Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 270

The U.S. Naval Command Operations Room buzzed with quiet activity. Monsters were appearing around the world, and the U.S. Navy, like many global forces, was trying to find solutions.

Samuel Harrison, the Chief of Naval Operations, leaned over a table, looking at a small bowl of dark purple grapes. An officer stood beside him, holding the bowl.

“These are the grapes from the Tower?” Samuel asked, picking one up and smelling it. “The monster hunters brought them?”

“Yes, Chief,” the officer replied. “They call them ‘Life-Filled Fragrant Grapes’.”

Samuel sniffed again. “They do smell good,” he agreed. “The grape had a strong, sweet smell, like ripe berries and honey. But why are they here, in the Operations Room?”

“Sir, look at this.” The officer pointed to a screen on the wall. “The description of the grape. It might be important.”

The operations room monitor displayed the description of the Life-Filled Fragrant Grape, as confirmed by a monster hunter.

[Life-Filled Fragrant Grape]

The fragrant grape scent can lure monsters that love the smell of blood.

If made into wine, the scent spreads even further.

Grower: Top Farmer Park Sejun

Expiration Date: 90 days

Grade: C

Current Market Price: $50,000 – $60,000

The price of the grapes had fallen considerably from the initial price as hunters who worked on the grape farm continued to sell them.

“Oh! It can lure monsters that love the smell of blood?!” Samuel’s voice was excited as he read the description of the Life-Filled Fragrant Grape on the monitor.

According to the description, it might be a clue to eliminate the leeches occupying Hawaii.

Samuel frowned. The leech problem was getting worse. He needed a solution, and fast.

Currently, the Navy was continuously pouring massive amounts of livestock blood into Hawaii, trying to prevent the giant leeches from heading to the United States, but the situation was gradually worsening.

The number of leeches was increasing as they fed on the blood being poured. As a result, the amount of blood being dropped in Hawaii was also increasing.

So, the Navy was desperately looking for a way to reduce the number of giant leeches.

“Admiral, I think it’s worth a try,” the operations officer cautiously suggested to Samuel Harrison to use the Life-Filled Fragrant Grape in the operation.

Looking at Sejun’s other crop, the sturdy Blade Leek, there was no mention anywhere in the description that it could kill locusts.

However, the sturdy Blade Leek had now become an indispensable crop for saving the Earth from the locusts.

“Alright. Then let’s secure about 1 ton of Life-Filled Fragrant Grapes and conduct a simple test. Ah! Contact Park Sejun, who is listed as the grower here, and see if we can purchase them in large quantities?”

Since the cost for the operation wasn’t cheap, Samuel wanted to meet Sejun and negotiate the price.

“Well… that’s…” The operations officer looked troubled at Samuel’s words. Currently, information about Sejun was almost non-existent.

Recently, Han Taejun and Kim Dongshik, who were reliable figures, distributed information about Sejun to each country, but…

‘Park Sejun is so strong that you can’t even approach within 5km?’

The content was too absurd to accept as it was.

Before entering special training, Han Taejun and Kim Dongshik informed all countries about Sejun’s power as it was, to prevent a disaster from happening when Sejun came out of the Tower.

However, each country’s intelligence agency judged that their information was excessively exaggerated and did not trust the information.

Thus, Han Taejun and Kim Dongshik’s efforts were in vain.

“First, secure the Life-Filled Fragrant Grapes and find out where the hunters got them. Then something will come up.”

“Yes, sir!” At Samuel’s direction, the operations officer proceeded with securing the Life-Filled Fragrant Grapes and finding Sejun’s whereabouts simultaneously.

While the Navy started making plans, far away in the Tower, Sejun was enjoying a quiet lunch.

Crunch. Crunch. Sejun was having a leisurely lunch, eating Blue Potential Kudzu Root. It was firm and slightly sweet.

[You have consumed Blue Potential Kudzu Root.]

[All stat potentials increase by 5.]

After eating all 20 Blue Potential Kudzu Roots,

“I’m full. Vitality.”

[You have used Vitality Lv. 4.]

[Quickly digests food in the stomach.]

[All stats increase by 4% for 90 minutes.]

Sejun used the Vitality skill to digest the food. Thanks to using the Vitality skill from time to time, its level had risen by two, reaching level 4.

As his stomach emptied,

“Finally, the last one.”

