Tower Farmer

[The Radiance's Follower]

Eyes are the name of those spots on a potato that can become new plants

Click to shrink...

Oh. I always just called the roots. Them being called eyes is so silly. What the hell English language !

 

[Grosstoad]

Yeah, he will have to manually pollinate each flower.

Well, until the class gives him some cute bee familiars, probably.

 

[Overload69]

Johan's mood stayed in the dumps the next morning. It seemed the customers could see that he hadn't had the best time lately. Even Eugene brought him some donuts, trying to cheer him up.

Well, it all worked well till he ran into the wall called pollinators. The cherry tomatoes didn't need them, but to get the C-Rank carrot seeds, they became essential.

In this scenario, he couldn't exactly trust the wind or do it himself, for that matter. Was it too much to ask for some bees in the Tower?

Yes, it absolutely was.

That was the Tower for god's sake.

Feeling a bit better, since he could switch to growing cherry tomatoes, Johan resumed the work on the ink he planned to use for the waiting slips. Unlike the blue or red ones from the normal pens, this one had a dark brown colour.

While running around the trees looking for any signs of insects, Johan decided to take a few dark leaves from a random tree. Mostly because it caught his attention and reminded him of an oak tree.

Name: Vicario Asumthus

Rank: F

Info: A normal healthy tree, its leaves are used to make ink.

Johan had seen the tree for the first time, and heard of it for the first time too. Still, he somehow got useful info about it. Quite the lucky encounter, he had to say.

As the popular saying went, when one door closes, another opens.

Leaving his sagely musings for later, Johan added two handfuls of crushed leaves to a steel pot and poured enough water to cover them. After simmering it for 90 minutes to extract tannins, he let it cool down and then strained it.

Throwing the leftover in the dustbin, Johan dropped a few iron nails in the dark liquid and left it overnight.

The next morning, he had the perfect dark brown ink.

Using a brush pen, he very sophisticatedly wrote the first number on the slip with a flick of his wrist.

1

The number itself held zero value; it was when he used his general knowledge skill that it showed its real value.

Name: Vicario Asumthus Leaf ink

Rank: F

Info: An ink made with Vicario Asumthus leaves, hard to erase.

He wasn't looking for an unerasable ink. Johan only needed an identifier that linked the slip to his mart. And he had that in his hand now. A unique ink. Unless someone could reach his floor on the Tower and find that tree, there was no worry of counterfeiting. Good luck to that certain someone, and if they somehow did copy this, Johan would let it pass once out of sheer respect.

"Next is getting a machine to print these slips." Johan held his aching wrist for the rest of the day. Writing 500 slips a day wasn't easy.

But before he could look online for a possible solution, Merilyn's call came.

"Sorry deary, I have an urgent meeting, so I can't drop by today." She sounded bummed out, and he was too. Still, there was a silver lining to this as well. Or he'd like to believe.

"I'll send Adelan's gift with the client." She seemed to have brooded over her words before continuing. "This'll be a turning point for you, so good luck."

By the time Johan pocketed the phone, his mind lingered on her words.

A turning point.

Seemed like some bigshot was about to come today.

Johan was quick to get his potions ready. He wondered for a moment if he should include the Detoxification potion. After a bit of hesitation, he decided to add them.

As things stood, he could brew more, so why let them rot in the tent? And since Merilyn introduced the client herself, Johan had a good feeling about this one.

Maybe they came for the Detoxification potion only? Well, he'd find out when they arrived.

As he rapped his finger on the counter of the empty Mart, the client arrived right on time, 4 P.M.

It was a woman in her early twenties, dressed in a black suit with a black satin tie. She tucked her ink-black hair behind her right ear as she entered, the onyx-like eyes locked with his.

"Hello, Johan. It's been a while, hasn't it?" The client was none other than Yuna Lee.

"Y…Yeah." Johan stood rooted, unsure of what he should, no, unsure of what he could say at this point.

***

Johan had known Yuna since he could form words, or so his mother used to say. They lived nearby and were around the same age; naturally, they stuck together. Even more so when the neighbourhood didn't have many children of their age, they became best buddies from the jump.

Still, Yuna had always been a quiet kid, and he liked to talk a lot. And, she had carried that silence to adulthood. If anything, it had become heavier.

And as an S-Rank Hunter, that silence carried a shit ton of weight behind it.

Standing in the closed Mart, across the counter, Johan avoided her direct gaze. He actually had a table prepared in his room for the client, but he didn't have it in him to bring it up now.

It feels awkward… Clearing his throat, he decided to cross the bridge since it had already appeared.

"Is that for me?" He pointed at the wooden chest in Yuna's right hand, which had the white crossed hammers engraved in the black grain wood, a sign of Master Adelan.

"Yes, Merilyn sent it." Yuna placed it on the counter.

"Thank you for bringing it over." Johan smiled.

"Mm." She gave a slight nod; her eyes still locked onto him.

Sweating, Johan opened the chest; it had quite the weight to it. Inside, on a bed of red velvet, was a bluish silver spoon. Well, it had the lustre of silver and the shape of a spoon, along with filigree of crimson gold running down the handle's length and the dip.

It was a tool every Alchemist needed. A brewer. However, the one in Johan's hand wasn't made of standard silver. This was Mithril. And not any Mithril, it was of the highest quality available on the market!

Not to mention the Spirit Gold. It allowed a cleaner transmission of magik and even distribution, too.

This thing was priceless, Priceless!

Johan gawked at it, almost drooling. This thing belonged to him now. A brewer forged by none other than Master Adelan. That alone could increase the price of his potions by 50%.

I should use that tagline! His eyes shone.

"You haven't changed, not one bit." Maybe because it was his entranced expression that Yuna chuckled, it was a light one, but her eyes had softened a lot.

"Sorry, I was overwhelmed. Please give me a moment." Johan suppressed his beating heart and rushed upstairs.

He gathered the potions he had there and looked at the stairs. The twenty or so stairs he had climbed looked so wide now. Each step felt like a cliff.

Johan calmed his mind and exhaled.

You've dealt with the damned Hunter Association President, an S-Rank hunter who jokes about kidnapping you every day. You even try to hug the Tower's Guardian Beast. This is an old friend, you know her. You have known her since she was in her diapers, so were you, so just calm down! Johan took the first step, and before he knew it, he had reached the mart area.

He placed the potions on the counter without looking up. Basic healing potion, basic magik recovery potion, Ice resistance potion, and even the Detoxification potion. Every potion he had made so far, even the watered-down potions, were on the table.

"The effects are as I've been told." Yuna glanced at the paper tag on the potion bottle's neck before looking at him. "I have been searching for an alchemist who could provide potions for my guild; the Mage Tower's wait time is too long. I didn't know it would be you until Merilyn told me the address."

"These are the hottest potions in the capital." Johan tried to keep his energy up, but it wasn't working well.

"Mm, I read the articles." He could feel the slight heat in her words. "I'll take 15 Healing potions, 5 Detoxifying potions, and 50 Magik recovery potions."

"That's a lot." Johan blinked, as a small guild her volume matched Lucas's order already, if he calculated the Detoxification potion's price, it was too much.

