Chapter 616: Kuengi, That’s Gross!

 

Purple Tower, 66th Floor.

Pii…

[Tastes awful…]

Having narrowly escaped death, Kamangi chewed on the green onion with a disgusted expression.

Is it really that bad?

Watching Kamangi suffer made Sejun feel uncomfortable, but it was necessary. To survive, Kamangi had to eat it.

"Do you want to go back, Kamangi?" Sejun asked, noticing how much Kamangi was struggling. Staying here would mean continuously eating the green onion, and Kamangi seemed exhausted.

However, Sejun's question struck a nerve.

Pii! Pii!

[No! The Great Kamangi can eat lots of green onions!]

Kamangi’s pride and lingering traumas were both challenged by Sejun’s question.

Crunch, crunch.

Determined to prove itself, Kamangi began chewing multiple green onions at once, causing tears and snot to flow from the intense taste.

Crunch, crunch.

Despite the tears, Kamangi continued chewing. Sejun found the sight both endearing and admirable.

"Alright, alright, just eat them one at a time."

Sejun gently took the green onions Kamangi was chewing and, with a snap of his fingers, created a small flame to roast them.

Pii?

[Dad, are you making roasted green onions?]

"Yeah, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?"

Pii!

As Sejun started roasting the green onions, Kuengi also attempted to snap its fingers, producing a flame, albeit clumsily.

Fwoosh!

Despite the awkward finger snap, Kuengi’s flame was far more intense than Sejun’s.

"Oh, let’s use this flame instead."

Noticing Kuengi’s stronger fire, Sejun extinguished his own and began roasting the green onions over Kuengi’s flame.

"When did Kuengi learn to make fire?" he wondered briefly but then dismissed it, thinking, With all the extraordinary abilities I’ve seen, this isn’t surprising.

Once the roasted green onions were ready, Sejun peeled off the charred outer layer and fed them to Kamangi.

"Kamangi, it should be better roasted, right?"

However, roasting didn’t completely change the green onion's taste.

Pii! Pii!

[It’s more bearable, but green onions are still gross! I want some roasted sweet potato strips too!]

Acting cute, Kamangi pleaded for some roasted sweet potatoes.

"Alright."

Cute little one.

Sejun handed Kamangi a piece of roasted sweet potato, and only then did Kamangi’s smile return.

And then...

"Here, Vice President Theo."

Sejun gave Theo a green onion-flavored treat he’d prepared for such moments.

Chomp chomp.

"Hmph! This treat made by Chairman Park is delicious!"

Thankfully, Theo enjoyed the treat despite the green onion mixed in, likely due to Sejun’s careful preparation.

"It’s been a while since I had this taste."

Pii! Pii!

[Yes! It’s delicious!]

Sejun joined Kuengi in enjoying the roasted green onions as they looked around.

The land on the 66th floor was a barren black plain, the ground disturbingly sticky, and the air filled with a putrid stench mixed with a sharp, hostile odor from the poison that seemed to attack with every breath.

[You have inhaled deadly S-grade poison.]

[Due to the S-grade detoxifying green onion, you are immune to the poison.]

Of course, it had no effect on Sejun and his companions.

After each member ate five S-grade detoxifying green onions, granting them immunity to poisons below S-grade for five hours, Sejun took out an S-grade green onion from the subspace storage and planted it.

[You have transplanted an S-grade detoxifying green onion in the poison-infused ground.]

[The roots of the detoxifying green onion are severely damaged.]

[Your Transplanting skill has gained some proficiency.]

Looks like it can survive here.

According to Veronica, S-grade green onions were supposed to wither instantly in this soil, but thanks to Sejun’s farming skill, it didn’t die right away.

However, just ten minutes later, the leaves turned yellow, and it wilted. One S-grade green onion alone wasn’t enough to neutralize the overwhelming amount of poison.

"How about this one?"

Sejun planted an SS-grade detoxifying green onion, which he usually reserved for special occasions.

As soon as it was planted, the SS-grade green onion began absorbing the surrounding poison, clearing a 10-meter radius in moments.

That’s the power of SS-grade green onions.

Sejun planted one SS-grade green onion in the center and enlisted his companions to plant several S-grade green onions around it to expand the purified area.

Ideally, he’d only use SS-grade green onions, but he had only about 1,000 in reserve. Since crops' grades were determined by his "Tower Farmer" rank, even if he planted SS-grade seeds, they would typically yield S-grade crops.

Occasionally, he could harvest an SS-grade crop thanks to his Harvesting skill’s bonus effect, but that was only about once every ten days.

Fortunately, he could also increase the number of SS-grade green onions using the “Abundant Pouch” artifact given by Lea, which he’d used with utmost care.

Plop.

[You have carefully uprooted a detoxifying green onion.]

[Your Transplanting skill has gained proficiency.]

[The roots were preserved thanks to Transplanting Lv. 5.]

[The detoxifying green onion will survive for five hours due to Transplanting Lv. 5.]

Once the area stabilized, Sejun moved the central SS-grade green onion to another spot, gradually expanding the territory.

After they had purified about 10% of the 66th floor, the poison started to resist.

Black liquid began seeping from the ground at the edge of the purified area, quickly withering any S-grade green onions it touched.

I won’t back down!

"Everyone, plant more!"

At Sejun’s command, his team planted S-grade green onions densely to combat the encroaching poison.

For backup, he added 100 of his reserve SS-grade green onions, out of the 500 he’d kept for emergencies. The situation was quickly brought under control.

Then...

[The detoxifying green onions that neutralized the poison have evolved.]

