NoveLight ™
Chapter 648. Heheh. Vice President Theo, aren’t we being too ethical?
[<Buspo> has been reached.]
Through the exclusive passageway, Sejun arrived at the Level 6 world of <Buspo>.
Gurgle, gurgle.
In Sejun's line of sight, chubby, plump slimes could be seen scurrying about, busily searching for their next prey.
Hehehe. Is it grilled pork belly for breakfast today?
While Sejun was deciding on his breakfast menu,
Sniff.
Guhuhuhu.
Queng drooled and chuckled in anticipation.
Then,
“Guys, let’s get them!”
“Puhuhut. Got it, nya!”
Queng!
At Sejun's command, Theo and Queng sprang into action, attacking the slimes.
Kyurorong.
Iona, as usual, was still fast asleep, clinging to Theo's tail.
“Whoever wins, they’re on our team!”
Kiheehit! Keeng! Keeng!
[Hihi! Big brothers, keep it up! The great Kamangi and the caretaker are cheering for you!]
While the slimes posed no real threat, Sejun and the mischievous Kamangi family kept to the rear, enthusiastically cheering on their allies.
Moments later, the slimes had been sliced into fine pieces.
Sizzle.
They were grilled to a perfect golden brown on a hot stone slab.
Guhuhuhu. Queng!
[Hehe. It’s delicious!]
Queng wrapped five pieces of meat in a single leaf wrap and devoured it with glee.
“Puhuhut. Chairman Park’s grilled fish is always the best, nya!”
“Kyut kyut kyut. Sejun-nim’s roasted peanuts are so good too!”
Theo and Iona savored the grilled fish and roasted peanuts Sejun had prepared.
Meanwhile...
Kiheehit! Keeng!
[Hey, caretaker! I want more roasted sweet potato slices!]
Even though Kamangi’s belly was already so full it was dragging along the ground, it barked persistently for more food.
“In that case, go run ten laps around the area.”
Kiheehit! Keeng!
[Got it!]
Da-da-da.
Kamangi eagerly sprinted in circles. If it was for roasted sweet potato slices, exercise was no problem... or so it seemed.
[Kamangi-sama, you’re too heavy!]
[You really need to lose weight…]
[Seriously, Sejun-nim, notice already!]
Shalalang!
Screech!
Chirp!
Moo!
Kabbi, Karuru, Shari, and Mubalchili struggled to lift Kamangi, who merely flailed its legs, pretending to run while being carried.
Why doesn’t Kamangi lose any weight, even after running so much?
Sejun, unaware of Kamangi's trickery, found it strange as he stuffed another wrap into his mouth.
Crunch, crunch.
Heheh. It’s delicious.
A smile spread across his face naturally.
After finishing breakfast, Sejun sipped the coffee Queng had brewed for him.
Slurp.
He then opened the Tower Quest to check on his progress.
Tower of Destruction Quests:
1st Calamity: Locusts of Doom - Kill 500 billion (1.312 billion/500 billion)
2nd Calamity: Giant Bloodsucking Leeches - Kill 50 billion (2.5 billion/50 billion)
3rd Calamity: Fire Moths - Kill 50 billion (2.1 billion/50 billion)
4th Calamity: Petrifying Spiders - Kill 50 billion (3.3 billion/50 billion)
5th Calamity: Slimes - Kill 1 billion (1,345/1 billion)
6th Calamity: Ogres - Kill 10,000 (121/10,000)
7th Calamity: Planet-Destroying Turtles - Kill 1,000 (15/1,000)
8th Calamity: Flesh Devourers - Kill 100 billion (60.7 billion/100 billion)
Still a long way to go...
The path to becoming the ultimate landlord was arduous and distant.
During the past week of rest, Sejun had visited the boss of the 99th floor of the White Tower, Ogre King Les, to deliver the auras of 121 individuals residing within his body.
“Sejun-nim, congratulations! Your Muscle Strengthening Art has reached the third level of mastery.”
Les informed Sejun that his muscle-strengthening technique had advanced to the third level.
Queng?!
[Does that mean Queng can teach Dad the Aura Amplification Technique now?!]
Having previously learned the Aura Amplification Technique just for this moment, Queng eagerly prepared to teach Sejun...
Queng!
[This is how you do it, Dad!]
“Like this?”
Queng! Queng!
[No, no! Like this!]
Teaching a genius to a simpleton wasn’t an easy task. What came naturally to Queng was far from intuitive for Sejun.
