I Inherited the Basement of the Tower - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Inherited the Basement 1 of the Tower – Episode 18

“…Hunter?”

Association President Yun Tae-sik smiled gently.
We were in the middle of a curse diagnosis.
Had I been staring too intently?

“My apologies. I was simply admiring how your appearance matches the image I had in mind. You possess a presence as striking as an Achievement.”
“Haha. You’re quite kind. This is what happens after reckless dungeon raids during my active years and the ailments I contracted back then.”

He lifted his arm to reveal the discoloration.
No matter how many times I looked at it, these were unmistakably curse symptoms.
I’d suspected it might be, but to think he actually carried a curse.
And he was the Association President, no less.
Wasn’t there a single person nearby capable of curse removal?
… Or could it be.

Ding!
[Accessing Hunternet.]
[Searching for information on curses and curse removal.]
[Searching….]

No way.
That doesn’t make sense.
But moments later, the search results transformed my suspicion into certainty.

[No search results found for the keywords ‘curse’ and ‘curse removal’.]

There were occasional posts using curse as a meme, joke, or in everyday conversation.
But nothing related to the knowledge Barkalor had taught me or President Yun Tae-sik’s condition.
In other words, even the so-called experts were unaware of the concepts of curses and curse removal.

‘Wait, then.’

I immediately changed my search keywords.

[Searching for ‘rare disease’, ‘incurable disease’, ‘terminal illness’.]

Unlike before, numerous posts had appeared.

[What kind of disease is this?]
-Suddenly something appears on my skin. It started after I cleared Floor 30 this time; it hurts but the hospital can’t figure out the cause.
[Comments]:
-Isn’t it some kind of rare disease?
-Wow, Floor 30 is seriously high level. But you still got sick? I heard Hunters rarely catch minor illnesses because of their Vitality stat.
-Hang in there.

Posts like these were everywhere.
I even had vague memories of seeing similar posts on Hunternet occasionally.

‘Insane.’

I’d scrolled past them without much thought back then.
Never imagining they were all curse symptoms.

‘Yet the concept of curses still hasn’t been revealed to the world.’

Even the Association President, who possessed both power and wealth, hadn’t uncovered the cause.
Others would be no different.

‘Barkalor….’

What exactly was that old man?
How did he possess such knowledge?

‘I’m even curious about the old man’s past life.’

“Hunter Kang Ha-jin, is there anything uncomfortable?”
“No, I apologize.”

For now, I’d need to discuss this matter with Barkalor later.
I set down the backpack I’d been carrying onto the table.

Thud.

It was Werewear meat for tasting.

“Association President, have you eaten yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Then let’s have a bite. Fresh meat.”
“Ah. So it’s Werewear, then.”
“That’s right. Do you happen to have cooking utensils?”
“Yes. They should be stored in the supply warehouse.”

A moment later.
The Association President’s office filled with a delicious aroma.

Sizzle—

I placed the Werewear meat on a skillet over the burner.
This was my first time cooking bear meat.
Fortunately, even simply grilled with just herb salt, it released an appetizing fragrance.
Meat merely seared in a skillet was releasing such an aroma.
What would it taste like if a proper chef prepared it?

Growl—

Hyeon-jun and one of the Association members had already stopped watching me and shifted their gaze elsewhere.
Their eyes were fixed solely on the meat.

“Don’t just stare like that. You two should have a piece as well. If it’s not enough, I’ll give you mine. Would that be alright, Hunter?”
“There’s plenty of meat. Everyone, please sit.”

Hyeon-jun was also tasting Werewear meat for the first time and licked his lips in anticipation.
Once the meat was cooked through.
Everyone placed a piece in their mouth.

“Mmm.”

There were no words to describe it further.
It was heavenly.
If I had to make a comparison, it was even better than pork belly after a long march.
Everyone closed their eyes and ate the meat frantically.
By the time digestion began.
Everyone’s eyes opened wide.

“What?!”
“This is…!”
“So it’s true.”

The Association President, Hyeon-jun, and the Association member.
All three of them were Hunters, after all.
I didn’t see it myself since I’d already consumed one in the Cave.
But I knew what they were marveling at.
They probably had a status window floating before their eyes right now.

【You have consumed Werewear meat infused with sunlight for the first time.】
【You have acquired 3 distributable stat points.】

‘…As expected.’

I naturally increased Darkness.
Hyeon-jun expressed his gratitude to me sincerely.
The Association member bowed his head repeatedly.

“Thank you. With this, my lifespan will be extended a bit longer.”

The Association President was no different.
I didn’t know his exact level, but Yun Tae-sik was also quite formidable.
Rising from level 1 to 2 and rising from 50 to 51 are worlds apart.
Though both are a single level increase, their effects are vastly different.
Having invested all the distributable stat points into vitality, his complexion had regained some color.

