Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 342

Green Tower, Floor 99.

“Are they trying to ignore me?” Ophelia roared.

*KROOOOH!*

Fire burst from her mouth, turning the stone floor into cracked, black ash. The walls of the 99th floor were scorched and smoking. Ophelia breathed fire again and again, letting out her anger.

After a while, her fiery breath slowed. She puffed slightly, then her expression changed.

“Maybe… maybe that farmer from the Black Tower was really impressed by my vegetables?” she wondered aloud, a small smile appearing.

Ophelia was a tower farmer, and she was very proud of what she grew, even if no one else seemed to like it. Ever since she heard about Sejun and his black beans, she felt like they were rivals.

“He probably knows now that *I* am the best farmer in the towers,” she mumbled to herself.

*Crunch.*

Ophelia bit into a carrot she had grown. She imagined Sejun being amazed by her farming. The carrot tasted like dirt and old socks, but it did give her a tiny bit of magic.

She ate ten carrots, forcing them down. Then, she frowned.

“Why haven’t they asked me to work? I’m good at this!” Ophelia said, her voice now worried. “Could it be… are my vegetables not good enough?”

She shook her head quickly. “No! It must be the opposite! My crops are so amazing, they don’t know what to do with them!”

Ophelia’s mind raced, going in circles, making her feel tired.

Black Tower, Floor 57.

“Hey, buddy! Look what I found!” Ajax grinned, handing Sejun a dirty, old coin. “I picked it up after we beat that Demon of Corruption, Dilia.”

Suddenly, messages popped up in front of Sejun:

[You have acquired a coin containing the power of Dilia, the 8th Apostle of Destruction, Demon of Corruption.]

[A piece of Fenrir’s core absorbs the power of Dilia, the Demon of Corruption, from the coin.]

[You have learned Skill: Fermentation Lv. 1.]

*Messages again?* Sejun thought. *Maybe because Dilia was also an Apostle of Destruction, I can take her power.*

“Fermentation?” Sejun said, confused.

[Skill: Fermentation Lv. 1]

– Slightly increases how fast food ferments.

– Slightly improves the taste of fermented food.

“Wow!” Sejun exclaimed, happy. “That’s perfect for cooking!”

*I want to find more of these Demon of Corruption coins!*

“I wonder if it works with other coins?” Sejun took out another Apostle of Destruction coin and held it.

… Nothing happened.

“Huh? Why not?” Sejun wondered.

Just as he was thinking, another message appeared:

[5 plum trees have reached the end of their life.]

Sejun’s eyes widened. The plum trees! Even though they defeated Dilia, her corruption was still hurting the farm.

“We need to go back, now!” Sejun told everyone, turning quickly towards the way they came. He rushed back to the plum tree farm, his friends following.

“Healing team, go!” Sejun called out as they reached the farm. The plum trees looked weak and droopy.

“Heh heh, healing time, meow!” Theo chirped, already jumping off Sejun’s shoulder.

*(Bat bat! Ready to help!)* The Golden Bat fluttered around the trees. *(Bat bat, nobody knows my secret song!)* it sang softly.

“President Bat, hurry up, meow!” Theo whined, tugging on Sejun’s trousers.

“Okay, okay.” Sejun chuckled. He reached out and gently touched a plum tree.

*Chuck.*

[Farmer’s Warm Touch Lv. 7 activated.]

[The plum tree is slowly healing as you touch it.]

Warm light flowed from Sejun’s hand into the tree. *Press, press,* Theo patted the tree trunk with his tiny paws, adding his own magic. The Golden Bat flew from branch to branch, leaving trails of golden dust.

They worked for hours, healing each tree. Meanwhile, Fenrir was still asleep in Sejun’s pocket, *Kkirorong* softly snoring.

*Kkueng! Kkueng!*

[Greetings, Daddy! We brought friends!]

“Say hello to our new helpers!” Ajax announced proudly.

Kkuengi and Ajax had found some new workers for the farm. They were turtles, but they stood tall on two legs, with long arms and legs. Their shells were mossy green, and they blinked slowly.

“Hello,” one turtle rumbled in a deep voice.

“Yes, hello,” the other echoed.

Kkuengi puffed out his chest. *Kkueng!* [You will protect this farm now!]

“Yes!” Ajax added, wagging his tail. “If you don’t guard it well, you’ll be in trouble!” He and Kkuengi explained their jobs to the turtles. *Heh heh,* Kkuengi thought, watching them. *My kids are doing a great job.*

After a while, a message appeared:

[All 295 plum trees on the farm have been healed!]

[Quest Complete!]

[Reward: You are now officially the owner of the Black Tower 57th floor plum tree farm! Land Deed granted.]

[Land Deed Skill: Farm Information Lv. Max learned!]

