Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 578

Jormungandr’s Camouflage.

*Whoosh. Whoosh.* The white, snake-like cells wrapped around the Earthworm, covering every inch.

They snapped and bit with sharp teeth, and rammed with pointed horns on their heads, trying to break through the Earthworm’s defenses. After a short time of this fierce attack – *Crack!* A line split the defense wall. *Clang!* The wall shattered, and white snakes tumbled down from above.

“Puhu! We worked hard, meow!” cried Theo.

*Hehehe! Kooeng deserves special treats now!* thought Kooeng happily.

*Keeheeheet! Keeng! Hehe! Let’s go, brothers!* Theo and Kooeng, eager for the special treats Sejun gave after work, quickly defeated all the white snakes. They, along with the Blackie Family, were completely focused on earning their rewards.

*Swoosh.* As Theo and Kooeng finished off the last white snakes, a warm energy flowed from within, mending the broken wall and making it even stronger than before.

“Puhu! Great Sejun, we did it, meow!” Theo called out.

“Treats now, please, meow!”

*Hehehe! Kooeng wants special treats!* thought Kooeng, bouncing excitedly. Theo and Kooeng rushed to Sejun, who was tending to his plants, both wanting their rewards.

*Keeheeheet! Keeng! Hehe! Servant! Blackie deserves treats too!* barked Blackie, running to catch up.

“Hmm, Blackie, you didn’t actually fight,” Sejun said, gently stroking Kooeng’s head with his left hand. Kooeng was happily dipping a rice cake into honey. With his right hand, Sejun offered a tasty stick to Theo, who was relaxing on his lap. Blackie watched, tail wagging.

*Keeng! Keeng! Keeng!* *The great Blackie cheered them on! That’s hard work! So, I deserve treats too!* Blackie barked proudly, insisting that cheering was important.

“Alright, alright,” Sejun chuckled. He carefully placed Blackie in a bag slung over his shoulder and gave him a piece of dried sweet potato.

“Puhu,” Theo purred contentedly.

*Koohehehe,* Kooeng mumbled happily through his rice cake.

*Keeheeheet,* Blackie munched on his treat.

“You are all cute,” Sejun smiled.

“Huh?” Sejun blinked. Why was everything turning blue? He looked around. It wasn’t sudden; the air had been getting a faint blue tint for a while, but now it was growing stronger, a clear, deep blue. The energy of creation, made by the Devouring Predators, was trapped inside the Earthworm by the white snakes. It couldn’t escape and was building up, making the blue color more intense.

*Is this too much?* Sejun wondered, starting to reach for his special storage to put the Devouring Predators away. Just then, a message appeared before his eyes:

**Quest Alert!**

**The Earthworm is on the verge of a transformation unlike any world has ever seen! Help it reach level 11 by creating even more energy of creation!**

**Rewards:** All Stats +1000, 500 Billion Top Coins, Ember of Genesis

“Wow! Rewards!” Sejun exclaimed. All stats plus a thousand? And billions of coins! He didn’t know what an Ember of Genesis was, but it sounded amazing. Completely forgetting his worry, Sejun grinned.

“Alright, everyone! Keep eating!”

*Kiki!* The Devouring Predators chirped in agreement. He urged them to devour even more of the energy of destruction.

Energy of destruction flowed out in waves from Delia and the fallen white snakes – more than enough for the hungry Devouring Predators. *Munch, munch, munch.* Following Sejun’s instructions, they ate and ate. *Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!* Sejun quickly planted the seeds they spat out, and more Devouring Predators sprouted, eager to join the feast. Hours passed. The blue glow of the Earthworm deepened, becoming almost blinding.

The white snakes, sensing the growing pressure, began to coil even tighter around the Earthworm, squeezing it with all their might to stop it from expanding. Jormungandr, it seemed, was suffering more and more as the Earthworm grew. Held tight by the snakes, the Earthworm couldn’t get bigger, but instead, it began to heat up, pressure and temperature rising rapidly inside.