‘…Lifespan, he said.’

In the warm atmosphere.
I slowly opened my mouth.

“Association President. What exactly is it that you want from me?”

Thud.

A moment of silence fell.
Despite the considerable pain from a long-standing curse, the Association President maintained his gentle smile.
A man of harsh resolve.
Not a single emotion betrayed on his face.
Unlike Gu Jang-hun with his straightforward stubbornness.

‘He must have experience enduring pressure from guilds and politicians.’

“Forgive me, but would everyone please step outside.”
“But Association President—”
“Trust him.”
“…Understood.”

Hyeon-jun turned his gaze toward me before nodding.
I felt the depth of his trust and was genuinely grateful.
The two of them left, leaving only the Association President and me inside.

Click.

The moment the door softly closed.

“Cough!”

The Association President began coughing.
Coughing up blood, he pulled out a bottle of water with trembling hands.
He gulped down an enormous amount of medicine.
For the first time, I saw his eyes filled with genuine agony as he looked at me.

“…As you can see, I don’t have much time left.”

So he was enduring it in front of his subordinates.
In a way, he was even more stubborn than Gu Jang-hun.
I waited quietly to give him space to speak freely.
Soon after, he thanked me and continued.

“I will die soon. What more could a man like me ask for? I received word from Jang-hun on your way up. It seems that reckless boy acted rudely toward you. He’s like a son to me. I apologize on his behalf.”

So that was it.
In other words, Yun Tae-sik was like a father figure to Gu Jang-hun.
Only then did Gu Jang-hun’s incongruous demeanor make sense.

“…It’s fine.”
“Meat. Excellent. My digestive functions are nearly destroyed, so normally I shouldn’t eat at all. But a delicacy with both taste and nutrition like this cannot be passed up. However, eating like this merely extends my lifespan slightly. I know better than anyone that my condition cannot be cured. It’s my body, after all.”

That’s right.
Because that’s not a condition—it’s a curse.

“No. Perhaps. If you are a Hunter, you might be able to find a way to cure my condition. You’re someone who procures such rare items so effortlessly. I’m sure you’re hiding even more.”
“…!”
“However, I have no justification, qualification, reason, or anything of sufficient value to demand that of you.”

In other words, his purpose wasn’t meat or prolonging his life.
Come to think of it, Hyeon-jun was the same when I gave him meat.
Even though the Association could have monopolized it, many Hunters were pleased that they could become stronger.
Though younger than the Association President, I’ve experienced enough to know.
Those eyes are sincere.
So then, what is it?
This expectation Gu Jang-hun mentioned that he’s placing on me.
The Association President erased his smile and swallowed hard.
The composure from before vanished entirely, and he bowed his head to me, someone far younger.

“If there is one thing I must request, it is this. Before being Association President, as one Korean. Please, do not abandon this country.”
“…!”

Honestly, I was shocked.
Just that?
The Association President continued to persuade me, breaking into a cold sweat.
That Korea had already abandoned me once, so he knew it was shameless. That he couldn’t contact me back then because he was bedridden with his condition. That having once entered Taesan, he had no choice but to be cautious.
He came to persuade me with such pathetic excuses.

“…If you would only do that much. I promise to support you with all my might, even if I must resort to an old man’s stubbornness and insistence before I die. I believe there must be something precious to you on this land, even if just a small corner.”

…There is.
Though not on the land above, but below it.
In any case, I had no intention of leaving.
Not because I was a patriot.

‘The Temple, Yahwi, and Barkalor are all here. Why would I go abroad?’

Going back and forth was inconvenient.
Besides, as a true Korean, I couldn’t live without kimchi, ramen, and grilled pork belly.
Of course, I had no intention of refusing the support.

“I’m grateful for the support. I look forward to your best efforts, Association President.”
“Ah! Yes, that’s wonderful.”

Only then did the tension seem to ease.
The Association President wiped his face with a dry hand.
An IV line attached to his arm caught my attention.
He deeply cared for this nation and the Hunters upon this land.

“What if, hypothetically speaking.”

Perhaps my heart had been moved by listening.
The words suddenly tumbled out.

“What if someone could cure that condition? What would you do?”

His gaze became intensely serious.

“It’s embarrassing to say from my own mouth, but saving me right now is the same as saving South Korea. I dare say that with certainty. I will provide massive support to whoever saves me. And—”

He continued, fixing his gaze upon me.

“And if that person were you, a Hunter… well, I’m afraid I might lose control. I’m a strict principalist, but I might casually break a few laws.”

The benefits he then listed were utterly overwhelming.

