The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 9

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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 9

* * *

“That’s strange.”

Seo Ganghyeon examined the fallen boss monster’s corpse. But no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find the core.

Between the burnt and withered mycelia, there was only an empty hole.

The gate was still open as well.

“Ganghyeon, is there some kind of problem?”

Yun Taegyeom approached cautiously. However, Seo Ganghyeon didn’t answer.

The characteristic ‘reproductive type’ he had seen in the information window came to mind.

Seo Ganghyeon raised his hand to cover one eye. Flames flickered in his ash-gray pupil.

【SYSTEM】

【Skill ‘Eye of Hatch (SS-rank)’ activated. Pierces through the essence of things.】

A red information window filled his vision.

【SYSTEM】

【Monster Information】

【Current State: Empty Shell (No Core)】

【Special Notes: After autonomous reproduction, an individual possessing a ‘core’ was created】

As expected.

Seo Ganghyeon pressed his burning, aching eyeball.

“This is just a shell. The main body is still in this building.”

Suddenly, someone came running from behind, gasping for breath.

It was the employee who had been in charge of Hana’s test.

“E-excuse me! You’re Hunter Seo Ganghyeon, right!”

“Didn’t you hear the evacuation order? Please get out of the building immediately! It’s dangerous because there’s still a boss monster remaining!”

“Wait a moment!”

He grabbed Yun Taegyeom’s arm, who was trying to evacuate him, and gasped.

His terrified face was drenched in sweat.

“There’s still someone inside the simulation room! Some sticky mass just went that way!”

Seo Ganghyeon’s expression twisted at the rambling explanation.

He seemed to know where the main body had headed.

“Which way is the simulation room?”

“O-over there!”

Seo Ganghyeon immediately turned around.

At that moment, the crack of the gate, which was gaping wide open, trembled slightly.

As if declaring it was still going strong.

* * *

“Isn’t this too realistic for a virtual monster?”

Hana maintained a certain distance while carefully observing the strange creature.

A damp, eerie green light, completely different from the transparent, sparkling slime.

Every time it moved, vibrations that shook the floor traveled up through her feet.

Until just a moment ago, it had seemed like a simple experiential game, but now the atmosphere was completely different.

Roughly writhing tentacles, sticky mucus, and strangely humid air.

“Well, I did think it was a bit boring for a test.”

Was the earlier ‘termination notice’ just a simple bug?

Though a moment of doubt crossed her mind, Hana nodded, thinking all of this was part of a more sophisticated test.

That’s when it happened.

The monster swung its massive tentacle and slammed it down on the floor.

Crack!

Part of the floor broke, and concrete fragments scattered in all directions.

Hana, who cleverly dodged the flying pieces, still couldn’t close her mouth in amazement.

“At this level, there’s no difference from reality? Modern technology is incredible, isn’t it?”

After lightly stepping over the debris, she readied her stance again.

Her eyes, mixed with wariness and curiosity, still hadn’t faded.

Several more attacks came flying, but Hana dodged them skillfully each time.

As the attacks kept missing, the boss monster seemed to get angry and became increasingly ferocious.

It threw tentacles, hit walls, scattered mycelia in all directions, and was growing larger.

“Oh, did it get angry?”

Well, I can’t just keep dodging forever.

Hana moved closer and attempted a close-range attack.

That’s when she discovered it.

The sole of her shoe that had touched the mucus was melting away.

Hana stared blankly down at her feet, then shouted.

“These are the farmer-exclusive boots I bought with great determination not long ago! I haven’t even worn them a few times yet!”

Hana, who had been crying out pitifully, soon calmed down.

She remembered the explanation that injuries to the body during testing were only part of the virtual experience and wouldn’t affect the real world.

According to that explanation, her real shoes should be safe.

Feeling embarrassed, Hana sniffled once for no reason.

“Anyway, it seems like I shouldn’t touch it directly.”

Then what should I do?

Just as she was about to leap back to buy time to think.

Hana immediately faced the next attack.

As the tentacle came crashing down fiercely, Hana’s silhouette flashed like lightning as she twisted her body to dodge just before impact.

“Ugh, is that monster really F-rank? Why is it so strong?”

But contrary to her words, Hana’s movements were effortless.

