Chapter 67 of 100
Chapter 67: Burning the Western Forest
8 min read1,912 words
Chapter 67: Burning the Western Forest
Thud!
[A large fallen branch of a corrupted Ent scout has been defeated.]
[500 experience points have been obtained.]
[Level up.]
[1 bonus stat point has been obtained.]
"Phew. It's finally over."
Sejun defeated the last remaining fallen branch scout and leveled up.
"Status window."
Sejun increased his mana with the bonus stat point and checked his status window for the first time in a while.
[Park Sejun Lv. 25]
Talents: Well-rounded General, Friend of Nature, Landlord
Stats: Strength (15.6) Health (16.1) Agility (13) Mana (17.25)
Occupation: Top Farmer (C)
Skills: Sowing Lv. 4, Harvesting Lv. 4, Seed Shop Lv. 2, Seed Collection Lv. 2, Beekeeping Lv. 4, Thunderstorm (雨雷) Lv. 1, Cooking Lv. 3
"Wow..."
Sejun looked at his status window with pride. He had gained two new talents, and his stats had increased significantly. Moreover, he had seven skills.
With his almost lowest-tier talent as a well-rounded general, Sejun was amazed to have such an excellent stat window.
"You've grown well, Park Sejun."
As Sejun praised himself,
Thud.
"I did well too, nya!"
Theo, who had defeated the fallen branch scout, returned to Sejun's knee and appealed for recognition of his contribution.
"Yeah, good job."
As Sejun stroked Theo's head,
Plop.
Squish!
This time, the black rabbit climbed onto his shoulder, sticking out its bottom and demanding praise.
"Yeah, good job, black rabbit."
Tap tap.
As Sejun praised Theo and the black rabbit,
Moo!
From a distance, Moo quickly ran over. It seemed unfair that only the others were being praised. Moo was about to launch itself at Sejun like the others.
However,
"Moo! Stop!"
Sejun quickly stopped Moo's charge to save his life.
Even though Moo had reduced its size while running, its mass remained the same. The kinetic energy of Moo, with its mass and speed, was enough to send Sejun to the afterlife.
Moo...
As Sejun stopped it, Moo's eyes began to well up with tears, feeling disappointed. "Daddy, I hate you..."
"You did well too. Let's eat some honey."
Sejun quickly comforted Moo before its tears started to flow.
Moo!
At the mention of honey, Moo's expression brightened, and it grew larger.
Then,
"Hey?"
Moo grabbed Sejun's arm, placed him on its back, and ran towards the brick house, where honey was stored.
Swish. Swish.
Upon arriving home, Sejun poured honey into a wooden bowl made for Moo and gave it to him.
Plop.
Chomp. Chomp.
Moo!
While Moo dipped its front paws into the bowl and licked the honey, saying "delicious!" repeatedly,
Roar.
Gurgle.
Gurgle.
Sejun, Theo, and the black rabbit quickly fell asleep.
And,
Gurgle.
After eating all the honey, Moo also fell asleep on Sejun's chest. It is said that Sejun had a nightmare of being buried alive that day.
***
"Wow! We've arrived..."
"Phew. It was tough."
"I want to eat something first..."
Oren and his gang, who had climbed to the 99th floor of the tower without eating anything, looked around for something to eat. But there was nothing to be found.
"Let's go to Umaro and sell these items."
We can earn money and buy food. Oren picked up the bag of items from outside the tower and slung it over his shoulder.
"This way."
One of his subordinates walked ahead, looking at the map given by Scaram.
Thus, the nine cats carrying the bag entered the territory of the Black Minotaurs.
And,
Moo!
Umaro's youngest, Usamcheonpal, who had been waiting at the boundary of their territory on Umaro's orders, spotted the cats and sent a signal.
***
"Ugh... What is it?"
Sejun, who had a terrible nightmare, woke up feeling his body aching.
"Huh? What is it?"
Feeling the heavy weight on his right leg, Sejun looked down.
Dangling.
Theo was hanging from Sejun's knee, sleeping.
"Hey, wake up."
As Sejun shook his knee to wake Theo,
"I'm awake, nya."
Theo only answered with his eyes closed.
Sejun first hung Theo from his leg and went down to the cave.
Upon entering the cave,
[Master! Good morning!]
The flame with three leaves greeted him energetically.
"Yeah, good morning."
Swish.
Sejun answered and went to the wall, adding another stroke to complete the eighth 正 in the fifth line, marking the 240th day of his ordeal.
"The ninth Blue Moon is almost here."
The next Blue Moon will occur at midnight on the 242nd day, which is less than 40 hours away. However, with Eileen around, Sejun wasn't too worried.
Sejun had once proposed to Eileen, who appears during the Blue Moon, to have a meal together at his farm, intending to show his gratitude in person.
However,
[The tower's manager says that his aura is too strong, and if you see him directly, you might faint or even die.]
[The tower's manager says you should become stronger quickly.]
Eileen, who couldn't leave the tower's management area, told a well-intentioned (or not) lie. Sejun completely dismissed his worries about the Blue Moon.
With his current abilities, Sejun wouldn't faint from the roar of his mother, the Crimson Giant Bear, or Umaro.
But to faint or die from a roar... Sejun misunderstood that Eileen was overwhelmingly stronger than other monsters.
Swoosh.
Sejun filled a wooden kettle with water and gave it to Flame, feeling guilty for not taking care of it properly.
"Let our Flame grow well."
[Hehehe. Master! Thank you!]
Swish.
After giving water to Flame, Sejun ate some dried sweet potatoes for breakfast while watching the flames Flame created.
And,
Squish squish squish.
Theo, with his eyes closed, was enthusiastically eating Churu.
