The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 41

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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 41

 

I only said I didn’t have something I didn’t have, so why is he reacting like that?

 

There’s no way the great Seo Ganghyeon would be upset over something like this.

 

At this point, maybe he just doesn’t like me.

 

Unable to find an answer, Hana quietly held out a new, unopened ice cream.

 

It was an attempt to change the subject.

 

“Would you like some?”

 

Whether this worked or not, Ganghyeon sat up completely.

 

Hana naturally expected him to take the new one.

 

But.

 

Ganghyeon’s fingers deliberately grabbed the stick that Hana had just been holding.

 

Then, as if checking something, he stared at the end of the stick for a long time.

 

Looking for habits like chewing on the end of ice cream sticks like ‘1’ does.

 

But there were no teeth marks or anything like that left on the end of Hana’s stick.

 

“Why? Is there something on my ice cream?”

 

Not understanding what was happening as her stick was grabbed, Hana also examined the stick.

 

Then their eyes met directly.

 

“Huh?”

 

When she came to her senses, Ganghyeon had already bitten into the ice cream Hana had been eating.

 

Hana hurriedly pulled her captured hand free and hid it behind her back while raising her voice.

 

“Why, why are you eating this! I gave you a new one!”

 

“Too lazy to unwrap it?”

 

Along with that ridiculous reason, Ganghyeon leaned back against his chair again as if nothing had happened.

 

Looking at the ice cream that had disappeared by half from Seo Ganghyeon’s one bite, Hana looked like she was about to cry.

 

“Excuse me, Seo Ganghyeon…! I’ve been wanting to say this for a while, but why do you keep subtly speaking informally to me?”

 

“If you’re upset about it, you can do it too. Oh. But I think I’m older anyway.”

 

Even when she tried to confront him about the bothersome issue as revenge for her stolen ice cream, she was no match for Ganghyeon.

 

In the end, defeated in the verbal sparring with Ganghyeon, Hana grumbled and unwrapped a new ice cream, starting to chew it aggressively.

 

As she had felt before, the real Seo Ganghyeon was definitely different from how he appeared in the media.

 

That is to say, he was annoying.

 

Much more than she had imagined.

 

* * *

 

“Ah, this isn’t right.”

 

Taegyeom, who had remained at the Haechi Guild training ground, sat down on the spot.

 

Yun Taegyeom’s face, which usually wore a cheerful smile while making jokes, had no trace of laughter at all.

 

Instead, it was filled with worry.

 

Around Taegyeom, broken sticks and shattered stones were scattered about, showing how intensely he had been training.

 

“This level isn’t even close to enough.”

 

But Taegyeom was not satisfied at all.

 

A-rank telekinesis.

 

It was once an ability he could take sufficient pride in.

 

In actual combat and within the guild, he had thought he would never fall behind.

 

But lately, things were different.

 

As high-grade Gates appeared one after another and the power of Boss Monsters grew abnormally stronger, Taegyeom was feeling his own limitations.

 

Especially that day.

 

When they entered the ‘Melancholy City of Rain’ Gate.

 

Taegyeom had gritted his teeth and tried to push back the Boss Monster.

 

But it was impossible for him, who was merely A-rank, to face an S-rank Gate’s Boss Monster.

 

If Ganghyeon hadn’t been there, he would have been overwhelmingly defeated without even being able to properly fight back.

 

The sense of powerlessness he felt then weighed heavily on Taegyeom’s shoulders.

 

“…At this rate, I won’t be any help to Ganghyeon at all.”

 

Moreover.

 

The memory of being helplessly caught up in S-rank Lee Haechan’s ability kept holding him back.

 

The sensation from that day was still vivid.

 

The feeling of being unable to do anything while his mind was torn apart without even a chance to defend.

 

‘If this continues…’

 

Taegyeom gritted his teeth.

 

At this rate, he felt like he wouldn’t even be qualified to stand beside Ganghyeon.

 

The Busan Gate they had just returned from was the same.

 

Because telekinesis wasn’t efficient for that particular structure, the strategy mostly relied on Ganghyeon’s firepower and judgment, while Taegyeom could only wait outside the Gate, preparing for any unexpected variables.

 

Waiting.

 

That word felt particularly bitter.

 

In the past, he would have thought that was important enough. But not anymore.

 

Actually, Taegyeom knew.

 

From the moment Ganghyeon, who had been the same A-rank as him, rose to SS-rank, anxiety had been growing little by little in a corner of his heart.