"I have a special mission coming up, so the International Hunter Association is paying 90% of the price," Yuna added. "Merilyn said it was a good opportunity, so I am using it."

Johan didn't think Merilyn meant it this way, but maybe she did. That woman was beyond his understanding. Honestly, he felt like throwing in more potions out of spite at this moment.

Good thing he had self-control. Still, another thing caught his attention.

"A special mission?"

"Yes, I will be entering the Tower next week. I can't share more, well, I wasn't meant to share anything at all." She scratched her cheek in mild embarrassment.

"Sorry for prying. The total will come out to this much." Johan himself couldn't believe the number. Following Merilyn's advice, he had priced the potion at 5 million, which he thought was too much at first.

But, he was told that the Mage Tower sold it for 10 million. Greedy Bastards.

"I'll have our guild's accountant handle the payment when I go back; the full amount should come on the delivery date," Yuna said, not fazed by the total amount.

Well, S-Ranks could earn billions a year. The difference was so clear it made him even more embarrassed thinking about how he danced over what seemed like chump change.

"Actually, I have the potions at hand, so I'll get them for you." He rushed to the basement at once.

It was a good time to empty the potion storage tent. Good thing he stocked up on the steel cases, too. These were only for the expensive potions; the magik recovery potions went into wooden crates.

Observing the three metal cases and three crates, Yuna made a call to her guild.

"It may take a few days to process the payment," she said, hiding an awkward laugh. Seemed like no one expected he had this much in stock.

"It's ok, you can take them." He added. "I trust you."

"Also, don't worry about defectives; they are all perfect. You can run them through an appraisal."

"No need, I trust you, too." She smiled.

Johan felt the sting in his heart, and the pit in his stomach just grew larger. Was there even a point in acting? She of all people could see through it, her eyes already told him so.

"…Sorry," Johan muttered.

The last time they talked was on the phone after she graduated from university; he heard she was preparing to establish her own guild.

Even then, he had told her, no, he had promised her that he'd awaken and call her first. However, he couldn't get behind the shady deal and backed out.

After that, he ran away, trying to deflect it every opportunity he got. His mind had already accepted that he'd never become a Hunter, but he refused to say it out loud until the end.

And, now that had become a reality.

"You don't have to be. I didn't reach out after forming my guild either. I wanted to call you. To have you join the guild as a non-combatant, but I was…" Yuna looked at him, hiding behind a small smile. "I was scared."

"If I called you first, I thought it'd mean that I had given up on waiting for you. I didn't want you to feel that way. And I don't want you to feel that way even now." Yuna always had a flat expression, and even her voice was monotone. However, it started to crack a little, that mask. "I didn't want to accept that. I couldn't accept that because you were still trying."

Watching her look away, Johan bit his lip.

"It's ok, I had given up on myself. And you know my class now, I can't be a Hunter at all." Johan laughed, pushing the suitcase on the cold counter. "Being a potion maker is much better; I can stay in the back and not worry about fighting. I wasn't good at fighting anyway."

"Mm, I think it is better. I'd die from worrying if you were an active Hunter." Her lips lifted into a slight smile as a black sedan stopped outside. She carried the cases and crates with ease and looked at him before closing the door. "See you later, Johan."

As the cheerful bell jingled with the closed door, Johan looked at his right hand. The hand he had kept below the counter. His nails had dug into his palm, drawing crimson. The blood dripped onto the white tiles as his head struck the counter.

He watched the black sedan leave through the glass door and sighed.

"Given up, huh?" The murmur echoed in his ears.
...
Here's the invite link. I hope to see you there soon: Discord
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[zack1224]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[TheLibrarianOfWorlds]

Yay a chappy

 

[Overload69]

Three days had passed since Yuna's visit. The payment for the potions rolled in this morning as he climbed the stairs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The days had gotten much colder. He even wrapped a scarf around his neck. Well, the Hunters weren't affected much; even the F ranks could walk around without so much as a shiver in tank tops and shorts.

Must be nice for them.

Johan's respite came as midday approached. He scanned the potions and printed the receipt as Eugene placed the items in a cloth bag.

"Here's your change, Miss Kim." Johan smiled at the Hunter, who seemed rather happy to see him. Well, at the start, that was.

"Is everything ok?" Her gentle expression morphed with worry.

"It's all fine, why do you ask?" He tilted his head. Johan could not feel anything wrong with his body; it was the same as any other day to him.

"I see…" Miss Kim seemed rather odd. She was in a hoodie for once, and her hair wasn't styled. Well, she was never a morning person. She might still be sleepy.

"Please come shop here again." He gave his practiced line and turned to the next guy in line.

They closed the mart soon after that, as the potions had sold out. Johan wanted to increase the number he could sell in a day, especially after watching the line outside disperse.

But he couldn't acquire enough potion bottles. He could only get so many from potion bottle recyclers. At this point, he felt like he needed to talk with a production factory. Not to mention a machine for bottling the potions.

Even with Nunally helping him, he still had to weigh each potion. 100 ml was the sweet spot. Even a little over or under could cause problems. It would be a lot easier if he had the machine.

At this point, he had to set up the entire infrastructure from scratch.

As he was in the middle of the paperwork nightmares that his plans would get him in, Eugene came in with a box in hand. Duskin Dunes, it was a famous cheesecake shop in the capital.

"This is for you, teacher." He placed it on the counter.

"Did something good happen?"

Did Eugene ace some exams?

"N…No, I felt like you might enjoy it." He scratched the back of his head.

"I certainly will." Johan placed one of the precut slices on a plate and started eating. "They are so good, a bit overpriced but definitely worth it."

"You should eat one too," he said, handing a plate to Eugene and placing a slice on it. "Don't be shy, eat a lot."

"You won't gain weight as long as you burn all the calories." Johan believed that his overworking brain would help him a lot with that; if not, the work would.

"Thank you." Eugene took a bite; he ate almost like a rabbit.

It reminded Johan to stock up on treats for Eunally and Nunally.

After finishing the 2-kilo cheesecake between the two, Eugene left for some special classes while Johan entered the Tower.

The rabbits were happy to see him, even happier when he offered them treats. The problem was that they didn't seem in the mood to work today.

Johan himself was dragged under the shadow of the giant tree in the middle. He could only rest his back against the trunk as Eunally and Nunally had fallen asleep in his lap.

They looked so cute that he feared even moving a little. Best of all, Cerberious napped near him. This walking attitude adjustment finally understood Johan's charm; he had gotten closer lately.

Cerbie even let him pet it; the other two heads looked like they'd bite his fingers off if he tried.

"Guess today is a holiday?" He muttered, watching glimpses of the sky through the leaves above him.

Soon, it was the sixth day, and Yuna should've left for the Tower today. Johan wasn't at the shop today, as Eugene had insisted that he take a walk.

He seemed rather frantic. Is he planning a surprise? He wondered, entering the neighbourhood park.

Usually, this place had the hustle and bustle one would expect of a park. The young mothers and kids by the swings, the aunties exchanging daily gossip by the benches, and some runners who couldn't do their exercise in the morning.

Well, today the place looked empty. Watching the empty swing move along with the wind did give him chills. It was like a ghost story waiting to happen.