Just like carbon needs intense heat and pressure to become a diamond, the Earthworm needed this extreme environment to transform into a level 11 world, something completely new. The heat and pressure climbed faster and faster.

“Kooeng?!” Sejun cried out, feeling the sudden change.

“Dad is in danger!” Kooeng sensed it too. In a flash, he grew to an enormous size, wrapping his body around Sejun and his friends, shielding them.

One second later – *FLASH!* A blinding blue light exploded outwards, engulfing everything. The Earth Dragons were safe within Kooeng’s protection, but Sejun’s crops were instantly turned to dust. The Devouring Predators vanished completely. The Earthworm, in its transformation, had burned away everything unwanted, using it as fuel for its rebirth. But the light seemed to respect Kooeng’s red glow; it didn’t touch him or those he protected. When the light faded, the Earthworm had shed its impurities. Kooeng shrank back to his normal size.

“Kooeng, thank you,” Sejun said softly. He didn’t fully understand what had just happened, but he knew Kooeng had saved them. He stroked Kooeng’s head gratefully.

“Huh?” He looked around. “Where did everything go?” His plants, the Devouring Predators – all gone!

Just then, a deep rumble shook the ground – *Kugugung!* The Earthworm was truly changing now. The land beneath them rose up, and with an explosive burst, the Earthworm grew ten times larger in an instant! The white snakes, still clinging to it, were ripped apart and fell away, lifeless.

**System Message:** **You have defeated the digestive cells of Jormungandr, the 3rd Apostle of Destruction, the Greed that Devours the World!**

Experience flooded into Sejun.

**System Message:** **Level Up!**

*Heh heh!* Sejun grinned. Seven levels at once! He was now level 157!

“Puhu! Great Sejun!” Theo cried excitedly.

“Theo is level 100 now, meow! I got a job quest, meow! Let’s do it together, please, meow!”

*Koohehehe! Dad! Kooeng too! Level 100 and a job quest! Let’s do our quests together!* Kooeng bounced around him. Theo and Kooeng, both reaching level 100 at the same time, had received their first special quests.

*Keeheeheet! Keeng! Hehe! Servant! We are level 2 now too!* barked Blackie proudly. The Blackie Family had also leveled up to level 2. It seemed everyone shared in the experience.

*Heh heh,* Sejun thought smugly. *Still so low level.* He smiled down at his companions, feeling a little too proud. But then he thought about it. It wasn’t really something to boast about. They all got the same experience, but Theo, Kooeng, and the Blackie Family had only gone up one level each, while he had jumped seven! Even at their lower levels, they gained much more strength from each level than he did. It was like a deep valley making a tall mountain. And unlike him, who got job quests every ten levels, they didn’t get them often. Theo and Kooeng were getting their first at level 100. The Blackie Family, being former Apostles of Destruction, might get them even later, or maybe not at all.

*Hehehe,* Sejun chuckled, still not quite understanding this.

**System Message:** **The Earthworm has successfully evolved into a level 11 world!**

**Quest Complete!**

**Rewards:** All Stats +1000, 500 Billion Top Coins, Ember of Genesis

**System Message:** **The Ember of Genesis attaches to your title, “One Who Peeped at Genesis,” and glows brightly.**

**System Message:** **Your title, “One Who Peeped at Genesis,” transforms into “Flames of Genesis” and is reborn as “One Who Peeped at Genesis for a Long Time.”**

The rewards appeared before him, along with the final quest message.

“What is this?” Sejun wondered, looking at the new title: ‘One Who Peeped at Genesis for a Long Time’? It sounded a bit… silly.

