The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 13

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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 13

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“Seo Ganghyeon, are you really going to be okay?”

Yun Taegyeom hovered around Seo Ganghyeon, who had returned from the meeting, like a puppy that needed to go to the bathroom.

“If it weren’t for the emergency call, I would have gone with you.”

Yun Taegyeom complained loudly about why a gate had to break open at a time like this.

“This won’t do. Ganghyeon, at least take some of the other kids with you.”

“Am I a kid?”

“Hey now, if you listen to this hyung, even if you’re sleeping you’ll get rice cakes-“

“Forget it. You’ll just be baggage.”

“Hey, hey! Ganghyeon!”

Leaving behind the jumping and fussing Yun Taegyeom, Seo Ganghyeon headed toward Gangnam Station Gate.

The area around Gangnam Station had transformed into gray streets devoid of any human presence.

Only desolate silence lingered in what was once a bustling downtown area.

As he crossed the yellow police line, the air became much heavier.

A zone tinted gray like dead earth.

Seo Ganghyeon bent his waist and entered inside the police line.

With just a few leaps using his long legs, Seo Ganghyeon easily arrived in front of the entrance.

The pitch-black entrance gaped open like an abyssal pit.

Seo Ganghyeon stared at the entrance with eyes of unfathomable depth, then entered the gate.

“They said there was an energy reaction here.”

He approached the entrance closely, but the system window showed no response.

It wasn’t the worst-case scenario of the gate reactivating.

However, clearly, as the Association had said, the energy of a living being had been detected.

Seo Ganghyeon took out an energy measuring device.

The gauge bar was trembling very slightly, but definitely.

A brief tremor passed across Ganghyeon’s face as he pressed his lips together firmly.

Someone really was alive in here.

“This makes me want to hope.”

Senior, that you might be alive.

Uncharacteristically, Seo Ganghyeon couldn’t easily take a step forward.

His solid chest swelled with a deep breath.

As Ganghyeon began moving in the direction where the gauge bar was reacting, he discovered something glinting.

Deeply embedded in the withered ground was a familiar dagger.

The mana core dagger he had once given to Hunter ‘1’, unaffected by the system window’s influence.

It was a very special weapon made by embedding an S-class monster’s core.

“…So this was here.”

“Ooh, junior! You’re giving this to me? It’s too precious, how should I use it? I should treasure it as a family heirloom!”

How ridiculous.

Seo Ganghyeon’s lips twisted.

Family heirloom my ass. Throwing it around anywhere like this.

As if trying to shake off the lingering echo of that cheerful voice, Seo Ganghyeon gripped the dagger’s handle tightly.

And the moment he pulled it out.

From the crack in the floor where the dagger had been embedded, black smoke surged up with scorching heat.

Ganghyeon reflexively covered his nose with his arm.

However, as the smoke touched his skin, a system notification rang out.

Even holding his breath, it was troublesome enough to penetrate his body through contact alone.

【SYSTEM】

【Abnormal reaction detected: Hallucinogenic external toxic energy resonates with residual poison in body.】

Normally, something like this wouldn’t even faze him.

But unfortunately, poison remaining from wounds sustained in a raid two days ago had reacted.

At the time, he had dismissed it as light poisoning, but the two poisons that weren’t threatening separately stimulated each other and caused a bad synergistic reaction.

【SYSTEM】

【Would you like to proceed with detoxification? The longer the exposure time, the stronger the hallucinogenic reaction becomes.】

“Proceed.”

However, the speed of the poisoning was faster than the skill activation.

【SYSTEM】

【Showing user’s unconscious through hallucinations.】

Over Seo Ganghyeon’s hand where flames were rising, a small hand overlapped.

His dry gray eyes stared intently at that translucent hand, then slowly lifted his gaze.

“What, did you appear to curse at me for being the only one who survived?”

The figure standing before his eyes was more vivid than a nightmare.

The spark of skill that had been gathering at Ganghyeon’s fingertips soon extinguished.

As always, ‘1’ was wearing a mask like broken mosaic.

That apparition scattered like mist, leading to a new scene.

This place three years ago.

That day just before the Gangnam Station Gate collapse came back to life before his eyes.

Just before the gate collapse, a silhouette visible beyond the closing entrance.

And the last words heard through the radio.

-Thank goodness. Everyone’s safe.

When ‘1’s last words before the gate exploded replayed, his breath caught.

Sparks flew from Ganghyeon’s eyes.

Thank goodness? What’s so good about it.

You’re about to die. Don’t you have any shame?

Ganghyeon gripped the dagger in reverse. Then he began walking with large strides toward the gate in the vision.