Still, Johan sat on a bench watching a sparrow build its nest with tiny twigs and such. It looked like a coconut without the outer husk.

Come to think of it, he hadn't noticed any bird life around his farm either. He hoped it'd stay that way unless the birds were friendly, as friendly as Tower beasts could be.

Lost in his musings, Johan's attention went to his buzzing phone. Seemed like Morgan had remembered how to use the message app.

His nose scrunched up the moment he read the string of text.

Johan sighed, he felt super fine. As a matter of fact, he didn't even feel tired these days.

"What's with everyone asking if I am fine?" Was it an elaborate prank?

"It's because you look like you haven't slept in weeks." His murmurs were answered soon.

Johan turned and saw Merilyn in her white qipao and high heels.

"Got time for a short chat, dear?" she asked, all smiles.

"Right now, I've got plenty of time." Johan beamed. She had sat next to him before he could even nod. "Not that it'd matter much."

"Hmm, are you saying you'd drop all work if I call you?" she tilted her head.

"Not everything." Johan had boundaries.

"Aren't you the cutest?" She smiled, but she soon dropped the teasing tone. "I had a meeting with the Elders of the Mage Tower. They seemed rather pleased when I told them we couldn't grow the Night Bloom Flower. The smile almost split their proud faces."

In the article, the method of Master Adelan's treatment wasn't mentioned. Johan could only guess that Merilyn had hidden it to protect him.

"Sorry for stealing your thunder this time." She confirmed his guess but soon giggled. "I can't wait to see their faces when it all comes to light."

Women could hold a nasty grudge, that much he knew. Still, he didn't know what the Mage Tower would do when they found out.

Well, what can they do? This was a law-abiding society, well, for the most part.

"They won't assassinate me, right?" He shivered, looking around, but he only found normal trees and bushes.

"You've been reading too many novels." Merilyn shook her head. "At most, they would recruit you and then brainwash you into a loyal minion. Killing you has almost no benefit. Well, after they get all the info about how you make those golden potions and such, they might discuss it."

"That sounds way worse." Johan wondered if it was too late to become a hermit.

"Don't worry, I won't let them try something like that. Though I would have an easier time protecting you if you were a part of the Association or any guild/clan, that would serve as an extra layer of protection. The Mage Tower will think thrice before they even try to intervene with your business. After all, you did reproduce the potion fairly." Merilyn gave him a reassuring smile. "I was here to discuss that, but it looks like you need a few days' rest before you can make a coherent decision."

"Do I look that bad?" Johan deadpanned.

"Well, bloodshot eyes and dark circles are very solid tells. Paired with your sagging face, I am surprised no one has tied you to a bed yet." She chuckled at his confused blinking. "To think you'd end up like this shortly after I helped you, too, I wished you would find your footing after that."

"You can do it again, right?" Johan didn't think it was such a big deal. He hadn't had the full idea of her skills, but it took away all his exhaustion already.

"There's always a price for everything. No one can make all your troubles go, poof, not even you yourself." She flicked his forehead; it was more of a light tap. "When I take away someone's damage into myself, I also take a part of the person's lifespan as the cost."

"It can be from as much as a second to a whole year, depending on the severity of the damage extracted."

"Whoa…" Johan's mouth hung open.

To think a class like that existed. Still, considering what happened to him, he had an inkling of what she did. Even with the trade-off, that was a very strong class. Most likely a unique class. Most people would think that way.

However, Merilyn's lips pressed into a hard line as she leaned against the bench.

"The lifespan you take…" Johan was too scared to complete the sentence.

"Yes, it is added to mine. The days of youth I enjoyed belonged to those I wanted to help. If any living organism within my eyesight gets an injury, it activates on its own. That's why I started wearing this." She caressed the cloth over her eyes. "For your case, I took four minutes out of your remaining lifespan."

"Does that mean you can see everyone's lifespans?" He leaned forward, eyes full of curiosity.

"Unless the person has a unique class, I can see it." She seemed rather troubled by his enthusiasm, as if she had faced something similar before.

Wasn't it like that one death god?

"Also, talking about my class is prohibited by international law, so don't tell anyone, ok deary?" She coughed, as if reading his thoughts. "Only presidents of the major countries know, and they can only pass it down through a letter after their term ends, and even they are punishable with death if they ever leak it."

"Why would you even tell me this then?" Johan shuddered. A secret like that was too big for a potion maker. Plus, he was weak to torture.

"It's because I hate this class of mine, just like what you feel." She looked at him. It's like they locked eyes through that cloth. More so, her voice had weakened. "A class like mine might sound like the dream, but how many of my comrades and friends do you think had their lives cut short because of me?"

"Worst part, I never wanted a class like this." She muttered, looking ahead.

"What class did you want?" Shifting in his place, Johan turned to her. He didn't know what to say. What could he even say to someone like her?

"A healer, I really liked doctors, have been around them more than my parents." She smiled as a purple butterfly rested on her outstretched finger. "I can save people for sure, but not the way I wanted."

As the butterfly flew away, she turned to him, arms crossed under her bosom.

"I am certain I won't die anytime soon. When I do, there'd probably be no one around me that I know, or anyone who knows me well enough, for that matter. I have a ton of regrets, but I've made my peace with that. I am too far down the path to change anything." She raised the cloth from her left eye, revealing the gem-like pupil. "What about you, Johan? Are you ok with carrying those regrets in the future?"

"It's not like you can live without them." Johan had understood that much at least, no matter what, he'd always have regrets. As he twiddled his thumbs, he could only try to compose himself. "Still, how can you flip this to me. I was feeling so much sympathy for you."

He couldn't even imagine what Merilyn felt like, even more so when her playfulness vanished for the first time.

But in a single moment, she forced him to confront everything he had tried so hard to suppress.

"You should've seen it coming when I sat down." She shrugged, unfazed by his narrowed eyes. "Trauma dumping works well in such situations. Do-Yun used it on me after tricking me into the Oath."

"Do-Yun? As in Park Do-Yun, The Seer?" Johan didn't expect to hear the name of such a legendary Hunter. The very Hunter whom he looked up to the most.

"Yes, that cockroach-like bastard." Merilyn cursed under her breath. She didn't have much respect for the guy, it seemed. "Well, what has happened can't be undone, but you are different from me. What is in the past for me, is still your present."

He couldn't help but look at her as she untied the cloth, the blue eyes full of genuine concern. He hadn't even known her for long, and even she could see through him with ease.

Wasn't he good at hiding it? At least he thought so. But lately, he couldn't even do that.

When he said that he had given up on being a Hunter, even he didn't believe it. Even if he couldn't fight, there was more he could do aside from that. He had confirmed that with his potions.

That was the very reason he even reached out to Cara, when he saw Lucas close the SS-Rank rift thanks to his potion, when his potion saved Master Adelan, he felt happy. He even took a loss by diluting his potions, seeing the lines outside and the threads on Hunter Net.

The world valued him; they valued his class. But he also felt scared, because he understood that he could help others with this class.

Maybe not the way he wanted, but he could still make a difference. That much was obvious, but accepting that was much harder than facing the Tower's Guardian beast.

"What should I do?" He turned to Merilyn, hands clenched.

