Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 108

Aileen thought about the praise she would receive from Sejun during the Blue Moon and headed to the rooftop.

“Grrr. Grrr. Grrr.”

Squeak. Squeak.

Aileen hummed happily, carefully wiping the dragon searchlight. She wanted it to be perfect for tonight.

Soon, the Blue Moon rose, casting a strange, blue light over everything.

“Hee hee hee. It’s my time to shine!!!”

Click.

Aileen confidently pressed the switch on the searchlight.

However,

Pff… Psssh.

The light tried to turn on but then died.

Aileen blinked, surprised. It sputtered and died.

“Huh?”

Click. Click.

Feeling uneasy, Aileen hurriedly switched it on and off, but…

There was no response.

“Grandpa! Grandpa! The light is broken! Help me!” Aileen urgently called Kaiser.

-My granddaughter! What’s wrong?!

“The dragon searchlight you gave me isn’t working!

-That can’t be? What I made is perfect… Ah! Wait… did you check the green bars above the switch?

“Green bars above the switch? There was something like that?”

-That indicates the magic power level.

“Really?” Aileen checked the bars above the switch as Kaiser instructed.

“Oh? They’re all gray.” All five bars were gray. Usually, Kaiser, who came to the administrator area when Aileen fainted, would refill the magic power, but this time, the portal didn’t open, so there was no chance to recharge it.

-Oh dear… that means you’ve used all the magic charge. You need to charge it with magic to use it again.

The timing was terrible. Normally, Aileen, whose Dragon Heart had grown, could recharge her magic, but now, due to the Polymorph spell that changed her form, she hadn’t fully recovered her magic.

Moreover, Kaiser had used all his magic to assist Aileen’s Polymorph, making it difficult to help Sejun.

“Hmph! I’m sorry, Sejun!” Aileen hurriedly looked for Sejun with the crystal ball, quickly looking around for another way to help.

[The Tower’s Administrator says tearfully that she can’t help this time.]

“I understand. (Even though I’m really worried.)”

[The Tower’s Administrator apologizes.]

“It’s okay.”

Sejun’s heart pounded, but he tried to keep his voice steady. “Everyone, quickly go home!” he called out. Getting angry wouldn’t help anyone now, he knew.

Peep!

Whirr!

The rabbits and poisonous honeybees, sensing something was wrong from Sejun’s shout, began to rush home.

However,

Crack. Crack.

There wasn’t enough time. The rabbits’ eyes turned red, and their fur bristled. The honeybees buzzed angrily, their stingers looking sharper. They were already being affected by the Blue Moon, losing their minds, and their bodies began to change.

‘No!’ If the animals lost their minds, they would attack each other, and many lives would be lost.

“Create Dark Clouds!”

In his haste, Sejun created thick, dark clouds within a 1km radius, covering the sky like a heavy blanket. Fortunately, it worked, and as the Blue Moon was blocked by the dark clouds, the rabbits and poisonous honeybees began to return to their original state.

“Quickly, go home!” Sejun hurriedly sent the animals back home.

At that moment,

Kroooooh!!!

Thud! Thud!

The mother Crimson Giant Bear’s size increased even more, and she went berserk.

“Dark Clouds!”

Sejun gathered all the dark clouds above the mother Crimson Giant Bear’s head to block the Blue Moon, but it seemed ineffective in her already berserk state.

Kroooooh!!!

Wham!

The dark clouds scattered futilely with a single punch from the mother Crimson Giant Bear.

“I’m doomed.” Sejun hurriedly ran to the cave.

At this point, the only option was to hide in the cave and wait for the Blue Moon to end. The cave was damp, dark, and smelled earthy.

Just then,

Gurgle.

“Huh?”

Queng, sleeping with the tombstone in front of the house as a pillow, caught Sejun’s eye as he ran to the cave.

“Queng!” Sejun hurriedly called Queng. How could he be sleeping so peacefully in such a dangerous situation…

Queng?

Queng, just waking up, looked around alertly for a second before following.

“Queng, follow me!”

Queng.

At Sejun’s words, Queng rubbed his eyes and followed Sejun.

[Master! Are you okay?!]