Munch. Sejun put Eileen’s Fist Meat in his mouth.

And then,

[You have consumed a piece of Eileen’s Healthy Fist Meat.]

[You have consumed all 100 pieces of Eileen’s Healthy Fist Meat.]

[All stats increase by 100.]

The message he had been waiting for appeared.

“Hehe. Got it.” Sejun was pleased as he suddenly felt strength overflowing in his body.

At that moment,

[The Tower’s Administrator is delighted that you have finally finished her cooking.]

Eileen spoke.

“Yeah. I ate it all. I think I’ve gotten stronger thanks to you,” Sejun said, feeling elated as his strength increased.

However,

[The Tower’s Administrator says that in her eyes, you are still far from it.]

“I know. Still, does she have to say it so bluntly…” Sejun became dejected at Eileen’s brutal honesty.

[The Tower’s Administrator says, however, that you don’t need to worry.]

[The Tower’s Administrator says that she has already prepared food to make you stronger.]

Sejun’s stomach dropped. “More food?” he thought, nervously. “What will it be this time?”

[The Tower’s Administrator says that she enjoys cooking, so you don’t have to worry about her being tired.]

“Okay…” Sorry, Eileen. Actually… I’m worried about me eating the food…

While Sejun was trembling with anxiety about how amazing (?) Eileen’s next dish would be,

Clatter. A leather pouch fell onto Sejun’s palm.

[The Tower’s Administrator says that she overlooked the fact that you couldn’t eat a lot at once last time, so this time she divided it into 500 pieces so you can eat comfortably.]

“F-Five hundred pieces?!”

I don’t want anything else. Please let it be like last time. Sejun prayed earnestly in his heart as he opened the leather pouch.

Clatter. Inside the leather pouch were black, round pieces of meat of uniform size, filling it to the brim. Good. It’s the same black color as last time.

Sejun felt relieved at the color and shape, which were no different from last time.

Pick. He picked up a piece of meat and examined it.

“Phew.” Fortunately, there was no dangerous or strange description. Just like before, he would feel full even if he ate only one, and the effect would only appear after eating all the pieces.

The only difference was that this time, all stats would increase by 300 after eating all 500 pieces.

“Eileen, thank you!” Sejun expressed his gratitude with a voice filled with emotion to Eileen, who had made normal (?) food.

[The Tower’s Administrator says that she feels rewarded for cooking because you are so touched.]

[The Tower’s Administrator says that she will make a completely new dish for you next time.]

“No! Only this dish and you are enough!” Sejun desperately emphasized that a new dish was not needed, but

[······.]

Eileen didn’t answer, as if she had already gone to cook.

Theo and Piyot were going down the tower.

“Meow, meow, meow.”

“Piyot! Piyot!”

Theo hummed as they went down. Piyot flew beside him, wings beating fast to keep up.

Just then,

Piyot?

When they reached the 79th floor, Piyot suddenly stopped. A strange feeling tickled its mind, like a forgotten song.

Piyot?

“Piyot, what’s wrong, meow?” Theo asked when Piyot suddenly stopped singing.

Piyot!

Piyot suddenly saw a familiar type of birdhouse on the 79th floor. *Wait a minute!* it thought. *Birdhouses like that… that’s like home!*

Piyot still completely forgot its duty as a messenger bird.

“Oh really? My hometown is Granier Village on the 75th floor…”

As the topic of hometowns came up, Theo began to talk about his own hometown and started moving again, and the two simply passed by the 79th floor of the tower.

When the two arrived at the 75th floor of the tower,

“Piyot, follow me, meow!”

Piyot!

“[Yes!]”

Theo took Piyot to Taru, who guarded the lost and found warehouse.

“Theo, long time no see.”

“Taru, it’s good to see you, meow!”

“But who is the friend behind you?” Taru asked, looking at Piyot, who was hiding behind Theo and only sticking its head out.

Piyot!

“[I’m Piyot! I’m going to be Theo’s best friend!]” Piyot answered spiritedly.

“I see. A friend with good ambition. Theo, you’ve come to do the lucky draw, right?”

“That’s right, meow! Here, take 2000 tower coins, meow!” Theo gave Taru some tower coins for the lucky draw. The coins clinked as Taru took them.

And then,

“Then I’ll wait here. Bring them out one by one.”