“To maintain dignity, an unlimited credit card goes without saying. Twenty-four-hour security service for privacy protection, first class whenever traveling abroad. Official schedules will include a limousine and attendants. I’ll exempt you from over thirty percent of taxes. And I’ll even gift you a sports car for transportation.”

I nodded.

‘Up to this point, it’s in the realm of luxury. Just… fine.’

The Association President’s words still hadn’t ended.

“All Hunters have it anyway. We’re also planning to strengthen the crime immunity clause. By appointing you as an honorary Association member—essentially making you family—we’ll come to your aid whenever and wherever you wish. Because that’s what family does.”

For instance, if the Association President’s curse were to fully heal.
Even if I went around smashing the skulls of criminals, they’d have to let me go.

‘It’s nice, but there’s nothing that really pulls me in yet.’

It would be better if he just gave me a ton of Moonlight Stones cleanly.
About five thousand of them.
Just as that sense of regret was about to bloom.

“-And from now on, we’ll actively support any items or goods that come under the Association’s jurisdiction or are transferred to it. For example, equipment, Floor Skip Tickets, or Runestones containing skills.”
“…!”

Finally, the main course had arrived.
It would depend on the contents, of course.
Skill Runestones are items worth tens of billions to hundreds of billions of won each.
He was saying he’d give them to me every time one appeared?

“That sounds good.”

There was nothing more to think about.
I slowly reached out my hand.
Yun Tae-sik’s wrinkled eyes, full of dark circles, slowly widened.

“We can continue supplying fresh meat going forward. Of course, business will have to be involved. But that alone won’t be enough to cure you.”

If the current Association President died, who would become the next one?
Whoever it was, Taesan and the other Guilds would run rampant.
The system would change, and power would shift.
Since Yun Tae-sik created the current Hunter laws and Hunter society, and things operate because of him, it’s fair to say so.

‘As expected. I really don’t like adapting to change again.’

I didn’t want to deal with unnecessary trouble.
The only reason I decided to save the Association President was that one thing.

Whoosh—

Thud—

The Association President shot up from his seat, forgetting all about his aching body.

“My, my body! The pain is disappearing…!”

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say the suffering was diminishing.
It began the moment the darkness emanating from his body was absorbed through my hands.

Ding—

【You have absorbed Darkness.】
【Darkness stat has increased by 1.】
【The curse’s influence weakens.】
【Time remaining before deterioration: 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes.】

Of course, I hadn’t completely cured him yet.
I had merely absorbed the darkness to prevent the curse from worsening,
but the source of the curse still remained within Yun Tae-sik’s body.

‘Barkalor will handle the rest.’

I hoped his hypothesis about the purification tree was correct.
Still, judging by the momentum, he should be able to live with manageable pain for about a week.
Watching Yun Tae-sik unable to hide his joy, I smiled faintly.

* * *

“We’ve arrived.”

I gave Gu Jang-hun a brief nod and stepped out of the car.

“Thank you.”

The familiar underground building came into view.
Home.
Today I had gained much.
But the greatest prize wasn’t the promise of financial support or the profits from selling meat—it was none other than the Association President himself.

Click—

At that moment.
The door opened and a large man stumbled out, groaning.

“…Hunter Gu Jang-hun.”
“…Truly, truly thank you!”

He bowed at a perfect right angle.
Pitter-patter.
Tears like chicken droppings fell beneath him.

“…Ahem.”

I hadn’t even become a perfect savior yet.
It was merely to obtain the Darkness stat, and everything was selfish—purely for my own benefit.
Such gratitude felt awkward and burdensome.

“Well, yes. Please go inside quickly.”

I waved my hand dismissively.
Yet he maintained the same posture.
It seemed he intended to keep bowing until he was completely inside.
After scratching the back of my head for a moment.

【Time remaining until Black Land Purification Tree growth: 9 hours 48 minutes.】

Suddenly, the sapling I had planted earlier caught my eye.

“If you’re truly grateful, help me manage the trees later. It seems I’ll be planting many more in the future.”
“…Yes!”

As I descended the basement stairs, I reflected.

‘I’ve gained another person.’

I had obtained a gargoyle statue to guard the garden.

‘Then, should I raise my level while waiting for the Purification Tree to grow?’

[Hunternet.]
[Everyone, hot news just dropped. The Taesan elite team that went to conquer the Special Dungeon Floor has failed….]
[Taesan’s Special Dungeon Floor conquest rights have been released. Who will get the second expedition permit….]
[From their official statement, it seems they need items related to divine power?]
[It’s restricted to level 10 and below.]

Crunch—
I clenched my fist as I watched the bustling Hunternet.

“It looks like I’ll have work to do soon.”

My gaze was fixed on the ‘mark’ that Taesan had released.
Yes. That symbol discovered in the Special Dungeon Floor.
I had definitely seen it before—in the Temple.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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