that great. And how much could one eat anyway?
Han tae-jun would later realize how wrong he had been. He had not known that there were many voracious beasts around Sejun who never seemed to be satisfied. It was a very reckless decision.
“Thank you, meow! Now, please fill it with goods, meow!”
“Okay. And we need more sturdy blade green onion leaves.”
There was a possibility that locusts could invade other places, so this was to prepare just in case.
“I got it, meow! I’ll tell the interns, meow!”
With that, Theo headed back up to the 99th floor after talking to Han tae-jun.
***
“Ugh, nice.”
Kaiser downed a shot of Makgeolli (rice wine) and savored the aftertaste with a satisfied smile.
And as he bit into a roasted sweet potato,
“Father! The Black Moon is appearing!”
Anton rushed in, shouting.
“What?! Black Moon?!”
At Anton’s words, Kaiser’s expression hardened, and he hurried outside. In the distance, a thin gap was visible between the world engulfed in red clouds. It was undoubtedly the Black Moon.
And the Black Moon was not emitting light but absorbing it, amplifying its presence as it appeared.
“Awaken all the black dragons and have them stand by!”
“Yes!”
The hitherto lackadaisical Kaiser now exuded authority and urgency as he ordered Anton.
It would take almost 10 years for the Black Moon to fully appear, but 10 years is not a long time in the eyes of dragons.
Especially when waking dragons that have slept for hundreds of years. They must be awakened now to be able to fight in prime condition 10 years later.
“Release.”
Boom!
Kaiser dispelled the Polymorph spell, transforming into a gigantic dragon and soaring into the sky.
From the sky, he could see the red world, growing as it absorbed energy through tendril-like tubes connected to the destroyed worlds.
The red world’s name was Destruction. Destruction was always wrapped in ominous red clouds, without sun, moon, or stars.
And surrounding Destruction were eight towers, including the black tower. Above these towers floated a massive piece of land. It was the dragons’ home and the frontline fortress in preparation for the battle against Destruction.
“To think it’s appearing now…”
Kaiser looked at the Black Moon with a grave expression. The appearance of the Black Moon meant…
“They’re coming back.”
There was only one time in the past when the Black Moon appeared like this when the towers were born.
A Black Moon formed in the middle of the newly born red world. Soon after the Black Moon completely appeared, 12 beings known as the Apostles of Destruction, possessing immense power, emerged from it.
They attacked the dragons as soon as they appeared, and the ensuing battle between the 12 Apostles of Destruction and 10,000 dragons resulted in an overwhelming victory for the dragons, thanks to their sheer numbers.
But the Apostles of Destruction left a message that they would return when the Black Moon rises, and they vanished, turning to ashes. The victory was nothing but a wound, considering that 1,000 dragons died to defeat the 12 Apostles of Destruction.
“Phew. I hope the damage isn’t too great this time.”
As Kaiser was worrying about the future,
“Kaiser, it’s been almost 3000 years since we last met like this, has it not?”
Kellion, who had transformed into his original body, approached him.
“That’s right. We haven’t met since the Black Moon event.”
“The others are waiting. Let’s go quickly.”
“Alright.”
Kaiser and Kellion flew towards the conference hall to prepare measures against the Black Moon with the other clan lords.
As Kaiser and Kellion departed,
Wriggle.
The roots that had emerged from the black tower began to move busily.
***
Day 299 of being stranded.
“Take this! Belly puff! Bubububup!”
Kukkekekeke!
After eating a hearty lunch, Sejun was playing with Cuengi, blowing air into Cuengi’s swollen belly.
Kueong!
[It tickles!]
As they played,
Snore.
Kurrr.
Sejun and Cuengi fell asleep.
Then,
“Kyoot-kyoot-kyoot. It seems you’re enjoying a nap?”
Iona, who had returned after finishing the tower construction, found the two of them.
Swoop.
Iona took this opportunity to settle on Sejun’s lap and close her eyes.
“kyoo-kyoot! kyoo-kyoot!”
Iona was dreaming a nightmare of both anger and joy.
A moment later,
“Huh? Iona is here?”
Krueng?
[Big Sister Iona, when did you come?]
Sejun and Cuengi, having just woken from their nap, noticed Iona.
“kyoo-about 10 minutes ago.”
Iona answered, her voice a bit irritated from not getting enough sleep.
“What are you doing here? Weren’t you busy with the wizard tower construction?”
“Kyoot-kyoot-kyoot. The wizard tower construction was completed today!”
“What?! It’s all built already?!”
Sejun was surprised at Iona’s words. From what he’d heard, the height of the wizard tower exceeded 500 meters.
“Kyoot-kyoot-kyoot. The power of magic is great, you know.”
Iona said, enjoying Sejun’s reaction.
“Then can we go see the wizard tower?”
“Of course! I was going to invite you to the tower’s completion celebration party later!”
“Oh! You’re having a celebration party too?!”
A party?! Sejun’s voice was filled with excitement.
Krueng!
[Party!]