“Understood, meow!” Theo and Piyot, who had moved to the ghost warehouse with Taru, went inside.

As Theo entered the ghost warehouse,

“-Theo, have you arrived?!” The ghosts of the warehouse greeted Theo.

“-We’ve completely cleaned up the thing Theo sent us to do!” The items that had previously been piled up like mountains on the floor were now neatly organized and stacked in cabinets or shelves. Thanks to this, Patton is currently on vacation and resting.

“Good work, meow! Piyot, go to work, meow!”

Piyot! Piyot?

“[Yes! But… what should I do?]” Piyot, who had answered energetically, tilted its head and asked.

“Bring the thing that attracts you the most from here, meow!”

Piyot!

“[Yes!]”

Flap. Flap.

While Piyot was busily flying around the warehouse looking for an item that attracted it, according to Theo’s instructions,

“This attracts me the most, meow!” Theo picked up a book that was right in front of him and put it in his bundle.

And then,

Grolong.

He fell asleep for a moment while watching Piyot, who was still diligently choosing items.

A short while later,

“Meow?!” Theo witnessed a huge mountain of trash blocking his view.

Just then,

Piyot? Piyot!

“[Theo, are you awake? I brought everything that attracted me here!]” Piyot puffed out its chest and chirped proudly, showing Theo its pile. Theo stared. It was a mountain of trash.

Of course, there wasn’t a single decent item among them. Piyot had an incredible knack for picking duds.

‘Piyot has no talent for lucky draws, meow!’

Theo decided not to let Piyot do any more lucky draws in the future.

“Bring that out, meow!” Inevitably, Theo had Piyot bring out one of the items that his forepaw was drawn to.

And then,

-I’ll have to clean up again.

-Let’s call the youngest.

Patton, who was enjoying a sweet vacation after a long time, had to be called back by the ghosts and clean up the warehouse again.

***

“Meow, meow, meow.”

Piyot. Piyot.

Humming happily, Theo and Piyot climbed back up the tower. They didn’t know they had ruined Patton’s vacation.

“Piyot’s home is on the 79th floor of the tower, so let’s stop by Piyot’s house on the way and pick up the fried eggs that Chairman Park likes, meow!”

Theo looked at the items from the warehouse. They weren’t very exciting. *Hmm, maybe egg fruits will help,* he thought. *Chairman Park will really praise me then!*

‘Look, Chairman Park, meow! I, Vice Chairman Theo, am working overtime again today, meow!’

Piyot! Piyot!

“[Yes! Trust me!]” Piyot took the lead and guided Theo to the Cove Kingdom on the 79th floor of the tower.

As the two arrived in Aibhe, the capital of Cove, to pick up the egg fruits,

‘The messenger bird Piyot has brought someone who will heal the Mother Tree!’ The parrot squawked, its voice echoing through the village.

“Meow?! Messenger bird?”

Piyot! Piyot!

“[That’s right! I was a messenger bird!]” Only then did Piyot remember its mission.

“What’s a messenger bird, meow?”

Piyot…

“[A messenger bird is someone who will heal the Mother Tree….]” While Piyot was explaining the duties of a messenger bird that it had learned,

Caw!

Chirp!

Cuckoo!

Birds flew in one by one and surrounded them.

Just then,

Thud.

A giant eagle with a wingspan of about 10 meters descended from the sky. It was Louis, the king of the birds.

“Welcome. You must have heard the explanation from the messenger bird Piyot, so I will guide you to the Mother Tree.”

“Let’s go, meow!” Theo listened, nodding as Piyot explained about the Mother Tree and the messenger bird. *Healing magic? Mother Tree? Sounds interesting… and maybe rewarding!* he thought. He hopped onto Louis’s broad back. I will heal the Mother Tree with my healing magic, meow!

And the price for that is…

‘I feel a strong attraction from over there, meow!’

While Theo was smiling as he looked at the rainbow-colored castle on the summit of the mountain that stood tall in the center of the capital,

Piyot! Piyot!

“[I need to grow up quickly and carry Theo on my back! I need to double my food intake from now on!]” Piyot stretched its wings, trying to look bigger. *I need to grow bigger and stronger!* it thought, flapping harder. It didn’t realize it was already as big as it was going to get.

“Then we’ll depart.”

Flap. Flap.

Louis took Theo