"That's your decision to make, dear. Not mine." Merilyn took his hand into hers, and the fatigue in his body started to slip away.

However, unlike last time, he didn't feel sleepy. His mind started to clear up. As if all the negative and spiralling thoughts had turned to smoke in an instant.

Giving him a clarity that almost seemed inhuman.

"The reason you two promised to be Hunters, do you still remember?" She asked.
...
Here's the invite link. I hope to see you there soon: Discord
If you have any questions for me, you can ping me on Discord anytime, and I will contact you ASAP.

Want to read chapters early or support the novel directly?
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[TheLibrarianOfWorlds]

I fucking knew it let's gooooooooo.

Also, I bet the seer is either gonna be found in the tower by the mc or his corpse is.

 

[zack1224]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Overload69]

"The reason you two promised to be Hunters, do you still remember?"

When Merilyn asked that, Johan couldn't help but gulp.

"It's scary how much you know." Cold sweat covered his back, but she only shook her head.

"It is because you trusted me enough to show your true feelings," she said.

Yes, he trusted her for some reason. He could feel it too, the similarities between them, even before she opened up.

Even now, he couldn't hide from her that he had tried to deflect the question again.

But what could he do? This had become second nature to him.

Why did Yuna and I promise to be Hunters, huh? Now that all the fog had cleared up, he could recall it.

At first, it was about being cool; he wanted the flashy powers he had seen on TV. To be idolized like he idolized the Hunters. Yuna had little to no interest in it at the time.

However, on the day that their town collapsed and he saw Yuna cry, something shifted in him. Even more so when Yuna said she wanted to be a Hunter first. She also stopped crying after that day.

Their reason was as childish as they were at the time. Two eight-year-old kids that somehow survived an SSS-rank rift break, caked in dust of their home and blood of their families.

"We didn't want others to lose their homes as we did." He muttered the answer that had twisted over the years; no, he had twisted it himself. "We didn't want to lose anything else to the magik beasts."

Even after getting his class, nothing about him had changed. At the end, Yuna came to him herself, and he still tried to run away. It took Merilyn, someone who could peek into his mind, to push him to the answer, and he was glad she did that for him.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.

"That was very pathetic of me, wasn't it?"

The moment he uttered those words. His vision started to sway. The corner of his vision turned dull as the colours deepened. It felt dizzying. The world around him dimmed, and he couldn't control his body. His head landed on something soft. Something wrapped in silk.

And as he looked up with his blurred eyes, the last thing he saw was Merilyn's smile, his head on her lap.

"There is no need to feel that way. Regretting the past and fretting the future, there is no one alive or dead who hasn't done that." Her fingers caressed his face as the words echoed in his ears, the sharp eyes softening a little. "I am sure she'll understand if you make an effort instead of standing still."

Make an effort… Johan didn't know where to start.

Should he apologize for not communicating? Should he accept his own limitations? Should he think of what he could do to make up for the time he lost?

Dozens of thoughts swirled in his head, but he had an inkling of what he must do to take the first step.

When I wake up, I'll call Yuna first.

Maybe that'd lead him to a future he doesn't regret.

***

Sitting in the conference room of an airship bound for the Black Tower, Yuna leaned back in the red chair as a transparent screen before her showed a portrait of an old man with a monocle over his blue-green eyes.

He looked rather sleep-deprived with messy black sideburns that had started to grey and a bald crown. Well, he was the reason she had to enter the Black Tower alongside the three S-Hunters.

"Dr. Shultz entered the Tower ten days ago without receiving permission from the International Hunter Association." Ares, the one leading the team, twisted his lips into a sneer. "Although chances are that he had already become a snack for the beasts, we have to do our job."

The two hunters, aside from her, weren't too happy to help either; she could see their lax body language and unwillingness to even bother with the meeting. The meeting itself was held in name only. As a pastime, if she had to guess.

They had a simple job: rescue Dr. Shultz from the 48th floor of the Tower if he was alive. If not, they were to retreat immediately.

Most of the meeting was an endless chatter about this or that; the hunters present didn't think the rescue target still lived. Yuna herself had doubts. The Tower wasn't a forgiving place.

"These Paper Hunters are so annoying." Jonathan, the S-Ranker from USAN, shook his head.

"Truly, they don't know their limits." Brie, his partner, didn't hide her twisted expression.

Paper Hunters was a derogatory term for Hunters from the Academic circle, Hunters who lacked combat ability. And an academic hunter sat beside her, nose buried in her iPad.

"Don't mind them, Sasha." She tried her best to sound caring, but her voice was flat as ever.

"I don't take words of sweaty metal swingers seriously, so it's fine." Sasha was extra loud, making sure her words carried out of the meeting room. She cared not for the peeking S-Ranks and only straightened the collar of the white shirt under the black vest made from an A-Rank beast's muscles.

"Now now, Sasha, don't forget our guild leader is also an active Hunter." Renolds stretched like a cat that had woken up from a nap, adjusting his flowery pink robes and necklaces. With his long auburn locks and soft eyes, he seemed more like a romantic poet than a Mage.

"Senior is different; she is elegant and dignified. Far different from crooks who can only use brute force." Sasha raised her nose high.

Well, Yuna didn't know what delusions this kid had about her. After all, her nickname made her seem like the epitome of a brute.

As the airship landed on Hell Island, the island that showed up with the Tower. She alighted from the hunk of metal and set foot on the cracked plain. The grey soil and deep crevices were far removed from the bluish-purple forest a kilometre away.

Still, her eyes focused on the black spire that rose on this vibrant horizon. Ever so twisted, ever so mangled. The magik wave blasting from its form messed with her senses as a faint ticking of a clock reached her ears.

She had only entered the Tower once. It was during the raid of 46th floor, the Clash of Armies. That's where she got her nickname.

"Hey, Terminator, got a minute?" Ares had stepped down the metal ramp, his golden armour more blinding than the airship's thrusters.

"I enjoy flashiness, but even I never go that far." Renolds hushed under his breath, shielding Sasha from the glow. Well, it's not it caused any harm, not any she was aware of.

"What is it?" Yuna asked as Ares arrived before her. He was much taller than her, imposing, too.

"Just wanted to have a little chat as we go." He smiled.

Well, whatever it was, Yuna had little interest in it. Still, it could be important, so she decided to listen as they entered the colourful forest. It was like someone on psychedelics had painted it.

There was a faint hum of insects, and occasional calls from the birds she spotted in the cloudless sky. Aside from that, the clock ticking grew louder with each step towards the Tower.

As for Ares's chatter, it wasn't important at all.

Hearing Ares talk, the walk through the forest seemed to pass by slower than she remembered. She had stopped listening to him about halfway through. Something about the next raid team for the Tower or whatnot.

Only when the Tower appeared, piercing through the sky itself, did her mind clear for a moment. Her eyes ran up the chain of hallowed compartments spiralling up the dark tower. Statues of beasts, from horned rabbits to eight-headed dragons, were carved into the black stone. They looked so lifelike and detailed that she thought someone had petrified the real things and placed them there.