Cuengi’s voice was also full of excitement, knowing that a party meant more food than usual.
“Kyoot-kyoot-kyoot. Yes! We’re planning to do it a week from now. So, I have a favor to ask of you, Sejun!”
“What is it?”
“I want to use your crops for the food at the party!”
“That’s fine, you can use them as you like.”
The storage room was overflowing, except for some crops.
“Kyoot-kyoot-kyoot! Thank you! I’ll pay you well!”
Iona thanked Sejun for his permission, mentioning that the chefs would come for the crops and left.
And then,
“Hello!”
The chefs who came to pick up the crops took an enormous amount of produce from Sejun’s storage, indicating the grand scale of the upcoming celebration.
Thanks to that, Sejun’s seed bank balance combined with Theo’s earnings reached exactly 100 million Tower Coins. The wizards were indeed wealthy, paying without even haggling.
When Sejun had 100 million Tower Coins,
“Aileen, can I get another power?”
He asked if he could receive a new power.
[The tower’s administrator asks you to wait a moment.]
A moment later,
[Grantable Powers]
<Power: Strong Strength>, <Power: Strong Stamina>, <Power: Strong Agility>
Aileen checked the Tower Coins Sejun had and showed the available powers.
[The tower’s administrator says you can choose one of the three powers.]
“I’ve decided. I’ll take Strong Stamina.”
He didn’t need to think about it. When he pondered what he should do to survive, the answer came quickly.
[The tower’s administrator says she will grant you <Power: Strong Stamina>.]
“Yes.”
[100 million Tower Coins have been deducted from your seed bank.]
[The tower’s administrator grants the <Power: Strong Stamina> to the Tower’s Mid-level Administrator’s tattoo.]
[You can later enhance <Power: Strong Stamina> using contribution points or Tower Coins.]
[Due to the effect of <Power: Strong Stamina>, your stamina increases by 50.]
With a sudden increase of 50 in his stamina stat, his stamina became 74.
“Hehehe.”
With increased stamina, Sejun felt his chest swell with grandeur, and a confidence that anything seemed possible.
Just then,
Krueng! Krueng!
Cuengi, humming a tune, approached Sejun.
“Ah. One must always be humble.”
As soon as he saw Cuengi, the grandeur in Sejun’s chest disappeared, and he felt humble, like a conditioned reflex.
Krueng? Krueng!
[Dad, why are you suddenly so down? Eating something tasty is what you do when you feel down!]
With that, Cuengi comforted Sejun and dragged him to the kitchen.
Then,
Krueng!
[Cuengi wants to eat garaetteok (rice cake)!]
Cuengi boldly spoke of what he wanted to eat.
But,
“We don’t have money to buy rice flour now?”
Sejun replied with a troubled expression. He had spent all his money to gain the new power, and he had no money left for the Relic: Wealth-devouring Rice Dough.
Krueng…?
[So we’re beggars …?]
Cuengi looked saddened by Sejun’s answer.
“Be… beggars? We’re not beggars! Just temporarily poor! Instead, I’ll make honey jelly today.”
Sejun hurriedly offered an alternative upon hearing Cuengi’s words.
Krueng?!
[Dad can make honey jelly too?!]
Cuengi, who thought that only poisonous honey bees could make honey jelly, was excited by Sejun’s words.
“Yes, I can make honey jelly.”
Sejun said with a confident expression. Making honey jelly was incredibly simple.
“Now, put the honey in a bowl. Ice cube.”
He quickly froze the bowl containing the honey.
“Done! That’s it!”
Krueng?
[Is that it?]
Cuengi looked disappointed. He had already tried the honey ice cube before.
“This is different from what you ate last time.”
Last time it was half water and half honey, but this time it was 100% honey.
Thump!
Sejun split the ice cube in half with his hand axe.
And
“Look.”
Sejun took out the honey in the bowl, and it jiggled like jelly.
Krueng!
[Dad is amazing!]
“Yes. Dad is amazing, right? Hehehe. Ice cube.”
Puffed up by Cuengi’s praise, Sejun started making honey jelly again. Cuengi’s praise made Sejun dance with joy.
***
Theo was heading towards the 99th floor of the tower.
“Meow! I need to stop by somewhere first, meow!”
Theo, suddenly remembering something he had to grab, entered the 75th floor.
And the place Theo headed to was the lost and found storage of the Wandering Merchant Association, where he had gotten the item that had promoted him to temporary vice-chairman.
“What? Why are you here again?!”
Taru, who was guarding the lost and found storage, said when he saw Theo.
“How much for one draw, meow?”
“What?! This isn’t that kind of place, go away!”
“I don’t want to, meow! I want to draw, meow!”
Theo knew that there were items here to ensure his long-term rule as vice-chairman. The road to becoming the tower’s top wandering merchant was long and far. But he wanted to remain vice chairman during that time.
‘I need the item in there for that, meow! No one can stop me, meow!’
“I’m going to draw, meow!!!”
Theo said, looking at Taru with an intense glare.
*****
