Chapter 91 of 100
Chapter 91. I can't help but love me, nya!
8 min read1,996 words
Chapter 91. I can't help but love me, nya!
Theo, who was hanging on Sejun's knee, bristled when he saw Iona come out of the pocket dimension storage room.
'Why is Iona coming out from there, nya?!'
Theo thought he had left Iona on the 99th floor of the tower.
'The tower is a joke, nya!'
Just as Theo was angry about the major flaw in the tower's system,
"Great!"
Sejun was delighted to discover a loophole that allowed him to move with his subordinates even if they weren't designated as such, as long as they were inside the pocket dimension storage. This meant he could now bring more subordinates when the green alarm appeared.
While Sejun was rejoicing,
Squish. Squish.
Purple Locusts started flying towards Sejun and the animals, intent on killing the intruders in their hatching grounds.
However,
"Kya-lightning!"
Iona, the great destroyer, was on this side. The blue lightning that shot from her cute fingers attacked the Purple Locusts.
Crackle.
The blue lightning spread in a chain reaction, roasting the surrounding Purple Locusts until its power was exhausted. In an instant, all the Purple Locusts in front of Sejun fell.
[Guardian Iona...]
...
..
.
Experience gain messages flashed by so quickly they were unreadable.
But Sejun couldn't just be happy.
[Level up.]
[Bonus stat 1 obtained.]
[You have reached the daily maximum level-up limit of 10 times.]
[You cannot gain experience points except for those you earn directly until a day has passed.]
"Huh? Then what about the experience I just gained?"
Sejun was flustered as he read the message. The experience he had gained, which would have allowed him to level up 50 times and complete his job quest, had vanished.
"I didn't know there was such a limit..."
It was natural that most hunters on Earth didn't know this information, as they had never had the opportunity to ride such a premium bus.
"Can't help it. Let's retreat for now!"
Sejun decided to return to the jewel frog habitat rather than fight. Fighting here wouldn't yield much experience.
He planned to guard the place and wait for a day to pass. Guarding here would also prevent the extinction of the jewel frogs, making it a two-for-one deal.
"Guys, grab some meat."
Sejun instructed the animals entering to collect the bodies of the Purple Locusts. The smell of roasted chicken from Iona's lightning attack had stimulated his salivary glands and cooking inspiration.
Then,
Clank.
Sejun opened the pocket dimension storage and took out 20 sturdy garlic chives, planting them at the entrance to prevent the Purple Locusts from easily entering, before entering the jewel frog habitat.
"Where are we?"
Iona looked around and asked about their location.
"This is the 67th floor of the tower, the habitat of the jewel frogs, nya! We're here to prevent their extinction, nya!"
"Jewel frogs?"
"Yes, nya! I'll introduce you to the jewel frogs, nya!"
Theo answered Iona's question, wary of her but still willing to do what needed to be done.
Meanwhile, Sejun examined the Purple Locust meat he had brought in to cook.
"Let's see."
A few of the Purple Locusts that had been hit first by Iona's attack were completely charred and inedible, but those hit when the lightning's power had waned were only burnt on the outside.
Thanks to this, the inside was cooked like it had been parboiled, making it easy to prepare and eat quickly.
"First, I need to take out the garlic chives for detoxification."
Clank.
Sejun opened the pocket dimension storage and went inside.
"Wow... it's so spacious."
The upgraded pocket dimension storage was much larger than before. It was big enough to fit three Black Minotaurs crouching.
"These and these."
Sejun took out the necessary ingredients and put them in a pot.
Then,
Slice. Slice.
He cut the Purple Locust meat into appropriate sizes, made cuts in the middle of the meat, and stuffed them with detoxifying garlic chives.
After making 10 pieces of meat stuffed with garlic chives,
"Kweon, make some thin, long branches for me."
Sejun called Kweon, who was drooling and watching from the side.
Kweon!