"The scout party reported that the Boss of the 48th floor is the Golden Dragon, the Mage Tower called it Alecles, Treasure Hoarder in their language." Ares's words echoed in her ears. She turned to him as he continued with his high and mighty tone. "Dr. Shultz was probably after something in that thing's treasure horde. He even approached Seraphina, asking her to guard him, but she turned him down, so he hired a mercenary group and entered illegally. Fascinating, don't you think?"

"A little." What could make one of the most respected Academic Hunters enter the Tower like this? Still, that didn't change much for her. She turned to Ares. "We have to save him, no?"

"…Yes. If he is still alive, we have to. But we must not aggro the dragon." He turned serious, starting for the obsidian doors at the base.

The humongous doors towered over 10 floors, with a giant clock above. The clock only had one hand and 10 numerals instead of the standard 12, which made it look crooked and odd. The hand had reached the 8th hour; they had two more hours, or two more years to clear the 50th floor.

In the silence around the Tower, Yuna stared at the red system window before her eyes as she came within 20 steps of the Tower.

[Yuna Lee, which floor would you like to enter with your party?]

She looked at Renolds and Sasha, and both nodded. Ares went ahead of her.

"48th floor."

The world paused the moment she uttered the words; the swaying trees, the dry wind, it all stood still as colour drained from reality. Soon, the world stretched at the seams as the ground beneath her feet vanished. Black and white lines filled her vision, rushing past her before splashes of colours came in and the lines smoothened out.

She felt the crumbly earth beneath her feet again, and a barren landscape with sparse grey peaks stretched out before her. Numerous craters and claw marks dug deep into the earth; the area looked messy, like someone had recently flipped it upside down.

"Ugh." She held up the swaying Sasha, shielding her from the harsh sunlight.

The first-time vertigo was always terrible. It took a dozen experiences to get used to it. And if that wasn't enough, the difference in magik density also took its toll.

The fact that Sasha hadn't vomited already put her above 90% of the active Hunters. Still, it seemed as if the two S-Rankers had something to say. When Yuna looked over, they decided to keep it between themselves.

"Sorry for the trouble." Sasha found her footing soon, her teary eyes back on the iPad, several white drones left the bag on her hip, they soon took on the color of the grey earth and shot out like missiles in all cardinal directions.

"The Magik readings are optimal, the air is a little dry, but there aren't any signs of beasts or people within 100 km."

"Impressive." The one who clapped first was Ares.

"It's nothing." Sasha wasn't even operating at full capacity. Half her gear couldn't handle the Tower's magik interference.

She's gonna demand an increase in funding when we go back. Yuna could already see it in her shining eyes. But that wasn't an issue; this was the reason she brought her along.

"So, which way should we go?" Ares looked at Yuna after surveying the area for a bit.

Yuna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had been waiting for this moment, the moment she was inside the Tower.

Because this was the only place she could let herself go.

[Class Exclusive Skill, Suppressed Emotions Lv.9, Deactivated.]

When she opened her eyes, the world became a lot more colourful. She could see the aura emanating from the people around her; she could taste it on the tip of her tongue. The reds and greens seemed normal; however, she was in search of another. The black air, the air of dread.

Yuna felt a prick on her neck and turned back. She pointed to the south, eyes filled with the rising black smoke that spiralled to the grey, cloudless sky.

"Renold, carry Sasha." She said, shooting forward like an arrow.

Ares kept up with her; the other two S-Ranks lagged behind. Renold stood on a flying carpet, floating behind them with Sasha seated by him, eyes on the tablet.

"Four Grey Wolves at 3 o'clock, five at 7 o'clock, all A Ranks," Sasha shouted.

Yuna didn't need her warning; she could see the grey wolves hiding near the dip from their aura. Her sword slashes had already cut through them, kicking up dust clouds, before they even thought of jumping out.

She sliced through the cloud, darting forward.

Ares called out. Did he? She wasn't sure.

Yuna never deactivated Emotional Suppression during the raids she did with her guild. She could make clear-headed decisions and pay proper attention with this skill, a useful trait for a leader.

However, she wasn't the leader today. Even if she was, she doubted she could hold back this time.

[Class-exclusive skill Rage Counter Lv. 6 has reached 50%.]

For the first time in a long while, Yuna couldn't contain her anger.

She always felt angry when she faced Magik beasts. The sight of her and Johan's crumbling home came to her mind every time she saw them.

But for the first time, she wasn't angry at the magik beasts.

"Yuna, that's the floor boss!" Ares's shout reached her. It was like the buzzing of a fly.

Her eyes locked with the dragon that hovered before her; the blazing wind from his flapping wings wanted to send her flying, but it felt like a light breeze.

[Alecles, The Dragon of Gold]

She saw the red window above his head. His name was displayed in black. However, Yuna only felt anger boiling in her veins.

[Class-exclusive skill Rage Counter Lv. 6 has reached 65%.]

For the first time, Yuna's anger wasn't directed at the Magik beasts, but only at herself.

"Don't die too quickly, alright?" she said to the dragon, unsheathing her sword.
...
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[zack1224]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[The Radiance's Follower]

So, she is some kind of berserker.

 

[Overload69]

Yuna stood on the edge of a crater, the dragon's den. It was wide enough to fit a dozen metropolises, the slanted walls high enough to give the world's tallest mountains a run for their money.

The bottom of this crater glimmered in gold, unlike the grey walls; countless gems far larger than boulders reflected the sharp sunlight into her eyes. There was also a set of golden armour with a human inside, probably Dr. Shultz.

But she didn't care about it.

Another group watched her from the southeast, the mercenaries Shultz may have hired. Still, she didn't care.

Even the words that came from behind.

[66%]

[67%...]

Her thumping heart drowned out all noise. It drummed in her ear as magik gathered below her right foot. The corner of her lips moved up on its own. She didn't know if she said anything or if they formed a maniacal smile.

In reality, she couldn't care less.

The raw magik beneath her right foott exploded. She shot forward like a bullet, breaking the crater's edge into hundreds of boulders and a rising dust storm.

Her long, curved blade pointed at the dragon, slicing air. With a boom, she went past the Golden dragon, puncturing its leathery left wing. She turned around in midair. The dragon's golden pupil locked onto her as its snake-like neck turned.

She was like an ant in front of its huge form. But even in the face of the gleaming golden scales, she gathered the magik in the soles of her feet and blasted forward.

Her magik-coated sword slashed through the wings again.

Another few dozen blasts in quick succession, and she had turned into a white streak of light that danced around the dragon.

She left deep cuts in the scaled skin. Sliced the left hind leg off clean. And even gouged out the right eye. But nothing felt satisfying.

It only riled her up even further.

[76%.... 77%.... 82%....]

As she stood on the crater's edge again, her breath turned into white mist. Yuna's head started to ring. Even though she had done enough damage to the dragon, it still hovered above. Still unfazed.

It let out a deafening roar. The air itself vibrated, sending shockwaves through physical matter. A grey dust storm kicked up, spanning hundreds of kilometres.

Blood dripped down Yuna's nose and ears as a few tons of gold vanished from the bottom of the crater. The gold turned into white energy and shot towards Alecles. The energy seeped into its wounds, and in a matter of moments, the dragon's injuries vanished.

Yuna faced the Dragon with a sigh. There was no one beside her, no one to cover her back. No one to watch over her shoulder.