As soon as Sejun got the land deed, Theo ran back, holding tiny papers in his paws. “President Bat, I got all their paw prints, meow!” he declared. “Contracts! We agreed to give them three fish and five tower coins each day.”

“Thank you for hiring us,” one turtle said seriously.

“Yes! We will work hard!” the other agreed, nodding slowly. They seemed very happy with their new jobs and the good pay.

After showing the turtles around the plum tree farm and making sure they knew what to do, Sejun and his friends went to the waypoint.

“Welcome, sir!” a booming voice announced.

A huge turtle stood waiting at the waypoint. He was much bigger than the farm turtles, but he looked a bit sad. Kkuengi and Ajax stood proudly beside him. He stood very straight, like a soldier, but his shell was cracked and chipped in many places.

[Black Tower 57th Floor Boss: Toto, the Shield Master]

Sejun noticed Toto didn’t have a shield. *Shield Master without a shield?* he thought. *Maybe Kkuengi and Ajax broke it when they… convinced him to join us.*

“Here,” Sejun said kindly, feeling a little sorry for Toto. “Maybe this will help.” He gave Toto a Dragon Tooth Soldier Helmet. It was made of dark metal, shaped like a dragon’s head with sharp teeth.

*Clunk.* Toto carefully put on the helmet.

Sejun touched the red crystal of the waypoint to activate it.

*Fwoosh.*

Then, he unfolded the land deed, and in a flash of light, he disappeared, moving to the 62nd floor.

As Sejun vanished, Toto stood tall, wearing the dragon helmet.

*Clang.* The metal helmet gleamed.

[Black Tower 57th Floor Boss: Toto, the Helmet Master]

Toto’s name changed above his head. He looked much happier now with his new helmet.

Well, we should get going,” Kaiser said, stretching. “Thanks for the beans, Sejun!”

“See you around!” Kellion called out.

“Goodbye!” Lamter added, waving.

The magic from the black beans was fading. Kaiser, Kellion, and Lamter turned and hurried back towards their own parts of the tower.

“Brachio, come on,” Tier said quietly. “Let’s go.”

“…Okay,” Brachio mumbled, following Tier in a different direction from the others.

Soon, they were all gone, and Sejun was alone at the waypoint on the 62nd floor.

Tear, who had been talking excitedly, suddenly stopped. “Oh! Look, the Purple Tower! Brachio, goodbye!”

“Yeah, goodbye,” Brachio replied.

Tear waved and flew towards the Purple Tower, disappearing quickly. Brachio was now alone, standing in the green fields.

He thought about what Tear had just told him. “So, this Sejun… he used plants to cure the Purple Dragons’ poison? And he found darkness power for the Black Dragons, and light power for the White Dragons? He even fixed the dry land in the Red Tower?”

Brachio repeated Tear’s stories in his head, feeling confused. *Could a simple Tower Farmer really do all of that?* he wondered. Tear wouldn’t lie about something so easy to check.

“If Sejun really did all that,” Brachio murmured, a hopeful look starting to appear on his face, “maybe he can help with the Green Tower’s problem too…”

The Green Tower had a secret problem, one they kept hidden from the other dragon towers. It wasn’t that crops didn’t grow; they grew *too* well. It sounded good at first, but the plants in the Green Tower grew so fast and big that they became weak and tasteless. They focused only on getting bigger, not on becoming healthy and full of flavor.

This was why Ophelia’s farm was struggling. The soil itself encouraged this unhealthy growth. Of course, Brachio knew Ophelia wasn’t the best farmer either, but the tower’s magic made things even harder.

“What can I do?” Brachio worried. He remembered how he had tried to scare Ophelia, wanting to take away her unfair contract. But his words had been too harsh, and he had accidentally threatened her life. *I need to fix this,* he thought, feeling guilty.

“I must go to the Black Tower and apologize to Sejun!”

Brachio rushed into the Green Tower and started to quickly make a statue. He knew he needed a statue to even enter the Black Tower. His plan was to go there, give Sejun a great gift, and ask for his help with the Green Tower’s strange crops.

But getting into the Black Tower wouldn’t be easy. First, he had to get past Aileen, the final boss, who was known to be easily angered. And then there were Sejun’s loyal protectors, like a line of guards.

There was Theo, who was wildly devoted to Sejun and acted without thinking. Then there was Kkueng, who always wanted to please his “Daddy” Sejun. Ajax was like a sunflower, always turning his face towards Sejun and wanting his attention. Even Fenrir, the wolf, who was usually fierce, was now gentle and protective of Sejun because of the kind butler who fed him.

Brachio sighed. He knew getting past these protectors would be a long and difficult task, all because of his foolish threat.

Sejun stepped onto the 62nd floor of the Black Tower. A strange message flashed in his mind: *[>Title: Retrogressor> All stats increase by 37 due to the effect.]* He felt a sudden surge of power.

Looking around, Sejun’s eyes widened. “Huh? Is this… mugwort?”