Excited at the prospect of eating something delicious, Kweon was very cooperative. Kweon used the enhanced branches of the corrupted Ent and infused them with magic to shape them as Sejun wanted.
"Good."
Poke. Poke.
Sejun skewered the meat on the branches Kweon was holding and placed them on a stone stand. The branches hung about 20 cm above the flames.
"Now, just turn them occasionally to cook them evenly. Got it?"
Kweon!
Kweon nodded in response to Sejun's words. This time, he planned to cook the Purple Locusts using indirect heat, giving them a roasted chicken feel.
Purple Locust skewers, you could say.
Then,
Rumble.
His stomach signaled that it wanted food. Thinking about it, he hadn't finished his meal on the 99th floor of the tower.
However, since the Purple Locust skewers weren't cooked over direct fire, they would take time. He needed another dish to satisfy his immediate hunger.
"Theo, can you chop these up finely?"
Sejun asked Theo, who was returning, to chop the Purple Locust meat and ingredients. Iona, who had put the ingredients somewhere, was nowhere to be seen.
"Got it, nya! Leave it to me, nya!"
Swoosh.
Theo took out his claws and finely chopped the meat and ingredients.
"Thanks."
'Puhu. As expected, President Park needs me, nya?'
Theo, feeling proud of Sejun's "thanks," hung onto Sejun's knee.
Plop.
Sejun put the chopped Purple Locust meat, potatoes, and garlic chives into a pot, seasoned it with salt, and started boiling it. It was Chef's soup.
"Kweon, help me."
To reduce cooking time, Sejun called Kweon to strengthen the fire.
Kweon!
Kweon went to the fire and used a fire spell.
Whoosh.
The fire intensified.
Boil. Boil.
The soup's color gradually turned purple as it boiled.
Then,
[The Purple Chef's Potato Soup is complete.]
[Your Cooking Level 4 proficiency has slightly increased.]
Sejun checked the options of the completed dish.
[The Purple Chef's Potato Soup]
Thinly sliced Purple Locust meat, detoxifying garlic chives, and strength potatoes are boiled together for a long time, blending all the ingredients and enhancing all effects.
The detoxifying garlic chives neutralize the extreme toxins in the Purple Locust meat, enhancing the consumption effect and making the meat softer.
The detoxifying garlic chives prevent the dish from spoiling easily.
The taste is slightly improved.
Strength increases by 10.5 for 30 minutes upon consumption. (Strength increases by 0.5 due to Cooking Level 4 effect)
Satiety lasts for 4 hours.
Chef: Tower Farmer Park Sejun
Expiration Date: 30 days
Grade: C+
The dish's options were better than when using Red Locust meat.
"Guys, let's eat."
Sejun called the animals.
However, the animals' expressions were not good when they saw the soup's color. They looked like they were telling him not to play with their food.
Of course, Kweon, who ate anything, didn't care.
Kweon!
Kweon downed the soup Sejun served in one go. It was already his fifth one-shot.
Murmur. Murmur.
The animals started a discussion on how to eat the purple soup.
"I won't eat it, nya."
The fish lover, Theo, expressed his opinion not to eat it.
Snap!
The Black Rabbit suggested eating it with eyes closed.
"Illusion magic will do."
Iona suggested using illusion magic to trick the brain.
Kweon!
Kweon suggested using a dyeing spell.
Swallow. Kweon!
Meanwhile, Kweon had already downed the soup and was holding out an empty bowl to Sejun, who was eating the soup. It was already his fifth one-shot.
"Hurry up and decide. If you don't, you won't have anything to eat. And it's actually much tastier than you think."
Sejun urged the animals, who were still in discussion, and served another bowl to Kweon.
"Just eat it."
Snap.
Kweon.
The animals, unable to reach a consensus, started eating the purple soup in their own ways.
Then,
"I want to eat churu, nya."
Theo, who wasn't going to eat the soup, climbed onto Sejun's knee and asked for churu.
