In front of the Black Tower in Hannam-dong, where Sejun’s family lives.
“Kimchi?!”
“We’ve confirmed 500 containers, each adjusted to 1kg!”
“Side dishes?!”
“We’ve prepared 10 types of side dishes that Sejun~nim usually enjoys, such as stir-fried anchovies, sausage and vegetable stir-fry, and soy sauce-marinated eggs, each weighing 1kg, for a total of 500 containers!”
“Good. Lastly, the recipes?!”
“We’ve recorded all of Kim Mi-ran~nim’s kimchi, kimchi stew, and side dish recipes!”
The employees of the Korean Awakeners Association answered Kim Dong-sik’s questions.
And then,
“Master, we’re all set!”
Kim Dong-sik made the final report to Han Tae-jun.
“Great! Then let’s move to the tower!”
“Yes!”
Following Han Tae-jun’s command, 1,000 members of the Earth Defense Force entered the Black Tower, each carrying a container of kimchi and side dishes.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
Han Tae-jun and Kim Dong-sik, each holding a recipe book, were the last to enter the Black Tower.
***
On the 75th floor of the tower.
Flap, flap.
Piyo!
[Please line up properly!]
Piyot, busily flying around, shouted at the approximately 300 people queued up to buy invitations.
The price of one party invitation was 1 billion Tower Coins, and those in line were mostly powerhouses, influential figures, or wealthy individuals, but
‘I am Theo~nim’s next right front paw! I’m not scared!’
Piyot controlled them without being intimidated.
‘Hehe. I’ll work hard and earn Theo~nim’s recognition!’
With the thought of receiving praise from Theo, Piyot diligently surveyed the surroundings.
Those in line also did not want to cause a commotion and fall out of favor with Theo, so they voluntarily followed Piyot’s control.
However,
Not everyone was like that.
Snap.
“Hey. Long time no see.”
A hyena beastman casually put his arm around the shoulder of the merchant in front.
“Huh? Who…”
Before the clueless merchant could ask who it was,
Crack.
“Ugh!”
“My dad is the boss of the 88th floor of the tower, Keruja… How about we swap places?”
Pressing down hard on the merchant’s shoulder with his strength and status,
Whoosh!
He naturally took the spot by pulling the other person behind. It was cutting in line.
And then,
Piyo! Piyo!
[No cutting in line! Please line up properly!]
Of course, Piyot, who was watching like a hawk, caught him immediately.
However,
“What?! Why are you treating customers like this?!”
Harzar, the son of the 88th-floor boss Keruja, objected to Piyot’s attitude despite having cut in line.
Usually, most would have bowed their heads and complied, but
Piyo! Piyo!
[You’re not the only customer here! Everyone else is a customer too, so please line up properly!]
Piyot was not a softie.
‘Eek! If it were the 88th floor, you wouldn’t even be a mouthful!’
Harzar, who had always lived as he pleased on the 88th floor relying on his father’s power, was very annoyed by the current situation.
Still, since this wasn’t his territory on the 88th floor, Harzar was trying his best not to resort to violence.
“Eek! How old are you?!”
Piyo!
[I’m old enough for my age!]
“So how old are you?!”
Piyo!
[I’ve lived for 47 days!]
“What?!”
Your blood hasn’t even dried on your back yet!!! (TL: It’s a Korean saying; I don’t know if it’s an idiom or not, which means someone is too inexperienced.)
Crack.
Losing his temper at Piyot’s response,
Crunch.
Harzar grew in size, transforming into his combat form.
“Grrrr. I’ll kill you!”
Harzar, now 3 meters tall, opened his mouth wide to pounce on Piyot.
…!
Frozen by the murderous attack, Piyot was about to be torn to shreds by Harzar’s sharp teeth when
“Shield.”
Bang!
A blue, opaque wall appeared in front of Piyot, blocking Harzar’s attack.
“Grrr. Who is it?!”
Harzar looked for the one who blocked him.
And then,
“Kyoo-Kyoo, are you okay, Piyot?”
Piyo! Piyo!
[Yes! Thank you!]
Harzar’s eyes caught sight of a pure white hamster talking to Piyot.
Although he had heard about Iona,
‘Who is that?’
Harzar couldn’t recall.
But
“It’s the second stage of rage!”