Ganghyeon raised the tip of his sword, unable to distinguish between reality and hallucination.

“I’m not leaving you behind this time. Senior, I have something to say to you. Ten years ago, you-“

His heavy low voice was consumed by the blazing flames.

When the flames that had grown in size were about to devour the entire gate.

Fortunately, the system window intervened.

【SYSTEM】

【Warning! Collapse of distinction between reality and hallucination.】

【No threatening presence detected nearby. Activating mental protection protocol for user safety.】

The system, detecting his mind had reached its limit, automatically cut off his consciousness.

“Ugh.”

He tried to endure, but his vision flashed pure white.

Soon, Seo Ganghyeon’s sturdy body tilted forward as it was.

And at that moment.

“Kyang!”

A small shadow leaped over the bushes and rushed toward Ganghyeon.

Green leaves scattered in all directions, and something round-shaped flew through the air.

“Kkak!”

The creature that had run over wagging its tail frantically began licking Ganghyeon’s cheek with its tongue.

“Kking, kkying!”

* * *

【SYSTEM】

【Fully grown crops detected within gate】

【Mission: Recovery and quality check of first harvest crops】

【Reward: D-class survival points + grade-based bonus for grown crops】

【※ Warning: Harvest failure will result in point deduction and growth value decline】

“Huh? The growth is already finished?”

Hana was amazed.

It seemed like less than a week since he planted the seeds. It was truly a phenomenal growth rate.

“I knew it from the moment it swallowed my whole potato.”

Hana looked at one side of the now-empty potato field with sorrowful eyes.

Still, since he gave up the potatoes and gained a new crop, maybe it was even.

“Let’s think positively.”

Right. The Greenhouse Garden Plot had become a bit desolate, but it had found peace again.

After satisfyingly brushing the dirt off his hands, Hana pulled a cart out from the storage.

Loading fertilizer bags onto it, he opened the hole leading to the Gate garden plot.

Since his level had risen a bit, the entrance had grown larger, making it easy to pass through with this much cargo.

Squinting his eyes against the white light pouring from the hole as he passed through, a refreshing breeze blew toward him.

As the cool wind flipped his bangs, Hana smiled with sparkling eyes.

“Good. Today is peaceful too.”

After a week, the Gate garden plot had changed 180 degrees.

Fresh green grass. Healthy soil.

No matter how hard he looked, there was no trace of that previous wasteland.

“Even though it’s my own skill, it’s amazing.”

Rattle rattle rattle.

As Hana entered the garden plot pulling the cart, he narrowed his eyes.

“Huh? What’s that?”

A round, unidentifiable being was approaching.

Maybe because its legs were short. Bouncing along with a waddle.

“Kyang!”

The strange creature leaped up and rushed toward Hana as if to embrace him.

“Ahhh!”

Hana reflexively pulled out his shovel.

Then, seeing the appearance of the attacking being, he blinked rapidly.

A cute head with green leaves and a white cotton ball-like body.

Corn kernel-like grains were softly attached, and root-like things hung from its legs.

And even a swaying tail.

At first glance it looked like a puppy, but looking closely, corn kernels were attached to its forehead.

“Wait, what are you? You’re a monster, right? Why is a monster here?”

【SYSTEM】

【Mission success! Crop recovery complete.】

【This entity is the growth result of a ‘Rare Grade Crop-type Monster Seed’.】

【Name: Sweet Corn Sprout Lv.1】

【Attributes: Plant/Fire/Healing/Detox】

【Disposition: Gentle】

“This… is what I planted?”

But you said it was a crop.

【SYSTEM】

【’Sweet Corn Sprout’ recognizes user ‘Yun Hana’ as its owner.】

【Combat Power: None】

【※ This entity is a bound-type non-combat monster, support-only.】

“A bound-type monster. Aren’t all monsters supposed to be hostile to humans?”

The monster settled between Hana’s legs as if it were its own home, wagging its tail vigorously.

His confusion at the unprecedented combination and a monster that suddenly threw itself into a person’s arms was brief.

Hana’s fingers twitched.

The urge to pet its cute appearance surged wildly.

Unable to resist, he stroked its fluffy fur, and the monster rubbed its face against Hana’s leg and curled up its body.

As the monster, seemingly pleased and trembling with joy, spread its back.

Pop! Pop pop pop!

The lumps that looked like corn kernels shot up white for a moment.

Flames burst from the monster’s round snout, and the corn kernels scattered in the air popped with crackling sounds, scattering popcorn everywhere.

“…What, this is popcorn?”

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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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