As Sejun watched the flames Flame created, Flame said,
[Master! You don't look well!]
"Ah. I didn't sleep well, so my body feels heavy."
[That's... Master! I'll make you feel better!]
"Huh?! Feel better?"
One of Flame's three leaves turned white, sending a white flame to Sejun's body.
Swoosh.
The white flame seamlessly entered Sejun's body.
[The Purifying Flame will seep into your body for 3 hours.]
"Purifying Flame?"
[The Purifying Flame burns impurities and improves your physical condition.]
Whoosh.
"Hey?!"
Sejun was enveloped by the white flame, but it didn't hurt or feel hot. Instead, the toxins in his body burned away, making him feel lighter.
Gurgle.
Theo, who had fallen asleep while eating Churu, was unaware of the flames on Sejun's body.
"Flame, you... are amazing?!"
Flame had incredible abilities.
[Hehehe. I'm so happy to be of help to Master!]
"Do you have other abilities?"
[Yes!]
One of Flame's leaves turned yellow, and a yellow flame seeped into Sejun's body.
[The Affinity Flame will seep into your body for 3 hours.]
[The Purifying Flame disappears.]
It seemed the flames couldn't be used simultaneously.
[The Affinity Flame helps the user control and enhance the power of fire.]
Flame had a different flame for each leaf.
The first leaf was the Purifying Flame, which burns impurities.
The second leaf was the Affinity Flame, which helps the user control and enhance fire.
And the last third leaf...
[The last leaf's ability is still unknown.]
The most recent leaf seemed to be an ability Flame hadn't yet figured out.
"Let's try the Affinity Flame first?"
Sejun wanted to test the Affinity Flame. He decided to go to the Western Forest, where there were many things to burn, and burn the fallen branch scouts to ensure a good night's sleep.
Thus, the Western Forest expedition team was formed.
Members: Sejun, Theo, the black rabbit, Moo, and the mother Crimson Giant Bear as a guardian.
Roar!
Sejun and the animals, riding on the mother Crimson Giant Bear, arrived at the entrance of the Western Forest in 30 minutes.
***
Moo!
Moo!
The Black Minotaurs surrounded the cats in several layers to prevent them from escaping.
"We... We are wandering merchants who came to sell rare items from outside the tower to Umaro."
"Please... don't harm us!"
"Save us!"
Oren and his subordinates screamed in fear. Although they knew the Black Minotaurs wouldn't harm wandering merchants, standing in front of them made their bodies tremble.
It was a natural reaction of prey in front of a predator. Theo, who had caught Ucheon and brought him to Sejun, was abnormal, though he wouldn't admit it.
Moo!
The Black Minotaurs surrounded the cats and led them to Umaro.
"Phew. We're lucky."
"That's right. I thought we were going to die."
"Now our troubles are over."
The cats, relieved that their troubles were over, followed the Black Minotaurs, but their troubles had just begun.
If they had known that meeting Umaro would be the start of their troubles, they might have gone down the tower immediately. But such luck didn't come their way.
***
At the entrance of the Western Forest, dead branches were scattered like obstacles.
"Why are there so many branches?"
As Sejun moved forward to cut the branches,
Thud.
The mother Crimson Giant Bear blocked his path with her massive front paw.
Roar! Roar!
[Be careful! They will attack if you get close.]
"Do they move?"
Moo.
[Yes.]
As the mother Crimson Giant Bear brought her front paw close to the branches,
Crack.
The dead branches suddenly moved, wrapping around her front paw. At the same time, a name appeared.
[Corrupted Ent's Rotten Branch Guardian]
They can camouflage...
The mother Crimson Giant Bear removed the branch guardians from her paw.
In that short time, dozens of nearby branch guardians had entangled themselves with fur and her body, forcing her to pull out the fur as well.
"Annoying."
They weren't strong but were very troublesome monsters.
Clang!
After observing the rotten branch guardians with the mother Crimson Giant Bear's demonstration, Sejun clashed his dagger and hand axe.
As sparks flew, Sejun used the Affinity Flame to control and enhance the fire.
A golf ball-sized flame appeared on Sejun's hand.
"Burn."
As Sejun threw the flame at the branch guardians,
Whoosh.
The fire burned the branch guardians, starting a fierce blaze.
[Corrupted Ent's Rotten Branch Guardian has been defeated.]
[10 experience points have been obtained.]
...
..
.
"Go."
Sejun directed the fire to move deeper into the forest. The flames, following Sejun's will, slowly moved westward.
However, the speed of the flames was extremely slow. At this rate, it would take all day to burn the forest, and they wouldn't even reach the inner part.
Then,
Whoosh.
The mother Crimson Giant Bear, understanding Sejun's intention, lightly swung her front paw to create a breeze.
Whoosh.
With the help of the wind, the flames rapidly spread, consuming the branch guardians.
The branch guardians, which didn't react to the fire, burned to death. As a result, a massive blaze covered the outer part of the Western Forest, and Sejun leveled up twice.
By increasing his mana with the bonus stat point, Sejun found it easier to control the fire. It was a very easy hunt, requiring no effort.
Gurgle.
Gurgle.
Gurgle.
Theo, the black rabbit, and Moo, who had come along, were already sleeping comfortably on the mother Crimson Giant Bear's back.
After a considerable amount of time burning the Western Forest,
Swoosh.
Fog began to spread from the inner part of the Western Forest.
Puff.
The fire, upon meeting the fog, quickly lost its strength and went out. It didn't seem like ordinary fog.
Then,
[The Affinity Flame is fading.]
The Affinity Flame, received from Flame, disappeared after 3 hours.
"Everyone, run!"
Sejun, riding on the mother Crimson Giant Bear, boldly fled.