As they went down to the cave, Bulkkot greeted Sejun.

“Yeah. I’m okay. Queng is… huh? Why are you alright?” Sejun was about to tell Queng to take refuge where there was no Blue Moon. Thinking about it, Queng had been basking in the Blue Moon’s blue light while sleeping.

Queng?

Queng also asked back as if he didn’t know what was going on. Why am I okay?

Sejun and Queng didn’t know, but when Sejun became a Baekseok Merchant, he appointed the animals as sentinels, preventing Queng from being affected by the Blue Moon.

Sentinels had to maintain a clear mind at all times because they had to protect the field.

Gurgle.

Queng, perhaps because it was his sleeping time, lay down on the rock that used to be Sejun’s designated spot and began to sleep again.

Kroooooh!!!

The mother Crimson Giant Bear appeared above Sejun’s cave.

‘Please, just go!’ Sejun prayed in his heart, but

Sniff sniff.

The mother Crimson Giant Bear sniffed diligently, then looked down and made eye contact with Sejun.

‘Ah. Nothing’s going right today.’ Sejun lamented his bad luck for the day.

At that moment,

“Ah!” A good idea popped into Sejun’s head.

“Bulkkot! Use the Flame of Purification on the mother Crimson Giant Bear!”

[Yes!] Bulkkot puffed out his chest, ready to help his Master. Bulkkot’s Flame of Purification buff, which purified negative energy, might stop the mother Crimson Giant Bear’s rampage.

[Iyaaa!] Bulkkot shouted and used his first leaf, turning the green leaf white. At the same time, a pure white flame erupted from Bulkkot’s leaf, flying towards the bear like a streak of light and was absorbed.

Whoosh.

The white flame, starting from the mother Crimson Giant Bear’s leg, instantly engulfed her entire body.

Krooh.

Fortunately, the mother Crimson Giant Bear’s rampage stopped as the Flame of Purification began to burn. The white flame burned away the negative energy the mother Crimson Giant Bear had, gradually fading away.

Did it work, Master?

After a while, the flame disappeared, and in its place remained the mother Crimson Giant Bear, whose red fur was now a soft, gentle pink, like cherry blossoms, as the negative energy was purified.

“I should change her name to Pinky.” Sejun said, looking at the mother Crimson Giant Bear.

Krooh.

The mother Crimson Giant Bear, seemingly pleased with her changed fur color, licked her fur and guarded her surroundings. Fortunately, no other monsters came until the Blue Moon ended.

“Whew. That’s a relief.” Sejun let out a sigh of relief. It was a dangerous situation, but they got through the Blue Moon without any major accidents.

“Let’s sleep for now.” Sejun, feeling relieved, fell asleep using Queng’s belly as a pillow.

“Get ready.” Iona gave a warning before entering the 55th floor of the tower.

Pew pew!

Squeak!

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

Pew Pew and Black Rabbit, along with the Black Wolf tribe and Silver Wolf tribe who joined on the 75th floor of the tower, prepared to enter behind Iona.

“Let’s go then! Oh, power of the wind. By my command, prevent the sound from spreading. Silence.” Iona cast a silence spell and entered the 55th floor of the tower first, followed by the animals.

“Who is it?!”

The animals burst out of the tunnel. Boar-tribe warriors, guarding the exit, shouted in surprise. But Iona raised a hand, and a wave of silence washed over them, cutting off their cries.

“Quickly!” Iona hissed, her eyes sharp. “Grid’s mansion is our target.”

Elka, gripping her axe, stepped ahead. “I remember the path. Follow me.”

Every second counted. The longer they remained unseen, the better their chances. Break in, capture Grid, free Zeras – that was the plan. Mason’s part would come later, after Grid was no longer a threat.

They reached Grid’s mansion. It loomed before them, much larger than Elka remembered, and completely encased in a shimmering, milky-white dome.

“What in the world…?” Iona breathed, stopping short.

With a mighty *CRACK*, Elka swung Guillotine. Red light blazed from the axe, striking the barrier. A jagged hole ripped open in the white dome, like tearing fabric.

“Let’s go in.”

Iona and the animals entered the barrier.

After the animals went in…

Swoosh.