“Run away quickly!”
“Ah! But Theo~nim is here, isn’t he?”
“Right! We need to tell Theo~nim quickly!”
Those who knew Iona’s identity hurriedly called for Theo,
“Iona, have you come, meow?”
Dadada.
Hearing that Iona had arrived, Theo rushed over.
“Kyoot kyoot kyoot. Theo!”
Upon seeing Theo, Iona’s anger melted away like snow.
Swoosh.
Poof.
Iona quickly flew to Theo and buried herself in his tail.
“Iona, but why were you angry, meow?”
“Kyoot kyoot kyoot. How dare that guy try to kill Piyot, Theo’s next right front paw!”
“Piyot, you say, meow?!”
Hearing Iona’s words, Theo looked at Harzar.
“What?”
Harzar belatedly realized that the atmosphere was turning strange, but it was too late.
“Stamp here, meow!”
Theo handed a contract to Harzar.
The contract stated that Harzar would work as a slave until he repaid 10 billion Tower Coins for Piyot’s life.
“10 billion Tower Coins?! That’s ridiculous… How could that bird’s life be so expensive?!”
Harzar denied the content of the contract.
But
“Puhuhut. No, meow! Piyot’s life is very expensive, meow! Because it is my, Vice Chairman Theo’s, next right front paw, meow! So, quickly stamp it with your paw, meow!”
That settled it for Theo.
Thanks to this, rumors about Piyot, the subordinate of the golden cat Theo Park, began to spread.
Furthermore, those who recognized the badge of the Kov Kingdom diplomat on Piyot’s chest spread rumors that the Kov Kingdom, along with the Red Ribbon Kingdom, had received the dragon’s protection.
However, that wasn’t what mattered to Piyot.
Piyo! Piyo!
[Slave! Quickly stamp it!]
Peck. Peck.
Piyot, who had become arrogant after seeing the contract, pecked at Harzar’s head, urging him. Hehe. You’re the official subordinate No. 1 of Pirururur Yotra!
Press.
Thus, Harzar, having improperly vented his temper, became the official subordinate No. 1 of Piyot.
***
99th floor of the tower.
Tok. Tok.
[You have obtained corn seeds.]
[Your job experience has slightly increased.]
[Your proficiency of Seed Harvesting Lv. 8 has slightly increased.]
[You need to use the Seed Harvesting skill 910,023 more times to complete the job quest.]
…
.
While Sejun was busily detaching corn kernels to complete his job quest,
Thump. Thump.
From afar, the Minotaur King and the black minotaurs visited Sejun’s farm.
“Minotaur King, you’re early?”
Sejun, thinking they had come at Theo’s invitation, spoke to the Minotaur King.
Moo!
[It seems you would be busy preparing for the party, so we came to help!]
“Preparation? Then, could you go to the 98th floor and bring back a few melons?”
Moo! Moo!
[Yes! Let’s go, guys!]
Thump. Thump.
Following Sejun’s words, the Minotaur King led all the black minotaurs down.
“Why all of them… Why?”
Sejun, unaware of the spread of the party news in the Black Tower, puzzledly watched the Minotaur King leading all the black minotaurs away.
The modest party Sejun imagined versus the grand party the Minotaur King envisioned.
The quantity of ‘a few’ they thought of was vastly different.
“I’m a bit hungry.”
Nom.
Watching the departing black minotaurs, Sejun ate the meat given by Aileen.
[You have consumed Aileen’s Healthier Meatball Piece.]
[You must eat all the pieces to experience its effects.]
[455 pieces remaining.]
The message came with a feeling of fullness. It was convenient for filling the stomach when he was too lazy to prepare a meal.
Thus, having filled his stomach,
Tok. Tok.
Sejun lost track of time while harvesting seeds.
“Huh?! It’s already evening, why hasn’t Cuengi come? Toryong!”
Sejun rode Toryong to the western forest, looking for Cuengi, who hadn’t returned even after dinner time had passed.
However,
“Cuengi! Where are you?!”
……
Despite calling for Cuengi, he was nowhere to be found upon Sejun’s arrival in the western forest.
“Where did Cuengi go? Aileen, could you please find Cuengi?”
So, Sejun asked Aileen for help,
[The tower’s administrator says Cuengi is on the 88th floor.]