“Like this?”
Queng! Queng!
[I said like this! Dad, focus!]
Queng kept scolding him, and Sejun found his authority as a father slipping away.
Les, help me out here.
Sejun shot a pleading look at Les.
“Ahem. Let me explain the basics of the Muscle Amplification Technique first.”
With no other choice, Les stepped in and began teaching Sejun.
The Muscle Amplification Technique temporarily enhanced one’s muscles using aura, increasing body size and strength. Currently, Sejun could triple his size for three seconds.
If the technique reached the tenth mastery level, one could maintain a hundredfold increase indefinitely—but Sejun doubted he’d ever need that.
If I grow too big, my clothes will rip.
Sejun had learned this the hard way when he accidentally activated the technique, shredding all his clothes and nearly putting on a naked spectacle for his companions.
Thank goodness Eileen wasn’t in the White Tower to witness that.
Thinking about that incident still made him blush. Sejun shook his head to dispel the embarrassment.
“Time to get back to work.”
He quickly stood up, newly motivated as he reviewed the number of calamities he needed to eliminate for the quest.
“Let’s go, everyone!”
“Puhuhut. Sounds great, nya!”
Queng!
Keeng!
With that, Sejun and his companions set out to hunt more calamities, steadily moving toward the capital of the Kherma Empire.
Capital of the Kherma Empire, Batan
“What?! My Gatoma was beaten in the Tower?!”
The Emperor of the Kherma Empire, Puntaro, roared in anger.
“Dad, look. I even got this mark on my back!”
Gatoma revealed a paw print stamped on his back.
“This is…”
No way…
Puntaro hastily turned to his chief court mage, Gengen, for confirmation.
“It’s as you feared, Your Majesty. It’s not exactly the same, but it functions much like a Mark of Loyalty.”
“They dared to brand my son with a loyalty mark?!”
Bang!
Puntaro slammed his foot on the ground, unable to contain his fury.
And to top it off, they’d announced their intent to come to the capital.
How dare they disregard the Kherma Empire so blatantly?!
“Guards! Locate their position immediately!”
A decree was issued to report any sightings of Sejun and his companions. Within an hour, reports started coming in.
“They’re approaching the capital while hunting calamities?”
Sejun’s party’s movements were hard to miss—they defeated calamities in a loud and chaotic fashion.
“Yes, sire. They’re approximately 20 kilometers from the capital. If we leave now, we can intercept them within the hour.”
“Good. Gather all the soldiers in the capital. We’re marching out immediately!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Conveniently, a report had just come in about calamities appearing near their current location.
Puntaro planned to eliminate the calamities and capture Sejun’s group in one fell swoop.
According to Gatoma, the enemies were only three.
Gatoma didn’t even consider Iona or the Kamangi family due to their small size.
Rather than sending troops to catch three people, dealing with the calamities first provides a better justification.
Puntaro ensured his reasoning for mobilizing such a large force was sound.
And leading such a massive army will surely make Gatoma admire me more.
Pleased with his plan, Puntaro led a vast army toward Sejun and his companions. Soon, they encountered them.
“Dad, those are the ones!”
Gatoma pointed out Sejun’s group.
“Alright. Watch as your father takes care of them. Prepare to attack!”
“Yes, sire!”
“Attack—”
Just as Puntaro was about to give the order...
“Kyut kyut kyut. The power of gravity… METEOR.”
A tiny white hamster floated into the air, barely visible to the naked eye.
BOOOOOM!
The spell obliterated an area almost the size of the capital itself, taking out the calamities, Puntaro’s army, and everything he had planned to deal with afterward.
Only silence remained.
And then...
Step. Step.
A calamity began approaching them.
“... …”
Puntaro and his soldiers stood frozen as Sejun and his companions arrived before them.
“Puhuhut. I told you to wait, and here you are, coming out to greet us, nya?! Such excellent manners, nya!”
Stamp. Stamp.
Theo cheerfully began stamping them with his paw print.
Meanwhile…
“Excuse me… I’d like to see your treasure vault.”
“O-oh. Of course! This way!”
Sejun, without hesitation, was escorted by Puntaro to the treasure vault.
On their way back to the capital, Batan, Puntaro and his elite soldiers provided Sejun and his companions with a full ceremonial escort.
“My dad… lost? Dad isn’t the strongest…?”
For the first time in his life, Gatoma witnessed Puntaro’s defeat, leaving him deeply shaken and depressed.
At that moment…
Tap.
