Chapter 57: Catching Pests

Chapter 57: Catching Pests

[Sturdy Blade Leek]

A mutant leek that, after its leaves were cut, metalized its leaves to protect itself.

A leek grown inside the tower, using all nutrients to make its leaves sharp and hard, resulting in a lack of flavor and nutrition.

Consuming it has no effect.

Cultivator: Park Sejun

Expiry Date: 90 days

Grade: C

No effect when consumed? And it lacks flavor and nutrition too?

'Would a swarm of locusts even try to eat this?'

After checking the options of the Sturdy Blade Leek, Sejun's thoughts immediately turned to the Red Locusts.

Then,

Knock. Knock.

"President Park, I'm here! Why aren't you welcoming me? Look! I'm wearing the same straw hat as President Park!"

Feeling hurt that Sejun wasn't paying attention to her, Theo tapped Sejun's leg to announce her arrival again.

"Oh, Theo is here? The straw hat suits you well."

Regaining his composure at Theo's words, Sejun complimented her straw hat.

"Of course! There's nothing in this world that doesn't suit me!"

Feeling proud from Sejun's compliment, Theo shrugged her shoulders.

"President Park, sit here! I've sold out again and made a lot of money!"

Theo invited Sejun to sit so she could sit on his lap.

However,

"Greetings, Great Black Dragon. Iona, the president of the Mage Association, greets you."

Iona knelt on one knee, and as a result, Theo's plan to sit on Sejun's lap was foiled.

"President of the Mage Association? But why are you here?"

"I brought you here because you didn't believe I was a subordinate of the Great Black Dragon!"

"I'm sorry. I believe you now."

Iona bowed her head and apologized to Theo.

And,

"Um... I have something to say to the Great Black Dragon."

Iona cautiously spoke to Sejun.

"Sure. What is it?"

"In fact, I came here to request the Great Black Dragon to exterminate the Red Locusts on the 67th floor of the tower."

"I know."

He had just heard it from Aileen, but he acted as if he had known all along.

"Of course, you knew."

When she first met Sejun, Iona was unsure if he was really the Great Black Dragon. He looked like a human from outside the tower and didn't seem to have any strong power.

'Is he really the Great Black Dragon?'

Iona was doubtful. Apart from his black hair, there was nothing that connected him to the Black Dragon.

A single mana scan could confirm if he was the Great Black Dragon, but performing a mana scan without permission was a huge faux pas.

And if he was the Great Black Dragon, it could mean the end of the Mage Association, not just her.

While Iona was pondering whether Sejun was the Great Black Dragon,

Squish?

Iona saw the grass Sejun was holding. It was clearly grass, but the leaves were as sharp as blades. And Iona was convinced.

'It is the Great Black Dragon!'

This grass was undoubtedly a new secret weapon the Great Black Dragon had developed, using the Red Locusts' habit of eating grass first before moving on to other things.

'The Great Black Dragon didn't act personally because he was busy developing a new weapon.'

Iona wrote her own scenario.

"Great Black Dragon, I will catch the Red Locusts on the 67th floor and help test the new weapon you are creating!"

"New weapon? Sure, I appreciate it."

Sejun readily agreed, as he wanted to know if the Sturdy Blade Leek would be effective against the Red Locusts.

"I am honored to be able to help test the Great Black Dragon's new weapon! I'll be right back!"

Iona hurriedly left the tower.

And,

"President Park, sit down quickly and receive my report."

Theo, who wanted to sit on Sejun's lap, tapped the floor and invited him to sit again. Theo was persistent about sitting on Sejun's lap.

"Alright. Go ahead."

As Sejun sat on the floor, Theo climbed onto his lap and began her report on the recent transaction.

"I sold out again. And I achieved a total sales amount of 15,750 Tower Coins! Also..."

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Theo flipped her bag and spilled out the photos she had taken, the churu she received, the seasonings and coffee for Sejun, and the items she bought from the shop area.

"Good job, Theo."

Sejun acknowledged Theo's 50 hours of work as a manager and gave her the remaining 575 Tower Coins as a bonus, excluding the 10,000 Tower Coins.

"Thank you!"

"But, Theo, you have something to tell me, don't you?"

"...?"

Sejun looked at Theo, who subtly avoided his gaze, clearly trying to avoid eye contact. It was obvious to anyone that she had something to hide.

"Theo, are you really not going to tell me?"

"It was a mistake. But how did you find out?"

Theo couldn't understand how she was caught, as she had handled the Sun's Sweet Potato perfectly, making it a perfect crime. She never considered that she was the only one who could cause such an incident in this cave.

"I have my ways."

'Sure enough, Park Sejun is amazing.'

Theo was once again amazed by Sejun's greatness.

"Alright. Since you confessed, I'll let it go this time. But as punishment, I'll confiscate your churu for today and demote you from Theo Manager to Theo Intern. I'll reduce the punishment time based on your performance."

"Understood..."

Theo obediently got off Sejun's lap.

And,

Flap. Flap.

She started cutting the leek leaves to a suitable size and fanning them like a fan.

'Theo, you...'

In the past, she would have been devastated and hidden in a corner of the cave, but now she was trying to do something. Sejun was moved by Theo's growth.

