The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 11

To be this close to such an incredible person.

As that fact sank in, Hana suddenly realized what kind of situation she had just faced.

“I thought something was a bit strange. It wasn’t fake but a real monster.”

And a B-rank one at that!

Hana secretly glared at the system window.

‘Hey! If that was real, you should have told me beforehand! Before giving me something like a slingshot! I’m only giving you 5 cherry tomatoes!’

【SYSTEM】

【How could you do that! Breaking promises is bad! You scammer!】

Who’s calling who a scammer?

As Hana was having a staring contest with the system, Yun Taegyeom’s face suddenly appeared in front of her.

He had an expression of disbelief.

“Ms. Yun Hana?”

“Oh, yes. Yes?”

“So, you shot a slingshot… and defeated a B-rank monster?”

“No. I didn’t defeat it. I just, hit it once with one shot…”

Hana’s voice grew smaller as she continued.

How could she possibly defeat a B-rank monster?

Naturally, Seo Ganghyeon who appeared afterward must have dealt with it.

Yun Taegyeom seemed to think the same, as his expression quickly became relieved.

“Ah, right? I thought so! Still, that’s amazing! To encounter a B-rank monster and still be perfectly fine like this!”

“Ahaha, as you heard, I’m quite sturdy.”

Hana’s gaze briefly shifted toward Seo Ganghyeon again.

‘Is he hurt by any chance?’

Seo Ganghyeon didn’t look well.

His pale skin and the dark shadows under his eyes.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem injured anywhere, but he looked very tired. He also seemed somewhat precarious.

“Hey, Ganghyeon.”

Yun Taegyeom perceptively tapped Seo Ganghyeon’s shoulder.

“This won’t do. I’ll handle the cleanup here, so you go and rest.”

“It’s fine.”

“What’s fine about it? You look like a walking corpse right now. Go sleep immediately! Listen to your hyung, okay?”

Taegyeom tried pushing Seo Ganghyeon’s back, but the SS-rank hunter’s sturdy body just stood there like a wooden post.

As Hana watched Taegyeom struggling, an Association employee approached her.

“F-rank Hunter Yun Hana, your registration card has been issued. The investigation is all finished, so you may return home now.”

Yun Hana was classified as an ordinary civilian hunter with no suspicious aspects, specifically in the production category.

No one could even imagine that she had fought a boss monster.

Therefore, no one paid any more attention to her.

With no reason to stay, Hana headed to the lobby.

Seo Ganghyeon was with her as well.

He, who had eventually been pushed out by Yun Taegyeom, took the first steps.

Hana followed a bit behind him, then awkwardly stopped.

“…Take care.”

When she spoke awkwardly due to the uncomfortable atmosphere, Ganghyeon nodded once and walked away without any response.

His retreating figure was slow and strangely precarious-looking.

Hana stood there for a long time, watching his back.

She could have just turned around. They were unlikely to meet again anyway.

“Ugh, why should I care? It’s none of my business anyway.”

Even as she said that, Hana kept thinking about Ganghyeon’s tired-looking face.

“Ah, this is really being nosy.”

Eventually, Hana started running.

Seo Ganghyeon was already quite far away.

Hana panted as she caught up, rummaging through her bag.

Then she pulled out a small bottle and held it in her palm.

A light green sticker was attached to the surface, so the contents weren’t visible.

“Excuse me!”

Hearing someone call him, Seo Ganghyeon turned around.

“What is it.”

“Please take this. It’s the best when you’re tired!”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s nothing strange! I’m grateful that you saved me earlier, and also grateful that you said I didn’t break that monitor. Please accept it.”

Hana awkwardly scratched her cheek and smiled brightly.

Her white cheeks puffing up softly created a smile that made even the observer feel good.

Perhaps because of that, Ganghyeon found himself accepting the bottle without realizing it.

His cold fingertips wrapped around the glass bottle that still retained body warmth.

Right at that moment.

Beep-ring-ring.

The phone in Hana’s pocket rang.

When she answered, the hospital director’s agitated voice flowed out.

-Hana! I’m in front of the Association right now, and they’re saying a Gate burst inside and it’s chaos with all the control measures. You’re safe, right?

“Yes, I’m fine. Director!”

-Phew, thank goodness. Then when can you come out? We should leave before traffic gets bad.

At those words, Hana glanced up at the clock hanging on the corridor wall.

Rush hour was approaching.

A scene instantly formed in her mind.

