The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 16

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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 16

* * *

Meanwhile, the person in question—that ‘certain lunatic’—was Hana, who was secretly watching the situation from behind a tree some distance away.

Still wearing the fertilizer bag over her head.

Ah, though there was one difference from before—neat holes had been cut where her eyes, nose, and mouth should be.

Seeing the Yangpyeong Branch Hunters supporting Kang Hyeon as they went inside, Hana nodded with satisfaction.

“Good.”

For now, she had squeezed and fed him the juice from a few more cherry tomatoes as an emergency measure.

Since they were also hunters, they would know better than anyone how to handle status ailments.

So they would quickly realize that Popcon was an item too. They’d take appropriate measures.

Now that Seo Ganghyeon was taken care of, Hana had exactly one thing left to do.

“I should quickly get rid of the garden I made inside the Gate before anyone discovers it.”

Hana held Popcon, who was following along with short legs going pitter-patter, in her arms and hurried home before anyone could see them.

She wanted to open a shortcut right here, but since no one could see her, she had to return to the safe garden.

Wanting to get there even a little faster, Hana chose a shortcut that led to the village rice paddy embankment instead of her usual route.

The night air was quite cold.

The water stored in the rice paddies glimmered silver under the moonlight, and the wind created rustling sounds as it brushed through the grass.

Within that, at the end of the paddy field path, the dim air began to twist strangely.

The wind direction suddenly reversed, and a brief chill swept by.

But Hana didn’t notice.

“Wow, this smell is no joke.”

She was just taking off the fertilizer bag, sniffing and wrinkling her face at the smell.

Popcon cried “Kyak!” from within her arms, but Hana was only worried about the smell and the Gate.

“Got it. Let’s hurry back!”

Without the cart, her steps were much lighter as Hana busily walked into the shortcut.

Once she realized how grimy she felt, she wanted to hurry back and wash up.

In Hana’s arms, Popcon kept tilting its head this way and that.

“Kyuung?”

Hana looked down and stroked Popcon’s round head.

The warm body temperature she felt at her fingertips helped calm her mood a little.

“Come to think of it, what should I do about you, Popcon?”

Even if it was a bound-type, a monster was still a monster.

Were there cases in the Hunter Association regulations of carrying around monsters that weren’t summoned creatures?

Just then, a system window blinked irritably in the corner of her vision.

【SYSTEM】

【So are you going to keep calling that monster ‘Popcon’?】

“If this little one is okay with it?”

【SYSTEM】

【I’ve been feeling this since before, but you have absolutely no talent for naming!】

What? Why are you picking a fight again?

Hana glared at the system window with narrowed eyes.

Then she looked at Popcon’s black, round eyes as if seeking confirmation.

“Really, Popcon? You don’t like your name?”

“Kyak!”

Popcon flapped its ears as if to say “What are you talking about? I like it!”

It seemed very pleased with its name.

Emboldened by Popcon’s reaction, Hana lifted her chin triumphantly.

“See? Popcon likes it.”

【SYSTEM】

【Hmph. What’s so great about a name like that? Stupid monster. If it were me, I’d absolutely refuse a name like Popcorn! –ㅅ-】

The tone was strangely sulky.

Suspecting something, Hana slyly narrowed her eyes.

“What? Are you sulking? Because I only gave it a name?”

【SYSTEM】

【Me? No way! Why would I be sulking at a heartless user who gives names to monsters they just met, while ignoring me who’s been through thick and thin giving missions? -3-】

Right. You are sulking.

“What kind of system sulks like this?”

How peculiar.

Still, seeing the pouting emoticon, she felt concerned due to their shared bond.

So Hana quietly tried to appease the system.

“You’re right. I went too far. I should have given you a name first.”

【SYSTEM】

【…Hmph, then give me one now. ( -᷅ ⤙ -᷄ )=3】

“Should I? What would be good? Since you chatter so much, hmm.”

With a quite serious expression, Hana rested her chin in thought, then snapped her fingers.

“Ah. How about Chirpy?”

【SYSTEM】

【…That’s the worst.】

Ah, fine if you don’t like it.

Hana’s cheeks puffed out like balloons.

She had thought about it quite carefully, but apparently not good enough.

Just as her mood was about to turn sour.

Popcon suddenly struggled in her arms, slipped out, and started running toward the end of the paddy field path.