But,

"How is it? Is it refreshing? Can I be Theo Manager again now?"

After fanning 10 times, Theo asked. She still lacked patience.

"I'll think about it if you fan 500 times."

"500 times? Alright!"

"Strong wind."

Rustle.

"Light breeze."

Flap. Flap.

Theo diligently fanned 500 times, varying the speed according to Sejun's instructions.

"Can I be Theo Manager now?"

"Ouch! My back..."

Creak. Creak.

"Can I be Theo Manager now?"

"This time, my shoulders..."

Creak. Creak.

"Why does President Park have so many aches and pains?!"

Theo asked in a sad voice, putting strength into her front paws. Sejun, who had been teasing her, felt his heart soften at Theo's concerned voice.

"Alright. You can be Theo Manager again."

Hop.

"Theo Manager! Give me churu!"

Theo climbed onto Sejun's lap at the speed of light and confidently demanded churu.

"Alright."

As Sejun tore open the churu and brought it to Theo's mouth,

Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.

Theo was in churu heaven.

While Sejun was feeding Theo churu,

"Great Black Dragon! I've caught the Red Locusts!"

Iona had caught five Red Locusts, each several times larger than her body, using magic.

"Already?"

Considering the time it took for Theo to travel to and from the tower, it was too early for Iona to have even reached the 67th floor.

"There are four types of merchant passages: normal, high-speed, ultra-high-speed, and super-high-speed. Iona probably used the super-high-speed passage."

Theo explained, resolving Sejun's curiosity.

"Good job, Iona."

"Thank you."

Thump. Thump.

Sejun examined the Red Locusts floating in the air, restrained by magic.

"They are really big."

At first, their massive size was off-putting, but after a while, he became accustomed to them, seeing them as ordinary locusts.

"Kweeng!"

Kweeng!

At Sejun's call, Kweeng emerged from the cave to the surface.

"Kweeng, can you cut this for me?"

Sejun held out the Sturdy Blade Leek. Kweeng's skin was tough and thick, so there was no worry about it getting damaged.

Kweeng!

Kweeng grabbed the leek leaves with both hands and easily snapped them in half, handing them to Sejun.

"Thanks."

Sejun carefully held the leek leaves Kweeng had broken and moved to an empty spot.

He dug a hole and fixed the leaves in the ground.

"Iona, can you make sure they don't escape?"

"Yes, don't worry. Great Black Dragon."

"Then, let one of them go for now."

"Yes."

As Iona released the magic,

Flap.

One Red Locust started to fly, flapping its wings. Iona had cast a separate spell on each Red Locust, a sight that would shock other hunters.

It meant that Iona was performing a pentacast, casting five spells simultaneously. And she was doing it while talking to someone else.

Even if it was the same spell, casting five at once was almost impossible. For reference, the best mage on Earth could only manage a double cast.

Flap.

The freed Red Locust looked around and then charged at the leek leaves fixed in the ground.

And,

Pierce.

Crunch. Crunch.

The Red Locust tried to eat the leek leaves until the very end, dying in the process. It was a terrifying appetite.

At that moment,

[You have achieved the Great Farmer's achievement by using crops to catch pests.]

[As a reward for the Great Farmer's achievement, you have gained an additional job skill.]

[You can now gain experience points when your crops catch pests.]

"Huh?"

Crops could give experience points for catching pests? While Sejun was reading the message,

"Congratulations! Great Black Dragon!"

Iona, who had confirmed the effect of the Sturdy Blade Leek, spoke with excitement. With enough time, even a single leaf could handle tens of thousands of Red Locusts.

At that moment,

Crunch. Crunch.

A chewing sound was heard.

"Huh?"

Sejun looked at the source of the sound and saw Kweeng eating the leek leaves and the Red Locust together.

"Hey! You'll get hurt if you eat that!"

Sejun quickly opened Kweeng's mouth, but

Swallow.

It was already too late. Fortunately, there were no visible injuries in her mouth. Kweeng really could eat anything.

"Iona, take these leaves to the 67th floor and plant them. Kweeng, cut the rest of the leaves."

Kweeng!

Kweeng broke all the leek leaves and handed them to Iona.

"I'll be back!"

"Hold on."

"Yes?"

"Leave the rest of the Red Locusts here."

Smack. Smack. Smack.

Kweeng, who had already tasted the Red Locusts, and the wolves, who smelled the blood, were salivating at the sight of the Red Locusts.

Iona handed the remaining four Red Locusts to Kweeng and the wolves,

Crunch. Crunch.

Kweeng and the wolves started eating the Red Locusts voraciously.

"I'll go down now."

"Alright. The leaves will grow back by tomorrow morning, so come back then."

"Yes."

Iona took nine leek leaves and went down to the 67th floor.

A few hours later,

[Your crops have exterminated pests.]

[You have gained 1 experience point.]

[Your crops have exterminated pests.]

[You have gained 1 experience point.]

...

..

.

Messages started appearing one after another.

Over the next few days, as the roots of the Sturdy Blade Leek split, Sejun divided and planted more, sending more blade leaves to the 67th floor.

Iona used the blade leaves to surround the waypoint on the 67th floor, completing a minimal defense line to prevent the Red Locusts from reaching the 68th floor.