She hated that feeling since she awakened. She wasn't supposed to be alone.

Yuna couldn't blame Johan; he tried his best. And now, he had awakened, but not in a combat class. Because of that, he wouldn't contact her. Because he felt like he had failed her. She was the reason he felt shame.

[85%.... 87%....]

However, she hated that she still wished Johan was with her at this moment. He had a non-combatant class. Asking him to join her on raids was a death sentence for him. It was downright foolish and selfish behaviour.

She knew that, she really did.

Yet, she still wished for it.

She had wished for it all these years, since the day of her awakening, since they promised to be Hunters together.

But here she was, fighting a floor boss on her own.

[93%.... 95%....]

Why are you not with me? She gritted her teeth, and the magik in her feet exploded.

However, she wasn't sent forward; her left leg broke because of the extra pressure. She wasn't careful with the detonation that time.

And it cost her.

Alecles shot forward this time. Noticing her mistake. He spun forward while diving, his whip-like tail snapping downwards, splitting air itself with its blazing edge.

Yuna jumped to the left in a last-ditch effort. Although she dodged being turned into a pancake by a hair's breadth, her left arm got ripped because of the brief contact with the golden tail that had turned crimson during the attack.

Swept away by the dust storm and debris, A wave of pink flower petals blanketed Yuna from the flying debris. She turned her head to the left and saw the flower path leading to Renolds. The mage raised his twisted wand, his eyes still relaxed.

Yuna reached for her belt. The potion bottle full of sloshing gold felt warm in her palm. The potion Johan had made. She could smell his scent on it, the touch of his fingers left behind. The moment she landed on the floor, she drank the whole thing.

The warm liquid turned into a warm wave and travelled down her body. Her arm regrew, and her leg snapped in place. There was a brief calm in her mind as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Was it her delusion? She doubted it.

There was no mistaking it.

As the dust cloud settled down, she faced Alecles. The Dragon didn't seem pleased watching her injuries vanish. Magik gathered in its throat as rays of light peeked out from the scales.

[97%.... 100%.... Rage Counter has reached 100%.]

He's with me here. Johan is….

She held the potion bottle with care, placing it back in her belt. The breath of gold that left Alecles's maw didn't faze her.

The world around her had slowed down as red windows flashed in the corner of her vision.

[All physical stats increased by 5 times for 5 minutes.]

[All attacks deal double damage in the next 5 minutes.]

[All damage taken in the next 5 minutes is reduced by 40%.]

[All skills use 40% less magik for the next 5 minutes.]

The breath travelled to her, leaving behind sonic booms. The air trembled as it spiralled forward.

But Yuna stepped aside with ease.

She blasted forward with a new clarity. Her ringing ears were taking in the calm around her. Jumping off debris and loose boulders, she reached Alecles, the Dragon's pupils still locked on her previous location.

She had to finish this dragon off with one attack, as long as it had a sliver of consciousness, it would use the gold to heal itself. Yuna didn't mind a longer fight, but she wanted to get out of the Tower. There was someone she wanted to talk to. She wanted to ask him something.

The question she hesitated to ask when she met him a few days ago.

Gripping the sword with both her hands, she charged it with magik. This time, the magik took a physical form. It coated her blade in a hue of boiling red, morphing the air along the edge.

[Skill Magik Burst Lv.7 Activated.]

[You have high trust in the potion maker, Johan Askr. Special effect triggered.]

[The next Skill's effect will be doubled.]

Yuna almost chuckled when she brought her blade down. The fiery tip struck Alecles's forehead.

The magik contained in the sword exploded downwards in a pillar of red and black. It reduced everything into dust. Including the island-sized head of the Dragon, and pierced into the grey earth. Sending waves of boulders and dust in all directions.

As Alecles's lifeless body rolled down the steep walls of his den, barrelling towards the bottom with a shower of corrosive light-yellow blood, Yuna picked up Dr. Shultz, still encased in the gem-crusted armour set, and returned.

She looked at the shaken S-Rankers and exasperated Ares, throwing a peace sign with a flat face.

"Mission complete." Her words echoed in the whistling wind as a System notification flashed before them.

[Alecles, the Dragon of Gold, has been slain.]

[48th Floor has been cleared.]

***

Humanity's Miracle, Merilyn Faust.

Otherworldly Paragon, Arthur Pendragon.

The Seer, Yi Do-Yun.

Heaven's Mandate, Adam.

The Demigod, Hercules.

World's Mirror, Seraphina.

These were the names of the few who had managed to kill a floor boss alone. Now, another name would join these legends before the sun slumbered.

The Terminator, Yuna Lee.

A young Hunter who didn't even have 5 years of experience to get inducted into the Hunter Rankings. However, she pulled off the feat that only the greatest in Hunter history had managed.

When Ares saw her run headfirst into the floor boss, he almost lost his mind. He had joined this mission to rescue Dr. Shultz and increase his fame while strengthening relations with the International Hunter Association.

The plan was to search the floor for Shultz; if he could find him, that was good. But if it meant clashing with the floor boss, then he would retreat. A very simple and economical plan.

When the Association asked to include Yuna Lee in the team, he agreed with a wide smirk. He had already heard of her name before, and from Hercules himself. He had no doubt the task had become easier. Still, reality hit him hard.

Now I understand why he called her a beast in human skin. When he saw her smiling even when her arm got ripped out, cold sweat dripped down his back.

And if that wasn't enough, the last attack was the literal nail in the coffin. Looking into the giant crater that she had formed, twice the size of Alecles's den, he could not see the end.

The darkness that stared back only shook him further. The two S-Ranks with him seemed about ready to run. However, what caught his attention was the surprise on Yuna's two teammates.

When her magik grew by about five times, they seemed normal; however, the last attack was far greater in power compared to the magik power she had.

"Quite the showing, huh?" Ares spoke to Renolds as Yuna sat in a chair to heal after her rampage.

"It's what I'd expect from our little lady." Renolds, a former Senior Mage of Mage Tower, was known for his calm intellect during his mercenary days.

Many guilds and clans had tried to recruit him, and even he remembered talking with the mage about recruitment. But Yuna had won him over in a week she stayed in EU, somehow.

"If you want to ask me how she pulled out that much power, you're asking the wrong person." He shrugged, his wide sleeves swaying.

From the way his sharp eyes moved, Ares could tell Renolds didn't want to speak of it. But he had an inkling.

The potion Yuna drank while covered in the flower spell. He recognized it. Only one person made those golden potions on earth right now.

So not only healing, but also increasing damage? It sounded so nonsensical that Ares didn't want to believe it. However, a part of him couldn't look away.

Master Adelan could create gear that permanently boosted certain parameters. However, Enchanters or Buffers could give short term increase in power by making one-time use items. They had a few of them in Olympus, too.

So, if they used an enchanter or buff user in tandem with Johan's potions, there was a chance to create potions that could enhance skills, alongside healing the person.

That was the general theory after the introduction of elemental resistance potions.

The Mage Tower had made some special potions for their mages, potions that increased elemental damage. For Hunters? No news till now.

"That guy Johan… Did he crack that mystery?" Ares muttered, biting his nail. If so, then Lucas was too lucky. "How come I didn't find him first?" he lamented.