 

Ranks usually don’t change.

 

Cases like Ganghyeon’s advancement were exceptional; he knew he wasn’t the one falling behind.

 

But even so, as someone who was supposed to be the older brother, he couldn’t become a burden to Ganghyeon.

 

Taegyeom clenched his fists tightly.

 

He had joined the guild before Ganghyeon, and until Ganghyeon became SS-rank, he had prided himself on being a reliable colleague to watch his back.

 

But now?

 

He felt like someone who just followed behind Ganghyeon.

 

“…This won’t do.”

 

Taegyeom suddenly stood up and slapped both his cheeks hard enough to make a sound.

 

Smack. Smack.

 

The sharp pain instantly cleared his mind.

 

“Focus, Yun Taegyeom. As the older brother, you need to act your age.”

 

* * *

 

After that, peaceful days continued without any particular incidents.

 

Gates still appeared constantly, but they weren’t threatening grades like the A-rank Gate that had erupted in Yangpyeong or the sudden Gate that occurred in front of Haechi Guild.

 

The conquests went smoothly, and while the guild was busy, it wasn’t chaotic.

 

And today, as usual, Hana was tending to the garden in the hospital backyard, faithfully carrying out the missions given by the system window.

 

However.

 

If there was one thing that had changed, it was that this garden was no longer ‘a space for herself alone.’

 

“Benefactor, watch carefully! I’m going to completely wipe out these damn weeds today!”

 

There was Choi Kwon, unnecessarily swinging his hoe too vigorously while claiming to pull weeds.

 

“Kw-Kwon, if you swing the hoe like that, n-no, don’t.”

 

And Lee Haechan beside him, timidly protesting that other crops might get hurt.

 

“Tsk. How noisy.”

 

And even Seo Ganghyeon, who had naturally taken a seat on the wooden chair in front of the cabin.

 

The hospital backyard, which should have been quiet, was quite bustling.

 

Moreover, today even Yun Taegyeom had appeared at the garden.

 

“Wow, are these potato sprouts? I’m seeing them for the first time!”

 

He, who hadn’t shown his face once in the past few weeks, was walking around everywhere, constantly exclaiming in admiration.

 

Hana, who had become accustomed to this commotion, paid no attention and harvested the well-ripened cherry tomatoes.

 

【SYSTEM】

 

【You have harvested ‘Stamina-Boosting Tomato🍅(B-rank)’!】

 

【15pt of experience points are awarded as a reward.】

 

As you can see, thanks to diligently cultivating the garden, the grade of the cherry tomatoes had also risen by one level.

 

However…

 

Hana, who had been looking at the system window, pressed her forehead.

 

“Isn’t the experience accumulation rate too slow? The rewards are too trivial.”

 

That was right.

 

After dealing with the Boss Monster, all the missions the system gave were nothing but trivial ones.

 

【SYSTEM】

 

【Would you like to mix ‘Melancholy-Infused Oyster Mushroom🍄(B+ grade)’ with other crops? [Y/N]】

 

【Reward: Random experience points / Upon successful mixing, experience points will be given differentially according to the grade of the new item. (Starting from a minimum of 5pt.)】

 

Yeah. Things like this.

 

Still, Hana habitually pressed the accept button.

 

No matter how few points it was, every little bit helps, and by collecting like this, wouldn’t she be able to recover her memories a little faster?

 

The message that appeared below the system window caught her attention once again.

 

【Upon reaching 7,500pt cumulative experience, ‘Fragment of Lost Memory x2’ will be given as a reward.】

 

After recovering part of her memory once, the frustration about what she had lost became even clearer.

 

Hana touched the wounded area on her stomach that she had seen in her dream.

 

What on earth had caused such a wound? And who was the person who had called out to her so desperately?

 

Could that memory perhaps be the reason she woke up in the hospital?

 

She wanted to know. What exactly had happened to her before being brought to the hospital?

 

Having fitted one piece together, she could now see more clearly how many gaps there were.

 

But at the current pace, recovering the next memory would be a long way off.

 

She needed a bigger breakthrough.

 

“Would it be better if I entered a Gate?”

 

Every time her experience points increased significantly, it was when she entered Gates or encountered monsters.

 

She hadn’t been obtaining new crops lately either, so maybe she should really go in for multiple purposes.

 

Hana’s contemplation continued until Kang Hyeon woke up from his nap.

 

Having finally decided to enter a Gate, Hana stealthily approached Kang Hyeon.

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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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