"Sure."
Rip.
Sejun tore open the churu bag and handed it to Theo.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
As the meal was coming to an end, the smell of roasted chicken filled the cave. It was from the Purple Locust skewers.
"Are they done?"
As Sejun approached the Purple Locust skewers,
[You have achieved the first Purple Locust skewers in the tower.]
[The recipe for Purple Locust skewers is registered at Cooking Level 4.]
[Your Cooking Level 4 proficiency has greatly increased.]
[Due to Cooking Level 4 effect, Purple Locust skewers have a special effect: Resistance to Low-level Toxins.]
The dish was completed just in time.
"Resistance to Low-level Toxins?"
The name alone gave an idea of what it was. Sejun checked the completed dish.
[Purple Locust Skewers]
Indirectly grilled Purple Locust meat with detoxifying garlic chives inside, making it non-greasy and savory.
The skilled cooking technique ensures the Purple Locust meat and detoxifying garlic chives are well-cooked, making the meat tender and delicious.
The detoxifying garlic chives neutralize the toxins in the Purple Locust meat.
Special effect: Resistance to Low-level Toxins
Chef: Tower Farmer Park Sejun
Expiration Date: 15 days
Grade: C+
"Kids, try this."
The animals, having already eaten the purple soup, started eating the purple Purple Locust skewers without hesitation.
As the animals were eating the Purple Locust skewers, the smell of the dish started to spread outside the cave.
This led to an unintended situation.
The smell of the meat spread outside the cave, reaching the Purple Locusts that were eating the bodies of their kin killed by Iona's attack near the jewel frog habitat.
Squish. Squish.
The Purple Locusts, following the smell, started to gather in the rock crevices where the jewel frog habitat was, which was not easily visible from the entrance.
[Your crops have eliminated pests.]
[You have gained 1 experience point.]
[Your crops have eliminated pests.]
[You have gained 1 experience point.]
...
..
.
[Your sturdy garlic chives are withering due to toxins.]
"Huh?"
As Sejun was looking for a weapon at the sudden messages,
Squish. Squish.
Hundreds of Purple Locusts entered the cave.
"So soon?"
Sejun quickly picked up his dagger and hand axe.
Then,
“Kweon. Sejun-sama, open the pocket dimension storage and say 'freeze storage' when the Purple Locusts enter!”
Iona stepped forward and said.
Clank.
Following Iona's words, Sejun opened the pocket dimension storage towards the Purple Locusts.
Squish. Squish.
The Purple Locusts, attracted by the crops inside the pocket dimension storage, entered it on their own.
Then,
"Freeze storage."
As Sejun said,
Whoosh.
A strong wind was created inside the pocket dimension storage, starting to suck in the Purple Locusts that had entered.
[Freezing Purple Locusts.]
[The Purple Locusts are entering hibernation.]
[If the Purple Locusts are not removed within 10 hours, they will die.]
...
..
.
[5% of the space is filled.]
...
..
.
The Purple Locusts, frozen in square ice blocks, were neatly stacked in the corner of the pocket dimension storage. Since they weren't dead, they could be taken out later to gain experience points.
“Kweon. How about it? I had some leftover magic, so I added a new function!”
Iona said proudly.
"Iona, you're amazing! Want some roasted peanuts?"
“Kweon! Yes!”
Sejun handed Iona roasted peanuts he had prepared on the 99th floor of the tower, impressed by her achievement.
“Kweon. Thank you!”
Iona, with sparkling eyes, held out her hands to receive the roasted peanuts and carefully placed them in her pocket dimension bag. She was too full to eat them now.
'Dangerous, nya.'
Seeing Sejun praise Iona, Theo felt a sense of crisis. His position was in danger.
But
'Puhu. President Park can't help but love me, nya!'
Fortunately, Theo had something to believe in. He took out a rainbow-colored gem he had found while exploring the jewel frog habitat from his backpack.