But really, something must be wrong with that country. Merilyn, Yi Do-Yun, Yuna Lee, and now this Johan, too. A forty-year-old country shouldn't have this many outstanding people!

Leave some for the rest of the world, at least.

As much as he wished for more outstanding people to show up, the more he feared the signs. The last time's surge of outstanding Hunters ended with the cataclysm, which wiped out a quarter of the world. Who knew what would happen this time?

"Err, hello? Can anyone take me out of this already?" A squeaky voice came from the full set of golden armour.

Well, it looked like a full set of armour; in reality, it was a coffin. Seemed like Dr. Shultz had closed himself in out of fear.

When Ares opened the coffin, almost sweating because of the lid's enormous weight, a young boy with curly brown hair, who looked about ten years old, popped out.

If one looked at his oversized clothes and freckles, they'd find the boy's small face adorable. Unless they knew that on the inside, this was a fifty-year-old man who had his own grandchildren.

"God bless you, Ares. I felt like I'd die from brain damage in there." He landed on the ground, hand on his hip.

"Sorry, Dr. Shultz, I was in a hurry since Alecles's body fell into the den." Yuna came over with an awkward limp. Seemed her legs and right hand had taken damage during the last attack.

Was she trying to be apologetic? Ares couldn't tell because of her monotone voice and flat expression.

"Don't worry, Yuna, I know I should be grateful that you all showed up to save me at all. Just take it as an old man's grumbling." Dr. Shultz fixed his monocle on his left eye and stretched his lithe arms.

After getting a little rundown, Ares and Yuna understood how things went down.

Dr. Shultz entered the Tower using a concealing artifact he had commissioned from Master Adelan. He planned to sneak into Alecles's den when the Dragon went out to gather gold from the mines as the monthly floor reset happened.

Using the only chance when the floor boss left his space, Dr. Shultz entered the den with the mercenary group watching over. However, the Dragon came back much faster than expected, and he had to shut himself in the armour-shaped gold coffin, an artifact with a spatial pocket.

Since it was gold, the Dragon let it be. And Dr. Shultz already had his necessities inside the coffin. He could even take a walk in that space, apparently.

Seemed like he expected that the Hunter Association would send a rescue team after him sooner or later. He was an important figure after all, but also a troublesome one.

Even now, he wouldn't tell the name of the mercenary group because of the contract. According to Yuna, they had already run away after she saved Dr. Shultz. Chasing after them was like flicking water drops on a scorching stone.

"Why did you even take such a risk?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Huhu, I am glad you asked. Before Yi Do-Yun entered the Gate of Du'at. He came to tell me about a vision he had." Dr. Shultz reached into the coffin and pulled out a book half his size.

The book had a deep green colour with archaic runes at the four corners connected by geometric lines and symbols. In the centre of the book was a word. And the first to recognize was Renolds.

"Yesod…" he muttered.

"Seems like the Mage knows of it." Dr. Shultz smirked. "Do-Yun said that the moment humanity reaches the 48th floor, we'll find the answer for the Tower and the System's appearance on Earth."

He placed the book on the floor and opened the heavy cover. On the very first page was a painting of a tree that dwarfed planets and stars, a tree that blanketed the whole universe under its shade.

At the bottom of the painting was the name of the tree.

The World Tree, Yggdrasil.
...
Here's the invite link. I hope to see you there soon: Discord
If you have any questions for me, you can ping me on Discord anytime, and I will contact you ASAP.

Want to read chapters early or support the novel directly?
Check out my Patreon
You'll get advance chapters, exclusive content, and help keep this story going strong!

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[zack1224]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Overload69]

Thanks for the chapter

Click to shrink...

Thanks for reading.

 

[Good_Knight]

Enjoying the story so far, hope we can see more cute animal interactions with Johan. Also interested if he will expand into other crafting more? Such as carving items from grown trees.

 

[Overload69]

When Johan woke up after seeing Merilyn's eyes a second time, he was in his bed.

His body felt light as a feather, and his head absurdly clear. This had started to become a new pattern, and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

Falling unconscious pretty much left him with no way to defend himself. Maybe Cara would be down there guarding him again.

Well, he couldn't say for the future, but he didn't mind the current situation.

"You're finally awake." Merilyn looked at his face; his head was still in her lap.

It was the next morning, and he could tell from his relentless alarm, but Johan crossed his arms, still in bed. Another question dominated his mind.

"Were you here the entire night?"

She sat at the edge of the bed. He, too, was one turn away from a kiss with the floor.

"Something like that." That didn't answer his question, and he had only asked it for courtesy's sake.

"You have no intention of getting out of bed, do you?" She tilted her head, the purple locks tumbling down her shoulder like a waterfall.

"I always stay in bed an hour after waking up; it is a routine I have followed for years," Johan answered sagely, concentrating the best he could.

"Sure, you have." She gave a light giggle, twirling a lock of his hair in her fingers.

"Is it just me, or do you really see me as a little kid?" Johan didn't know if he should be offended or giddy. Quite the conundrum.

"Well, I've always wanted a child of my own, and you are pretty much a child in front of me." Merilyn shrugged.

Johan wanted to ask why she didn't have a child, but the red cloth wrapped around her eyes seemed to be the reason. As a matter of fact, his danger sense had been pinging in his head for a while.

Am I going crazy, or are there finger marks on her shoulder? It's as if an invisible hand held her, although Merilyn wasn't bothered by it.

But once in a while, she would shrug her shoulder, and the marks would vanish for a moment, only to come back with more force. And now, he could feel her annoyance build up little by little.

I want to ask what it is, but I feel like I shouldn't. Before his stupid actions brought that annoyance to him, Johan decided to stop playing around.

"So, have you thought about what you'll do from now on?" Merilyn continued, not even a slight change in her tone.

Johan scratched his cheek. Although he had said that he'd call Yuna, the real goal was to join her guild. But with how things were, that wasn't the best option.

Guilds and Clans were like competing companies in the same business. The moment they see one of their competitors get an edge, in this case, Johan's potions, they'd gather together to pull it back down by hook or by crook.

The push and pull between guilds and clans was quite common, worst part, the Association had to maintain a neutral stance on this matter. So he couldn't bank on Merilyn's help as the Association President.

On top of that, the Mage Tower wouldn't leave him, and by extension, any guild he joined alone when the Detoxifying potion business came to light.

In a way, he would create more problems for Yuna than he could help her with if he joined now.

And, Yuna's new guild, with only one team, would have to go against guilds and clans with decades of history and influence in Hunter and political circles. Although he knew Yuna wouldn't bat an eye over this, he didn't want to create more headaches for both of them.

Merilyn waited for him to gather all his thoughts, smiling to herself as if she could see the gears in his brain turn. She might actually see them, he wasn't sure.

Now that his head had cleared, he could understand how overpowered and deadly her class was. It could even peek into his memories, not to mention the lifespan transfer for healing.

Humanity was truly lucky that Merilyn wasn't some supervillain hellbent on fixing the world.

"Don't set up flags now." She clicked her tongue, disappointed.

"…You're not gonna turn evil, right?" Johan asked, cold sweat running down his brow.