“Eh? The 88th floor? Why would Cuengi be there…?”
Sejun found out that Cuengi was on the 88th floor.
***
88th floor of the tower.
(Brother Cuengi, are you sure there are herbs here?)
The golden bat, flying around and looking at the surroundings, asked Cuengi.
The area was a wasteland with only gray rocks in sight. No plants were visible.
Kueng! Kueng!
[Yes! Just trust me!]
Bang!
Cuengi, who was flying alongside, answered confidently and increased his speed.
Flap. Flap.
(Let’s go together!)
The golden bat flapped its wings hard, following Cuengi.
After a while,
Kuehehehe. Kueng!
[Hehehe. Here it is!]
He said, looking at a huge red rock sitting alone in the middle of the wasteland.
Huh?
The golden bat tilted its head at Cuengi’s words.
Then,
Bang!
Cuengi threw a rock at the red rock with telekinesis,
Screech!
A bud, disguised as a rock, bloomed open, screaming in a way that disoriented its prey’s sense of balance.
And,
Wriggle. Wriggle.
Hundreds of tentacles inside the bud stirred in the air, trying to ensnare its prey.
Thinking the rock thrown by Cuengi was prey, it attempted to devour it.
At the same time, the name appeared above the monster.
[Red Rock Corpse Flower]
A monster capable of hiding its name through camouflage.
Kueng!
[It’s coming up!]
Cuengi, having identified the target, levitated the body of the Red Rock Corpse Flower into the sky with telekinesis.
Then,
Rumble.
The ground vibrated, and the roots of the Red Rock Corpse Flower began to be pulled out.
Screech! Screech!
The Red Rock Corpse Flower, panicking and continuously screaming as its roots were pulled out.
Once its roots were completely extracted,
Crack.
Cuengi stretched his paws in the air, grabbing tightly,
Crunch.
And the juicing of the Red Rock Corpse Flower’s roots began.
Kueng!
[Not a single drop should be wasted!]
(Yes!)
The golden bat diligently caught the juice of the Red Rock Corpse Flower in a glass bottle below.
After a while,
Thump.
The Red Rock Corpse Flower, squeezed by Cuengi, was planted back into the ground.
Kueng! Kueng!
[For Dad’s longevity and health, I’ll come again next time! Golden bat, off we go!]
Cuengi said his farewells to the Red Rock Corpse Flower, promising to return next time, and flew towards the 99th floor.
Screech…
The Red Rock Corpse Flower hurriedly fled elsewhere.
***
While Theo was turning Harzar into Piyot’s subordinate.
Gororong.
Kking…
[I’m hungry…]
Fenrir, who had been sleeping on top of Theo’s bundle, woke up due to hunger.
Kking…
[They’re not around…]
Fenrir looked around and, realizing that Theo and Piyot were nowhere to be seen,
Took a step to run away when
Gurrurr.
His stomach loudly grumbled.
Kking… Kking…
[I’m so hungry… Those evil bastards didn’t even feed me…]
It was quite a blow to the dignity of Fenrir, the god-devouring wolf and the first seat among the apostles of destruction.
Sniff sniff.
Kking…
[There’s a delicious smell coming from over there…]
Fenrir hurriedly followed the scent,
Thump! Thump!
But this place was too crowded for Fenrir to navigate.
Kking! Kking!
He was bumped and jostled by the feet of passersby dozens of times.
Kking…
[Almost there…]
Gulp.
Finally, following the scent, Fenrir saw an item in a merchant’s hand and swallowed his drool.
And
Kking!
[I’ll eat it well!]
Bam.
He jumped towards the item held by the merchant.
However,
Bam. Bam.
No matter how much he jumped, his body wouldn’t leave the ground.
Kking… Kking…
[I’m too tired now… Is it just not going to fall…]
Exhausted, Fenrir lay down on the ground, hoping the merchant’s item would just drop when
“Oh? It’s a puppy?”
The merchant lowered his posture, seeing Fenrir sprawled out beneath his feet, exposing his belly.
‘This is it! This is what it means to submit to me!’
Fenrir pushed his belly out even more.
And
Shuk.
As the merchant sat down completely,
Suddenly.
Fenrir grabbed the item from the merchant’s hand in his mouth and dashed off.
*****
9/10
