The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 5

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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 5

“No. Our response team hasn’t received entry orders yet. There are no external intruders either.”

But the energy readings were definitely, steadily declining.

The unstable vibrations that had been fluctuating were gradually calming down.

Everyone looked bewildered.

“What’s going on here?”

“Did the boss monster self-destruct?”

The only one whose gaze remained unwavering was Seo Ganghyeon.

He looked at the Gate with falling readings and quietly pressed the vibration meter on his wrist.

“I’m going in.”

“But Hunter Seo Ganghyeon. If the boss monster really did self-destruct, the Gate will close soon. You might not be able to get out.”

Gates begin ‘natural collapse’ after a certain amount of time passes or when the boss is eliminated.

And just before collapse, a massive shock hits the internal space before it completely disappears. This was knowledge gained through countless Hunter sacrifices and research.

“What if the boss monster isn’t actually dead?”

Everyone fell silent at the doubt Kang Hyeon raised.

If that were the case, they might miss the opportunity to clear the Gate and face the worst possible outcome.

“It could be dangerous, so I’ll enter alone.”

Seo Ganghyeon walked straight into the Gate without any protective equipment.

* * *

Inside the Gate.

Cool, damp air penetrated his skin.

Step by step, Kang Hyeon checked for any unfamiliar presence.

His senses read the surroundings like radar.

Kang Hyeon’s eyebrows rose when he confirmed the boss monster ‘Bubble Puff’ lying with its neck cleanly severed.

“As expected.”

It was just as he’d anticipated.

“Clean. Too clean.”

The cut surface was precise and accurate, as if dissected in a laboratory.

With this level of skill, it had to be at least S-rank, maybe even higher.

Kang Hyeon’s eyes sharpened.

“Just who are you.”

He slowly circled the boss’s corpse, examining the surrounding traces.

Between the grass, small scratched dirt marks were lined up.

Traces of someone carefully digging soil with a small shovel.

Half-torn plastic gloves and pieces of disposable fertilizer bags were scattered here and there.

Following the dragged bag traces led to behind a rock on the Gate wall, where irregular crack marks were observed.

Kang Hyeon touched the gap with his fingertips.

He could feel faint traces of mana remaining.

“This isn’t a portal mark. This is a skill.”

It was different from the regular entry routes used by ordinary Hunters. Both in form and structure.

Was there such a skill?

Then.

Thud.

Heavy footsteps echoed from behind.

A monster that had remained in the Gate suddenly launched a surprise attack.

Without even turning around, Kang Hyeon extended his arm and activated his skill.

【SYSTEM】

【Skill ‘Mark of Ash Fire (S-rank)’ is being cast.】

Red flames erupted explosively.

The entire air shook, and the monster became ash without even leaving a scream.

Bang! Rumble!

The remnants of flame licked across the ground, and black burnt ash slowly scattered above it.

Tap. Tap.

Kang Hyeon brushed off the ash that had settled on his shoulders.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued examining the dead Bubble Puff’s body.

Between the cleanly severed flesh, the mana core was half-exposed.

“They didn’t collect this?”

A mana core, especially an A-rank monster’s mana core, was worth tens of millions of won.

But leaving something like that behind meant one of three things.

1. A beginner who doesn’t know the value of mana cores

2. Someone with so much money it’s rotting away

3. An overwhelming ranker who doesn’t need to level up.

Option 1 was ridiculous.

It would be impossible for a beginner to handle an A-rank monster this cleanly.

No matter how S-rank or higher, right after awakening, one can’t control skills with such finesse.

Setting aside option 2.

As far as Kang Hyeon knew, there was only one person who fit option 3.

The world’s number 1 ranked Hunter ‘1’, who was no longer in this world.

For a moment, a fleeting hope of ‘what if’ crossed his mind.

But soon, a sneer appeared at the corner of Kang Hyeon’s mouth.

“…What are you expecting again, Seo Ganghyeon.”

All this time, Kang Hyeon couldn’t let go of his lingering attachment.

What if ‘1’ was still alive.

Because of that thought, whenever he saw even the slightest trace of ‘1’, he would chase after it anywhere, regardless of danger.

Among them were often high-risk Gates.

However, nowhere could he confirm the possibility of ‘1’s survival.

This time would be no different.

False hope only made his insides burn more.

‘1’ was dead.

Kang Hyeon whispered to himself that fact which all of South Korea knew.

“Then, there’s only one answer.”

His gray eyes that had darkened soon regained their reason and calmly surveyed the surroundings.