“Ah! You can’t just run around like that!”

Chasing after Popcon, Hana finally caught the little creature and held it in her arms again just as they nearly reached the end of the path.

That was the moment.

A cold sensation swept down her spine.

It was an unfamiliar energy that instantly gave her goosebumps, yet strangely felt familiar somehow.

“…Huh?”

Just as Hana turned around in confusion.

Beep—!

A sharp warning sound rang out.

Instantly, a black hole tore open around the space where Hana was standing.

A Gate had opened.

Right beneath her feet, of all places.

“Wow… what kind of day is this really?”

As soon as she muttered to herself, the entire space she was standing on was swallowed by the Gate, and the ground beneath her feet suddenly gave way.

Hana’s bangs flew up in the wind as she found herself falling.

Along with a resounding scream.

“Ahhhhh!”

* * *

Kwon, who had laid Kang Hyeon on the sofa, bent his back and stretched.

“Ugh, damn, he’s really heavy.”

The sound of bones cracking accompanied his stretch.

Next to Kwon, an A-rank hunter who was examining the crops and Popcons brought on the cart raised an eyebrow.

“Huh, these are all items?”

“What? Really?”

At those words, one of the hunters who had gathered around clapped their hands.

“This looks like that item that’s been sold out everywhere at the Hunter Trading Post lately.”

“Whoa, that one? Those cherry tomatoes that sell out completely in 3 seconds?”

“Oh oh! That thing!”

The air suddenly heated up in an instant.

Then one of the hunters glanced at Kwon and poked his side with a mischievous face.

“Hey, Kwon. Want one? You never know. Maybe if you eat this, your hair might grow back?”

Kwon’s face instantly turned bright red.

“Hey you bastards! I told you not to talk about my hair!”

In fact, this unique chestnut-shaped head wasn’t Kwon’s preference.

To be precise, Choi Kwon liked to tie his red hair that covered his nape in half and wear it that way.

Why?

Choi Kwon was a wind-type ability user.

So wouldn’t it be pointless to describe how cool his hair would look fluttering every time he used his ability?

For Choi Kwon, who would die for style, his hair was very precious.

So much so that he managed it daily with the finest treatments.

But that carefully grown hair was completely burned away by a bizarre fire-attribute bird monster he encountered in an A-rank Gate one day.

And it hadn’t grown back since.

“Damn it, what the hell did that bird bastard do that my hair won’t grow!”

Choi Kwon couldn’t contain his anger and ground his teeth furiously.

That’s when it happened.

Beep—! Beep—!

An alarm exploded throughout the building.

The hunters who had been giggling among themselves instantly hardened their expressions.

[Gate Appearance]

[Location: Yangpyeong Village Area]

[Rank: A]

* * *

“Ugh!”

Hana, who fell onto the leaves, let out a groan.

Fortunately, the leaves were piled quite high, so the impact wasn’t too severe.

“Where is this place now…?”

Hana climbed down from the pile of leaves while tightly hugging Popcon and looked around.

The first impression of the Gate she had been swept into was, well, like a jungle.

The dirt ground was damp with moisture, and above her head, vines long and drooping like willow branches swayed in the darkness.

Hana walked forward, feeling along a large rock beside her to navigate through the dark forest path.

That’s when it happened.

Popcon slipped out of her arms again and started digging at the ground with his front paws.

Then he just picked something up and ate it.

“Oh, oh no! Popcon! You can’t eat just anything!”

Hana hurriedly ran over to stop Popcon, but it was already too late.

Popcon’s cheeks were already puffed up on both sides like adult fists.

Looking closely, there was something like red rice grains stuck to his round nose.

“Why is something like this here?”

At the appearance of this rather out-of-place crop, Hana, a self-proclaimed farmer, turned the rice grains around to examine them.

The drooping vines above Hana’s nape swayed gently, tickling her skin.

Annoyed by this, Hana roughly waved her hand to brush off the vines.

But the persistent vines came back to Hana’s nape and began shaking more frantically than before.

“Ah, really! This is so ticklish I could die!”

Hana finally couldn’t stand it and grabbed as much of the vine as she could and yanked it hard.

Rip!

Even though she didn’t use much force, a whole handful of vine was pulled out.

But the feel of the vine in her hand was strange.

The surface was rough like leather, and there were things that might be thorns or suction cups protruding here and there.

“No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like an ordinary plant.”

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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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