Queng! Queng!
[Of course he lost, nya! Dad is naturally weak, nya!]
Queng placed a comforting wing around Gatoma’s shoulder.
“What?! Dad is naturally weak?”
Queng! Queng!
[That’s right, nya! Sons must always protect their dads, nya!]
Queng enthusiastically began coaching Gatoma on how to be a protective son.
Queng! Queng! Queng!
[First, always stay alert around Dad, nya! Second, taste-test anything he eats first, nya! He might eat something dangerous!]
Queng explained the protective protocols for weak fathers, instilling a new sense of purpose in Gatoma.
“So that’s it. Dad is someone I must protect.”
Gatoma, enlightened by Queng’s teachings, would later be celebrated as the greatest filial son in Kherma Empire history.
As Sejun’s group made their way back to Batan...
And then...
Step. Step.
A calamity began approaching them.
“... …”
Puntaro and his soldiers stood frozen as Sejun and his companions arrived before them.
“Puhuhut. I told you to wait, and here you are, coming out to greet us, nya?! Such excellent manners, nya!”
Stamp. Stamp.
Theo cheerfully began stamping them with his paw print.
Meanwhile…
“Excuse me… I’d like to see your treasure vault.”
“O-oh. Of course! This way!”
Sejun, without hesitation, was escorted by Puntaro to the treasure vault.
On their way back to the capital, Batan, Puntaro and his elite soldiers provided Sejun and his companions with a full ceremonial escort.
“My dad… lost? Dad isn’t the strongest…?”
For the first time in his life, Gatoma witnessed Puntaro’s defeat, leaving him deeply shaken and depressed.
At that moment…
Tap.
Queng! Queng!
[Of course he lost, nya! Dad is naturally weak, nya!]
Queng placed a comforting wing around Gatoma’s shoulder.
“What?! Dad is naturally weak?”
Queng! Queng!
[That’s right, nya! Sons must always protect their dads, nya!]
Queng enthusiastically began coaching Gatoma on how to be a protective son.
Queng! Queng! Queng!
[First, always stay alert around Dad, nya! Second, taste-test anything he eats first, nya! He might eat something dangerous!]
Queng explained the protective protocols for weak fathers, instilling a new sense of purpose in Gatoma.
“So that’s it. Dad is someone I must protect.”
Gatoma, enlightened by Queng’s teachings, would later be celebrated as the greatest filial son in Kherma Empire history.
As Sejun’s group made their way back to Batan...
System Announcements:
Sejun Company’s influence soared once again, and its [SJC System] received an upgrade.
The reason <Buspo>’s employee count skyrocketed, despite Theo only stamping a few thousand individuals, was due to the unique laws of the Kherma Empire.
Every citizen of the Kherma Empire was branded with a Mark of Loyalty at birth, preventing them from betraying the emperor.
When Theo stamped Puntaro with his paw print, the mark transferred loyalty not just from Puntaro, but also from all the Kherma Empire citizens, making them employees of Sejun Company.
[SJC System Update]:
A job posting was immediately shared across the employee network. Although the allocation percentage was small...
Applications for Deputy Guardian Deity:
[Seed Shop Division, Sprout God Bu-deu]: Me! Yay, first!
[Seed Shop Division, Rock God To-ga]: Me! Bu-deu, you idiot, this isn’t first-come-first-served.
[Combat Shop Division, Fire God Pa-ro]: Applying!
A heated competition among the gods ensued to become <Buspo>’s deputy guardian deity.
Shortly thereafter...
[System Announcement]:
Thus, Rock God To-ga became the deputy guardian deity of <Buspo>.
Batan’s Treasure Vault
“Hehehe. Guys, hurry up and load it.”
“Puhuhut. Got it, nya!”
“Kyut kyut kyut. On it!”
Queng!
Keeng!
Sejun and his companions swiftly transferred the treasure into Sejun’s dimensional storage.
“Puhut. Vice President Theo, don’t you think we’re being too ethical?”
“Puhuhut. Absolutely, nya! Leaving behind so much treasure for them—how kind of us, nya!”
Sejun and Theo, proud of their work, stood in the now-empty treasure vault, admiring the small pile of worthless items they had intentionally left behind as a “generous gesture.”
“All right, time to go. Queng, let’s move!”
Queng!
With Queng’s telekinesis, the group swiftly exited the capital.
From afar, Puntaro’s anguished cries echoed across the city.
“MY TREASUREEEEEE!!!”