He was standing in a field filled with green mugwort plants. The 62nd floor was a mugwort farm! The air smelled earthy and fresh.

*Mugwort rice cake would be so good right now,* Sejun thought, his stomach rumbling.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, another message appeared: *[You have been recognized as the rightful owner of the land deed for the mugwort farm on the 62nd floor of the Black Tower.] [Land Deed Skill: Farm Information Lv. Max is activated.]*

Sejun was surprised. “So fast?” he said aloud. “Oh! Well, thank you very much!”

He knelt down with a soft *thump* and started to pick the mugwort, a smile spreading across his face.

Then, as Sejun picked a handful of mugwort, another message appeared in his mind: *[You have harvested Mugwort of Persistence.] [Job experience has slightly increased.] [Proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 8 has slightly increased.] [You have gained 70 experience.]*

“Mugwort of Persistence?” Sejun wondered aloud. *Is this some kind of special item?*

He examined the mugwort closely. It looked like ordinary mugwort, but there was a faint, unusual energy about it. As he focused, words appeared in his mind, describing the plant:

*Mugwort of Persistence: A strong plant that grows even in tough places. It takes in everything from the soil, which changes its effects. This mugwort is from ordinary soil, so it’s not super strong. If you eat it for the first time, you’ll get the Talent: Persistence. If you already have it, eating this will make it stronger. It tastes very bitter. Good for 120 days. Grade: C+*

“Oh, it gives talents too? I should definitely pick a lot of this,” Sejun said. He didn’t want to eat it raw, though. He bent down to continue harvesting.

Suddenly, with a *clang*, the door to the subspace warehouse swung open.

“Chairman Park, what are you doing?” Theo asked, stepping out.

“Kkueng?” Kkueng tilted his head. *[Daddy, why are you picking something that doesn’t taste good?]* he asked in Sejun’s mind.

“Hyung, what’s this?” Ajax asked curiously, joining Theo and Kkueng as they gathered around Sejun.

Just then, Fenrir bounded out of the warehouse, a happy bounce in his step. *Hehe, all mine!* he thought, proudly holding three roasted sweet potato slices in his mouth.

Kkueng barked happily, wagging his tail. *[This is good for Daddy’s body! Daddy needs to eat lots of it!]*

“Yeah, Hyung should definitely eat it!” Ajax agreed quickly, already starting to pick mugwort and put it in Sejun’s basket. They were both being extra helpful, hoping to avoid eating the bitter mugwort themselves.

*Hehe, they’ll be sorry later,* Sejun thought with a small smile, imagining their faces when they realized the mugwort was actually valuable.

But just as he was enjoying his little plan, a warning flashed in his mind: *[Fenrir’s core fragment has been detected 20km to the east.]*

Sejun paused, his smile fading. Another message followed quickly: *[Fenrir’s core fragment has been detected 17.5km to the east.]* Then another: *[Fenrir’s core fragment has been detected 12.5km to the east.]*

The messages kept coming, each one showing the fragment getting closer. It seemed that just as Sejun could sense the other Fenrir’s fragment, the other fragment could sense the one inside him.

*[Fenrir’s core fragment has been detected 6.5km to the east.]* The distance was closing rapidly.

“Heh,” Sejun chuckled, trying to sound brave even though he was a little nervous. “To come looking for me? How bold of them.” Then, turning to his companions, he said, “Guys, take care of it!”

Theo, Kkueng, and Ajax immediately stepped forward, forming a protective line in front of Sejun.

*[Fenrir’s core fragment has been detected 2km to the east.]* The message flashed again, the threat was almost upon them.

“Wait… it’s Yuren!” Theo suddenly exclaimed. “Meow! It’s Yuren!”

They saw Yuren running towards them, holding something in his hands. He wasn’t an enemy; he was also looking for the Fenrir fragment!

“Theo-nim, hello!” Yuren called out, a little out of breath.

“Heh heh, hello, Yuren, Meow!” Theo replied. “But it would be a much better hello if you gave me what you’re holding, Meow!” Theo’s eyes were fixed on the Fenrir fragment in Yuren’s hands.

“Huh? But… I paid a lot for this,” Yuren mumbled, clutching the fragment closer to his chest.

Normally, Yuren would have given anything to Theo without question. But the Fenrir fragment seemed to be awakening a hidden desire in him. A faint red glow started to come from the fragment, wrapping around Yuren, and a red light flickered in his eyes.

“Heh heh, give it to me, Meow!” Theo repeated, confidently holding out his paw.

The red glow around Yuren grew stronger, fueled by the fragment’s power. But even with this strange energy, Yuren’s true nature won out.

“…Okay,” Yuren said softly, and reluctantly handed the Fenrir fragment to Theo.

Yuren was just naturally too gentle and yielding. He simply couldn’t stand up to someone as assertive as Theo.