She bounced off walls as footholds, glided across the floor, and weaved through the tentacles that barely grazed past her.

“Huh? Why am I moving my body so well…?”

However, without time to resolve her doubts, attacks poured down again.

As time passed without results, Hana grew impatient.

Naturally, Hana thought this monster would have a time limit like the slime.

“At this rate, I won’t be able to deal with it in time, will I?”

Then what would happen?

Surely my rank wouldn’t drop even further.

“No, but is there anywhere lower than F to fall to?”

Then, a familiar system window appeared before Hana’s eyes.

【SYSTEM】

【Are you playing tag with the monster? I didn’t raise you to be that weak, you know. ( •́ ‸ •̀ )】

“What, are you trying to provoke me now?”

Hana frowned and glared at the system with a sulky expression.

At that moment, another tentacle came flying.

“Eek!”

She reflexively launched her body, spinning once in mid-air to evade.

Her floating body landed on the ground as lightly as a feather.

Smooth and precise motion.

It was hard to believe this was a movement that came out without any preparation.

“…What? Did I just spin in the air?”

Hana looked back and forth between her hands and legs. Her expression showed disbelief.

“I think I really have talent? Did you help me?”

【SYSTEM】

【Seeing you ask useless questions, you must still have some leisure time!】

Though she asked just in case, the system window cleanly ignored her as if telling her not to talk nonsense.

【SYSTEM】

【Do you happen to need a weapon?】

“That’s possible too? I’d love one!”

【SYSTEM】

【Available in exchange for 1 cherry tomato. Shall I provide you with a weapon?】

“Where would I get a cherry tomato right now?”

【SYSTEM】

【Credit is also available! But with 9% interest!】

What a loan shark this thing is.

Hana patted her chest in frustration.

“Fine. I’ll give you 10 when I get home!”

【SYSTEM】

【Deal completed】

【Would you like to summon weapon ‘■■■ ■■'(User-bound)(■ Grade)? [Y/N]】

Hana, who was about to press YES, suddenly stopped her finger.

“But is there really a weapon that suits a farmer?”

Don’t tell me it’s going to be something like a seedling shovel?

It was quite a reasonable suspicion. But was this really the time to worry about such things?

Hana pressed the button anyway.

【SYSTEM】

【Beginning bound weapon summoning.】

Before the system’s announcement even finished, the entire space began to shake.

Whiiiing.

Like a whirlpool, white and golden effects swirled around Hana’s right hand.

The end of the sphere made of light stretched out long.

The silhouette that was faintly visible looked like it could be a massive spear, or perhaps a long gun.

Whatever it was, at least it didn’t look like a seedling shovel.

“Oh, this seems much better than I thought?”

Hana looked at her hand with an expectant face.

But expectations are just expectations.

Flash-.

After an intense flash blazed one last time, light scattered in all directions like fragments.

And the weapon that appeared was…

“…A slingshot?”

It was a slingshot with the quality you’d expect from a prize machine in front of a stationery store.

A handle that looked carved from wood, an orange plastic trigger, and a rubber band structure slightly visible from the muzzle.

No matter how you looked at it, it was a children’s toy.

“This is supposed to be a weapon? Are you kidding me?”

Though momentarily dejected, Hana soon accepted it.

“No, wait. For an F-rank, even this is something.”

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Hana aimed the slingshot.

When she carefully pulled the trigger, the rubber band snapped with a creaking friction sound.

With a ‘thwang’ sound like air escaping, a fingernail-sized pellet flew out.

It looked like nothing special at first glance.

But the moment the pellet touched the monster’s center, a shockwave burst out from within with a ‘bang’.

The spot hit by the slingshot scattered like dust.

The monster lost its balance and staggered, then collapsed to the ground.

“It worked! It was just big, but not that difficult after all!”

Having completed its task, the slingshot disappeared again with golden light, as if it had never existed.

But the joy was short-lived.

From the monster’s burst body, hundreds of spore seeds scattered like dandelion fluff.

The spores that swarmed like cumulus clouds engulfed Hana.

“…Wh-what?!”

Several of them stuck directly to Hana’s arms, shoulders, hair, and clothes.

“Ugh, cough cough. What is all this!”

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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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