The SS-grade green onions that had absorbed large amounts of poison evolved, enhancing their detoxifying ability.

Thanks to the newly evolved green onions, purification sped up, and by evening, half of the 66th floor was detoxified.

"We’ll handle the rest tomorrow."

Sejun placed the remaining SS-grade green onions in the front line and calmly prepared dinner.

A little while later...

"Today’s dish is stir-fried locust stew!"

Sejun placed a dish of red-stewed locusts on the table for Theo and Kamangi.

Pii!

[Looks delicious!]

Kuengi cheered, raising its wings in joy.

Hmph, I cook just to see Kuengi’s reaction.

Watching Kuengi eat his cooking with such enjoyment, Sejun happily served himself.

As everyone relished their meal...

"Hmph, Chairman Park’s grilled fish is… m-mrow!"

Just as Theo was savoring a bite of grilled fish, he suddenly jumped up and swatted something flying toward Sejun’s head with his paw.

"Huh? Why is there a green onion here?"

Reacting a beat late, Sejun looked from the object Theo had swatted to the place where the green onions were planted.

There…

Plop. Plop.

…a black hand, formed from poisonous sludge, was uprooting the green onions and throwing them aside.

Sizzle.

Although the green onions neutralized the poison quickly, the black hand sustained its shape with more poison, reclaiming the purified ground.

After all that effort...

Sejun watched, filled with rage, realizing that the poison he was dealing with wasn’t ordinary.

A normal poison wouldn’t form hands to uproot green onions.

At that moment...

[<Title: The One Who Gazed at the Primordial> discerns the essence of the opponent.]

A faint golden glow flickered in Sejun’s eyes, revealing the enemy’s true nature.

[A malicious entity, the Poison of Slaughter, Neqma, formed from countless toxins, imbued with a will of its own.]

"Poison of Slaughter, Neqma?"

So it has a mind of its own?

"Neqma, you bastard!"

How dare you interrupt a meal!

Realizing that Neqma had intentionally disrupted their meal, Sejun’s anger flared.

"Hiss! The great hybrid Chairman Park said never to disturb his meal!"

Pii!

[Kuengi’s mad because its meal was interrupted!]

Pii?!

[Did someone disrupt the Great Kamangi’s mealtime?!]

Following Sejun’s lead, Theo, Kuengi, and Kamangi’s family also became furious. Every member of Sejun’s group took their meals seriously.

"Everyone, let’s show our wrath!"

"Meow!"

Pii!

Pii!

Fueled by anger, Sejun and his companions started replanting the SS-grade green onions pulled out by the poison, pushing back the poisonous aura.

Sejun even deployed all of his remaining 400 SS-grade green onions.

Thanks to this, his stock of 1,000 SS-grade green onions evolved into “Detoxifying Green Onions that Conquer Poison” with even greater potency.

After three hours...

"I found it."

[Poison of Slaughter, Neqma, a malicious entity formed from countless toxins.]

Sejun finally encountered Neqma, appearing as a massive demonic form shaped by the poison.

—How dare you interfere! Die!

The moment Neqma saw Sejun, it charged at him without warning.

Oh, you think I’m easy to pick on?

Feeling insulted, Sejun took a big bite of the detoxifying green onion.

[You consumed a Detoxifying Green Onion that Conquers Poison.]

[You are immune to poisons below SSS-grade for one hour.]

Delicious.

The evolved green onions tasted even better than before.

As Sejun savored the green onion juice, licking his lips...

Gasp!

Kuengi suddenly inhaled deeply, facing Neqma.

—No!

Neqma struggled, but was swiftly sucked into Kuengi’s mouth.

"Kuengi, that’s gross! Spit it out!"

Alarmed, Sejun shook Kuengi, but...

Gulp.

…Kuengi swallowed it with a proud gulp.

Then, with its front paws on its hips, Kuengi grinned proudly.

Hehehe! Kuengi protected Dad!

"Kuengi, are you really okay?"

Pii!

Kuengi nodded vigorously.

Thinking back, my Kuengi has never had an issue with anything it’s eaten...

Somehow, Sejun felt reassured.

"Just in case, let’s eat a few more of these."

He gave Kuengi several of the Detoxifying Green Onions to be safe.

Moments later...

Belch.

While eating roasted locust stew, Kuengi let out a burp.

[Master Herbalist Park Kuengi has defeated Neqma, the Poison of Slaughter.]

[Master Herbalist Park Kuengi has earned 1,000 billion experience points (50% of the total) for this feat.]

Neqma had been completely vanquished.

 

Purple Tower Management Area

[You have exceeded the requirement of detoxifying over 50% of the Purple Tower’s poison for growth.]

[All 8 growth requirements of the Purple Tower have been fulfilled.]

[The Purple Tower begins its transformation into the Violet Tower.]

The Purple Tower began its evolution.

And...

—Hahaha! As expected from our Sejun! That was fast!

Tyr was impressed by Sejun’s speed, though it was a bit of a misunderstanding.

Technically, it wasn’t yet time for the Purple Tower to evolve—only six out of the eight conditions had been met.

However, while Sejun was busy neutralizing Neqma’s poison on the 66th floor...

[Hehe! Please take this nutrient and grow into a World Tree!]

Flame, the supportive Creation Tree maker, had cultivated three World Trees in the Purple Tower, exceeding the requirement.

"Hmph, Choba, get the seal ready!"

"Yes…"

Thanks to Flame’s efforts, Theo stamped Choba as an official employee, adding another successful tally to the system.