The hole in the barrier began to disappear.

Gurgle…

Sejun stirred, a smile already forming on his face. Queng’s rumbling belly was the most reliable alarm clock he could ask for. ‘Maybe I *should* sleep with Queng more often,’ he thought, stretching luxuriously. It was like sleeping on a giant, warm cloud, and the morning wake-up call was certainly unique.

Queng…

[I’m hungry… ]

As soon as he opened his eyes, Queng looked for food.

“Let’s go eat.”

Stepping outside, Sejun gasped. Scattered across the green field were splashes of vibrant blue – the magical cherry tomatoes, glowing faintly in the morning light, as if filled with moonlight itself.

“Let’s eat quickly and harvest them.”

Queng!

Queng cheered at the mention of food.

Sejun hurried into the cafeteria and ladled out some soup. He just ate the soup because he wanted to harvest the crops quickly.

Tweet!

Chirp!

Meanwhile, the rabbits also woke up and had breakfast together.

After breakfast…

“Alright, let’s go!”

Sejun took Queng and started harvesting the crops.

Plop.

[You have harvested a magical cherry tomato imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon.]

[61,287 more times until the job quest is complete.]

Sejun immediately put the harvested blue cherry tomato into his mouth.

Pop.

Splash!

The juice burst out as soon as he bit into the cherry tomato’s skin.

“Kuh. Delicious.”

He felt a subtle warmth spread through him as he swallowed the juice, a familiar sign that his magic was growing stronger.

There were many cherry tomatoes imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon today, so it was okay to eat a few without worrying.

Queng nudged Sejun’s hand with his snout, then pointed a paw at his own mouth, his eyes wide and pleading.

“Alright, alright,” Sejun chuckled, finding a particularly plump, blue tomato. “Here you go, you hungry beast.”

When they had harvested about 100 blue crops…

[You have harvested 100 crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon in one day.]

It was new information that harvesting 100 crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon would give additional job experience.

Queng!

Queng pointed at a luscious blue cherry tomato, urging Sejun to harvest it quickly.

“Alright.”

A little later, the harvesting of magical cherry tomatoes imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon was finished.

“Now, I need to harvest regular cherry tomatoes.”

As Sejun was about to harvest regular red tomatoes…

Queng!

Queng called Sejun in front of the sweet potato field.

“Why? Huh?!”

When Sejun went to where Queng had called him, there were five blue sweet potatoes pulled out.

“Queng, how did you find these?”

Queng!

[I smell them!]

Queng said, pointing to his nose.

“Smell?”

According to Queng, crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon had a unique scent. Thanks to that, he was able to find crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon in the ground.

They were able to continue harvesting blue crops, and when the number of blue crops Sejun harvested reached 200…

[You have harvested 200 crops imbued with the energy of the Blue Moon in one day.]

He was able to gain additional job experience this time as well.

His job rank had increased.

“Yes!”

Sejun was delighted that he would be able to harvest higher-ranked crops in the future, when…

Golden light exploded from Sejun’s straw hat.

Sejun felt a surge of golden light from his straw hat, confirming his improved skills. His abilities as a farmer were growing stronger!

Sejun checked the skills of Saint Patrick of the Earth’s Straw Hat.

Earth’s Blessing changed the magic power recovery speed from ‘slightly much’ to ‘much,’ Farmer’s Body changed the increase of all stats from 5 to 7, Yearning for a Bumper Crop changed the area of the bumper crop from a maximum of 300 pyeong to 500 pyeong, Growth Acceleration changed the period for growing crops without side effects from one week to two weeks.

And…

“Farmer’s Talent?”

Sejun checked the newly unlocked skill.

It was not bad.

“Good job, Queng.”

Sejun praised Queng, giving him a blue sweet potato. If Queng hadn’t found the blue crops in the ground, it would have taken more time to raise his job rank.

Day 272 of being stranded, Sejun became a B-rank Top Farmer.

“Nya?”

Far below, on the 38th floor, Theo paused in his descent, a prickling sensation on his fur. Something was wrong.

‘Sejun…’ he thought, his whiskers twitching. ‘Someone is getting too close to Sejun’s warmth, I can feel it.’