*Can’t I just look at things? I’m a generous person!* he grumbled to himself, then read the title description:

**Title: One Who Peeped at Genesis for a Long Time**

*Having glimpsed Genesis, something beyond human understanding, for an extended period, you now possess a deeper insight. You can understand and reshape the essence of things, within certain limits.*

*Similar titles can be combined into one, becoming stronger.*

*Multiple powers that can be merged can be combined to increase their strength.*

*If you receive a reward too powerful to handle, you can subtly alter cause and effect to receive a more suitable reward.*

Sejun frowned. Except for the first line, the rest just seemed to explain what had already happened. And there was still hidden information. But one thing was clear: this title was even more amazing than he first thought. Combining powers, changing rewards – it was almost like changing the rules of the world itself!

*Maybe this is the key to what Theo wants to do,* Sejun thought. Just then, he heard a shout.

“Huh?! What’s happening?!”

“I feel so much stronger!” The Earth Dragons were flexing their claws and looking around in amazement. As the Earthworm became a level 11 world, they had changed too, becoming beings fit for such a place.

**System Message:** **You have gained a status befitting the ruler of the Earthworm.**

**System Message:** **You have evolved into a Demigod.**

**System Message:** **Once a month, you may visit the realm of the Gods for one hour.**

“I’m a Demigod?!” Earth Dragon exclaimed, eyes wide. He could even visit the Gods! Even if it was just for an hour each month, it was incredible.

*Now I can truly help Sejun!* Earth Dragon, who had felt useless before, was overjoyed. Suddenly, another message appeared:

**System Message:** **There are 5 locations you may visit.**

**System Message:** **Seed Shop Headquarters**

**System Message:** **Combat Shop Headquarters**

**System Message:** **Herr’s Pawnshop**

**…**

**System Message:** **For the next 5 months, you will be guided to visit these 5 locations in order.**

The power was being used without his choice. It was like a guided tour to help Earth Dragon decide where he belonged as a Demigod.

**System Message:** **Moving to Seed Shop Headquarters.**

Demigod Earth Dragon found himself transported to the Seed Shop Headquarters.

*** Seed Shop Headquarters. A message appeared in the Seed Shop Headquarters: **Demigod Earth Dragon Park Toryong, guardian of Black Tower Park Sejun, has arrived to choose his path.**

“Guardian of Black Tower?” one of the gods whispered.

“So, he’s working for Black Tower?” The non-combat gods looked surprised. Then, in the middle of the plaza, a small earthworm appeared.

“Oh? Hello,” said a voice.

“I’m Park Toryong.” It was Toryong’s spirit form. As Toryong greeted them, the non-combat gods rushed forward.

“Welcome, Park Toryong! Welcome!”

“Welcome!” they all called out happily.

“I will show you around, Park Toryong,” said Uncle, the god of grape vines, who seemed to be in charge of the others. He gently picked up Toryong and carried him towards the grandest building in the headquarters.

Inside, Leia, looking a little nervous, began to speak.

“Ahem. Let me tell you about the Seed Shop Headquarters.” Leia was nervous because Toryong was a close friend of Sejun. She knew everything she said would likely be repeated to him.

Fifty minutes later, Leia finished her explanation.

“And that is all for now.”

“Excellent! Perfect!” a voice said approvingly. As Leia finished, the other non-combat gods, who had been waiting patiently, swarmed around Toryong.

“I am Plum, god of plums! Please tell Sejun my name!”

“Hehe, I’m Pierre, god of pears! Make sure Sejun knows my name too!” They all wanted Sejun to know who they were.

Just then, a stern voice cut through the crowd.

“Don’t you think you’re making Toryong uncomfortable?!” Order, the god of order, strode over, picked up Toryong from the middle of the crowd, and placed him carefully on his shoulder.

“Toryong, I apologize,” Order said quickly. “Our… friends aren’t usually this forward.” Order quickly carried Toryong away from the building.

Once they were alone, Order stopped.

“Good, no one else is around,” he muttered. Then, clearing his throat, he leaned closer to Toryong.

“Ahem… Order,” he said quietly.

“My name is Order, god of order.”