Stalled vehicles, honking horns, completely jammed roads.

“Oh no, this is terrible!”

Feeling the pressure of tremendous traffic congestion, Hana started running frantically.

“Please make sure to try it, please!”

Even in the midst of that, she didn’t forget to leave her request.

Hana, who had been walking backward while waving her hand widely, almost tripped and then ran forward looking embarrassed.

Seo Ganghyeon quietly watched such Hana.

“There’s another person as scatterbrained as Yun Taegyeom.”

Ganghyeon shook the glass bottle left behind.

When he opened the lid, a sour yet sweet tomato scent rose up.

Wondering what it could be, what was inside the bottle was tomato jam.

As expected, Yun Hana was not his senior.

Hunter ‘1’ would absolutely hate such things and complain, and definitely wasn’t the type to make such cute things.

“Huh.”

Ganghyeon let out a hollow laugh and raised his head again.

Then he saw Yun Hana running away cheerfully.

Her tousled bob hair swaying by her ears.

Round shoulders wearing a straw hat.

Dangling overalls.

Potato stems sticking out of her bag.

And the way she moved her short legs diligently, bouncing as she ran, was just like…

“A squirrel?”

Yes, like a fearless, frisky squirrel.

* * *

Fortunately avoiding being trapped on the roads, Hana returned to the cottage behind the hospital before dinner time.

This cabin was built along with the garden during the time when the hospital director had developed a keen interest in farming.

However, the hospital director quickly lost interest in the garden and was now using this place merely as a storage shed for unused farming tools.

Thanks to this, Hana had managed to get permission to temporarily stay here for the time being.

Though it was a cramped and old space, Hana found himself quite fond of this place.

“Ugh, this feels gross.”

Hana put the overalls he had taken off his shoulders into the washing machine.

They were covered in mud and spores from all the chaos.

Water filled the old top-loading washing machine and it soon began to spin.

Then, something fluffy began blooming in the water.

At first glance, it looked like cotton balls, but from another angle, it also resembled soap bubbles.

Since he hadn’t closed the lid yet, these mysterious objects that had rapidly expanded came bouncing out of the washing machine.

Gasp!

Hana’s face turned miserable as he unconsciously took a deep breath through his mouth and swallowed one of them.

“Ptui ptui! Ugh. What is all this?”

Hana spat out what had entered his mouth.

Looking closely, they weren’t cotton balls or water droplets, but spores.

Swelling like bubbles, the water-soaked spores were growing strangely like small sprouts.

As the startled Hana tried to drain the water from the washing machine, a familiar notification sound rang out with a ding! and a system window appeared.

【SYSTEM】

【Mission Complete! Reward Granted】

【Rare Species Seed Collection and Growth Conditions Achieved】

【※ This plant is an unidentified species that does not exist in Earth’s ecosystem.】

【Skill Acquired: ‘Wild Plant Identification Lv.1(F+ Grade)’】

【Item Acquired: Unknown Seed(1)】

【500pt Experience Reward Granted】

【Current Experience: 520/2,500pt】

“…! Did I just clear a mission?”

Hana’s eyes widened as he peered into the washing machine.

The visuals were a bit gross, but… he still felt proud.

And to give him a whole 500pt of experience!

Since the trivial missions he’d been doing so far had only given him 1-2pt at most, his shoulders swelled with pride.

However, the system didn’t give him time to fully rejoice.

【SYSTEM】

【A new mission has been assigned!】

【Let’s find a suitable environment where the newly obtained seed can grow stably!】

【Conditions: Provide a ‘home’ with proper sunlight, soil, and humidity conditions.】

“…Huh?”

Hana stopped his clapping motion.

“No way, again?”

I just succeeded in a mission!

Annoyance began creeping up.

But as he watched the translucent spore stems fluttering up from the washing machine, his heart softened for some reason.

Hana straightened his body that had been about to slump.

“Right. They need a home too.”

Quickly regaining his energy, Hana immediately grabbed a pot and headed to the window.

But he soon changed his mind.

“Hmm, a spacious home would be better, wouldn’t it?”

Hana hummed as he placed a straw hat on his head.

After efficiently grabbing a trowel as well, Hana arrived at the garden and began digging in a suitable spot.

The seed looked unmistakably like a monster-type plant, being strangely moist and whitish in appearance.

When he gripped it, slippery mucus would flow between his fingers.

“But is this… really a seed?”

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