"If I, at any point in my life, were to become evil. I wouldn't be alive right now playing with your hair." She smiled.

However, Johan didn't feel the least bit assured by it; in fact, it only deepened his dread. That was until she hit his forehead with a devastating finger flick.

"Your avoidant behaviour is out again."

"Heh, my bad." Johan rubbed his burning forehead with an awkward smile. "There's only one solution for this."

A solution where he could help Yuna's guild without bringing trouble to their doorsteps. There was only one solution to this problem, and he felt like he finally had it.

However, before he could speak it, there was a soft knock on the door. And if one couldn't tell who it was by the respectful knock, the hesitant voice that followed made it clear.

"Teacher, are you awake?" Eugene's words were like a whisper, almost made him question if this kid was trying to wake him up or put him back to sleep.

"I am awake." With a reluctant look, Johan finally got out of bed and opened the door.

Eugene straightened up, two cake boxes in his hand that he almost dropped. First it was donuts, then a whole cheesecake, and now two cake boxes.

If Johan didn't tell this kid that he was feeling ok now, Eugene might buy a cake shop in the coming days.

"Be careful, these are expensive." Johan caught the cheesecakes; he could tell by the smell alone. He did feel incredibly hungry now.

"U-Uh…" Eugene's focus stayed inside the room, on Merilyn, who still sat on Johan's bed.

"Oh, the Association President decided to drop by again." He closed Eugene's slackened jaw; he didn't even know the kid could open his mouth that big. Almost looked painful.

"Hello, kiddo, I wasn't able to talk with you last time." Merilyn waved at Eugene as Johan pulled him into the room. Johan had sent him away when she came with Lucas. And he only gave him a rough rundown about the deal the next day.

"How's your mother doing?" She asked as he stood there like a deer in headlights.

"S-She's fine, very healthy." Eugene bowed, as if he faced some yakuza boss. It seemed they were acquainted before.

Eugene is from a big family, as I guessed. Well, it wasn't hard to guess; the kid stood out from the rest even when he tried not to.

Johan could only shake his head as he took some plates and spoons from the kitchen attached to his room.

After a much-needed and indulgent breakfast, Johan left the shelf stocking to Eugene and picked up his phone. Going through his meagre contact list, he found Yuna's number.

Merilyn had left a few moments ago, quoting work, but he knew she wanted to give him space. Taking a seat in the potion workshop, he finally pressed the call button he had dreaded for so long.

The ring went once, and then twice.

Maybe she was still on the Hell island still? He didn't know how long her mission was. The magik interference there was strong, so normal calls wouldn't work. And he hadn't got a Hunter phone yet.

"Guess I'll try in a few hours, or maybe later at night?" As the call ended, Johan pocketed the phone and focused on the mart.

He stuck around the mart today, even if Eugene handled most of the work. It wasn't until midday that he stopped checking his phone every few minutes and made another call to Yuna.

This time, she picked up before the first ring went through.

"Hello, Yuna…" Johan scratched his cheek; he didn't even get to take a deep breath and prepare himself.

"You take too long to make calls." She sighed.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Johan sat down in his chair, almost chuckling. "Are you free this week? I have something I want to discuss with you."

There was a lot he had to explain to her, and he wasn't sure how she'd take it. Yuna could be very stubborn with certain things, so he needed some time to prepare his explanations and arguments.

"I'll be there tomorrow morning." Yuna, however, seemed to care less about anything.

"T-Tomorrow?" Johan expected it would take her a while to handle the Tower report and such, but this was quite the sudden change.

"I will touchdown on the coast at midnight, it will take a few hours to go through checkups, but I can make it to your mart by 7. So, prepare yourself as much as you can in that time." Yuna's flat words came through like a Gatling gun.

"Ok… tomorrow at 7 then." He could only admit defeat here; pushing would only make it worse.

"Good… then, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, see you tomorrow."

As the call ended, Johan let out a huge sigh. Whenever he tried to plan things, they backfired in his face. Should he stop planning altogether?

No, that sounded much worse.

"Let's only prepare half and random bullshit go for the other half?" With a shrug, Johan made two more calls.

These were two people he needed for his big plan.

Lucas White and Merilyn Faust.

Along with Yuna, these two would become the initial safety net he needed to survive the brutal attention of the Hunter world.

***

After preparing everything for the next morning, Johan entered the Tower to get some rest and fresh air. When he stepped on the dewy grass, it felt like weeks had passed since he came back.

The tree in the middle had grown as usual. The Golden Pear tree he had planted had also bore fruits. The sherry leaves and ruby berries seemed to be doing even better.

As for the vegetable farm, it had grown from 400 square meters to 500 now. Eunally and Nunally ran over immediately, leaving behind their tools and work.

"You two have been working hard on my behalf." He accepted their hearty hug with a smile and patted their cute little heads.

However, the two pulled him to the cherry tomato area with building enthusiasm. And, Johan understood the reason when he reached the cherry tomato plants.

In the midst of green, he saw a flash of purple. Soon, a creature with its big colourful wings sat on his extended hand with its fuzzy body.

It was a butterfly with each purple wing as big as his palm, with bright white veins and dotted blue at the edges. It looked at him and tilted its head to the left, its antennas swaying gently.

[Parakeet would like to be your friend]

[Accept/Decline]

Johan pressed the accept button on the familiar blue window. Getting the signal, the butterfly gave him a bow and went back to dancing among the cherry tomato plants.

Name: Parakeet (Tower Butterfly)

Rank: —

Skills: Flight Lv. 4, Dynamic vision Lv.3, Evasion Lv.2

Special Note: A special species produced by the Tower to balance the ecosystem.

"How did it get here?" Johan wondered, but the bigger question was, who named it Parakeet? It looked more like a Monarch Butterfly.

Even his naming sense wasn't this bad.

As he was trying to figure out the culprit, Eunally pointed at Cerberious. This dog had made the potion workshop its personal nap room; only now did he step out, stretching as the three heads yawned.

Still, Cerberious did get Johan a pollinator so he couldn't be harsh with it. Above all, the way Cerbie's face lit up spotting him was priceless.

"You did a wonderful job!" Johan dove in for a hug, at least he pretended to. With a big smile, he gave the extended paw, one meant to block his face, a fist bump. "Gotcha."

As he smirked, Cerbie barked back with a big smile, eyes turning in small crescents. The remaining two heads weren't looking very happy as he smirked. But what could they do? Bite him?

If I keep pushing my luck like this, they might actually bite me. Johan lay down in his hammock, swaying slowly in the calming wind.

"It feels nice today, doesn't it?" He asked the rabbit duo on his chest, but they had already fallen asleep.

Cerberious had also fallen asleep, near the hammock, under the tree's shade. The only one who answered him was Parakeet, spinning over Johan's head. He wanted to rename it Mony or similar, but it was ok.

There was no need to stress that much over something like this. He had an important morning coming up. Probably the most important one in his lifetime.

He had already put up a notice that the mart would remain closed, and he also told Eugene to take a break for the day.

Now, he had to wait for them to gather so he could finally get this train on the right track.
...
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[zack1224]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Gan Sky]

Always waiting for more, thanks for the chapter