Normally, Bubble Puff’s habitat should have been covered with sticky mucus and foul-smelling excrement.

But the surroundings were strangely clean.

There were traces where someone had thoroughly scraped away the excrement.

The only one who would do such a thing was the ‘monster dung collector’, if not some lunatic.

“That crazy bastard showed up again.”

Then, the radio crackled.

-Hunter Seo Ganghyeon, energy levels have dropped below 20%! At this rate, the Gate will close soon! Please come out immediately!

Seo Ganghyeon placed his hand on his hip at an angle and pressed the radio button.

“Situation concluded. I’m coming out.”

Kang Hyeon was about to turn around when he felt something bump against his foot and stopped.

Looking down, something neither heavy nor light rolled away.

Something red, small, round, and glossy…

It was unmistakably a cherry tomato.

“What the hell is this now.”

It was absurd.

A cherry tomato in a Gate.

Could there be a more mismatched combination?

“Good grief, what the.”

Kang Hyeon let out a breath like a hollow laugh and picked up a tomato.

* * *

Returning to the garden, Hana opened the mouth of the heavy sack.

“This should last quite a while, right?”

As she lightly sprinkled the fertilizer made from Bubble Puff excrement over the soil, the cherry tomato stems instantly trembled and wriggled.

Swoosh—.

Bright red fruits began poking their heads out one by one from between the leaves.

【SYSTEM】

【Crop grade has increased. C → C+】

【Effect increase: Stamina +15% → +30%, Fatigue –35% → -45%, Wound healing effect enhanced】

“Ooh….”

Hana looked down at the skill window with a satisfied expression.

Then she noticed a green stem poking up sharply between the leaves.

“Huh?”

Hana lowered her posture to examine the stem.

At the end of the small, round stem she’d never seen before, a thick ochre-colored seed was attached.

“What is… this?”

As she carefully lifted the stem, information automatically appeared in the skill window.

【SYSTEM】

【Unidentified crop: Nameless (D-grade)】

【Effect: Unknown】

【Potential: Estimated B-grade】

“Wow….”

A small exclamation escaped her.

Ding-dong—.

Just at that moment, a familiar alarm sound rang from her pocket.

Hana took out her phone while still holding the mysterious stem.

[1 new message received]

[Sender: Yun Taegyeom]

“Huh? That’s the person who bought cherry tomatoes last time.”

Hana quickly checked the message.

[Hello! Those cherry tomatoes from last time were truly a miracle. I was running to the bathroom all night right after eating them. ㅠㅠ

Do you happen to have any additional stock this time?!

I’m really in a hurry, so would direct trading be possible?

I’d like to meet you in person instead of delivery!

For the price, I’ll pay double what you listed last time!

P.S) I’m not a suspicious person. I can provide Hunter certification too! If you click the link below, our guild will also appear!]

Hana’s eyes widened.

“Double?”

The price she had listed was already slightly higher than market value, and they’d pay twice that?

“Young lady, what are you staring at so intently?”

Just then, someone approached, gently tapping her back.

It was the patient from Room 301, the grandmother who had come out for a walk.

Hana hastily lowered her phone.

“It’s nothing much. Someone texted saying they’d buy my tomatoes at a high price.”

“Oh my, isn’t that smishing?”

“Pardon?”

The 301 Grandmother pushed up her glasses and spoke with determined eyes.

“Don’t they speak sweetly and tell you to click links? If there are any suspicious links, don’t click them! All your money will disappear in a flash!”

“Oh my, really?”

Hana glared at the message window with full suspicion.

Sure enough.

There was a link prominently attached at the last line of the message.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve seen this on the site bulletin board! There are people who scam like this!’

The Hunter Trading Post was a site that ordinary people could use too, not just registered Hunters.

Of course, Hunter registration was required to access professional categories like high-grade items or Gate strategy information.

However, Hunter certification wasn’t particularly necessary for buying and selling C-grade and below products.

Thanks to that, Hana, who wasn’t a registered Hunter, could also use it.

So it was convenient.

But since identity verification wasn’t required, there was the downside of having these suspicious people around.

“The world is dangerous.”

Hana quickly pressed the block button.

“Thank you, Grandmother. I almost got into big trouble!”

“Oh my, what did I even do?”

The 301 Grandmother laughed heartily and leisurely left.

Hana focused on pulling up the stem again.

Crack.

The round fruit that came out with it sparkled in the sunlight.

“Wow, it’s so sturdy! This will sell well too!”

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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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