Chapter 56
SSS-Grade Cafe in Front of The Dungeon
“I’ve met a lot of people who say that. They were all scammers. How are you going to do something that even the plant otaku here couldn’t?”
“Then what if I succeed?”
“What? What nonsense….”
“What’s wrong, couldn’t it be successful? Whether I succeed or fail, you won’t lose anything, so why you don’t just let me try?”
Choi Cedric looked at me with an expression that couldn’t hide his agitation. Hope, and fear of having hope, a greater discouragement. Still, perhaps, the expectation that this time might be different.
Just by seeing that complicated expression, I could guess what Choi Cedric had to go through. A similar thing must have happened many times during that time; having expectation, being disappointed, and looking forward again.
So far, this is the widely known image of Choi Cedric. An arrogant, impudent, tough-tempered Ranker.
However, when I saw him in person, he felt more like a child.
“Okay! If you succeed, I’ll do anything for you. Money? Connections? Just say anything.”
“That’s enough. I’ll tell you what I want when I succeed.”
I have no choice but to try anyway.
After taking a deep breath, I looked back at Choi Cedric and said,
“Excuse me … can you step back a little bit?”
“Huh? Why? Can’t you save the flower when I look at it? Don’t tell me you’re trying to spy on this flower in secret?!”
“That’s not it … Well, I’m nervous because I’m close to a celebrity!”
“Seriously, why didn’t you tell me sooner? You deserve to be nervous, ok, I understand! Now, is this enough?”
I can’t believe this worked.
I approached the pot after learning that Choi Cedric had taken about five steps apart.
The petals, which were originally blue, have dried up yellow, and the stem is likely to break at any moment.
The Blue Celaeno Flower is a flower with the power of regeneration.
However, this flower was already dead from the time it was a seed. Thanks to Lee Chorok’s care, it sprouted, but it withered in the end.
So what should we do to regenerate the flower?
Regeneration presupposes death. In other words, you must die completely before you can be reborn.
I brought Cthugha’s ring close to the flower.
Hyurr.
The fire from the ring burned the flower in an instant.
The moment white ashes fell into the flowerpot.
“What are you doing?!”
“……Huck!”
Choi Cedric rushed in and pulled me by the collar. A powerful force lifted my feet from the floor. It’s suffocating.
“Choi━ Hunter Choi Cedric, calm down and let’s talk first.”
“Aren’t I calm enough now?!”
His eyes lost in anger.
But … he’s controlling his strength. If I had been grabbed by the collar with the power of an S-class Hunter, I would have gone to the other world.
“You! Why did you burn the flower?! Don’t you know what kind of flower that is?! I’ll let you go, depending on your answer!”
“Ugh … that … cough, cough!”
“Answer me!”
I couldn’t open my mouth because I was suffocated by the tremendous power. The best thing I managed to do is pointing to the flowerpot with only the tip of my finger raised.
“Huk, Hunter Choi Cedric, look at this!”
Lee Chorok made a startled sound.
“It is not! The flower!”
“What? …..Ah.”
Choi Cedric’s eyes widened.
Thud.
He let go of the strength in his hand. If it had been a little later, I would have really passed out from lack of oxygen.
That’s why I deliberately told you to step away, but it didn’t work.
“Cough, cough! Huk, I thought I was going to die! Coughl!”
I coughed exaggeratedly on purpose. Every time I coughed, Choi Cedric’s face turned white. In terms of powder pact, I think it will be around number 13.
“I’m sorry, before … I thought you killed the flower … I’m so sorry.”
“All right, let’s look at the flower quickly.”
“Ah, yes, yes!”
A yellow-green bud sprouted over the potted plant spilled with white ashes.
The buds grew rapidly in an instant, extended the stem and leaves, and eventually bloomed a blue flower.
The blue petals with a soft light looked very mysterious.
[Item: Blue Celaeno Flower (★★★★★)
A legendary flower that is said to contain the starlight of Celaeno. It has the power of regeneration.
Note: Fresh.]
The contents of the status window have also changed.
“Finally, with this flower….!”
The moment when Choi Cedric, who was moved, was about to embrace the flowerpot.
Kukukung!
A heavy vibration was heard, and the soil of the pot began to soar toward the sky.
“Huh, uh….?”
A thick root that stretches out mercilessly far.
There was another plant under the Blue Celaeno Flower. The plant, which absorbed the power of the flower, began to grow wildly, destroying the greenhouse, and wrapping it around with roots.
“Aaaah, no, my greenhouse!”
“….Dodge!”
Crash!
And that blue light flickering in the middle of the plant’s roots….
It’s a rift.
Boom, boom! The branches cut through the ceiling and the roots dig up the ground.
Ah. I remember.
The reason why Lee Chorok’s farm was closed before the regression. That’s because a dungeon occurred on the farm.
There was no time to escape. I was just sucked into the dungeon.
Slurp!
The body, sucked into the rift, slid down the stem. I lost my balance and fell flat on the floor.
“Ouch…..”
The surroundings were dark and bumpy, just like the roots of a very large tree, and there was a smell of musty grass from somewhere.
The sour smell that stung my nose, the damp air, and the wriggling floor.
This was a dungeon formed inside a plant.
Very rarely, it is said that some rifts are hidden in grass or trees. It is usually safe to prevent the parent plant from bursting into a rift.
But what happens if the plant is exposed to dark ether? The plan and the rift fuse, and the plant itself becomes a dungeon.
A rift was hidden in one of the dungeon plants that Lee Chorok grew, and dark ethers were released in the greenhouse to help the plant grow.
Later, as the ether was absorbed, the plant turned into a dungeon. As a result, Happy Green Life Farm was closed.
This is the end of this business that I remember from the pre-regression.
That plant otaku is really….
However, due to the regenerative power of the Blue Celaeno Flower, the rift broke earlier than before the regression, and I was caught up in the situation.
Usually, normal dungeonized plants are not so dangerous.
The question is … what kind of plant was the basis of this dungeon…..
Tiling!
[Dungeon: You have entered Monster Hell.]
[Monster Hell is currently starving.]
The name of the dungeon appeared in the notification window.
Uh, monster hell……?
Wait, let’s get this straight.
An insectivorous plant that secretes digestive juices and eats flies is called Flies Hell.
Then, monster hell is the plant that secretes digestive juices and eats monsters.
The possibility that a plant that melts monsters can melt humans is..…?
……………….
Hiss!
“Aaa, aaagh!”
The vines of the plants that stretched out forward fired secretions. The secretions spilled on the floor sizzled and melted the surroundings. I don’t think I’ll ever be okay if I get hit.
Then, the alarm rang again.
[Monster Hell is currently starving.]
“……”
“Save me!”
I tried to save a flower, but I woke up something I shouldn’t have woken up.
When I was horrified as I imagined the future me melting without a trace inside this giant plant, I heard a voice next to me.
“Hey.”
“Uh, huh, oh?”
“Why do you look like you saw a ghost? You’re not going to make any difference.”
“Huh … Choi Cedric?”
Tak, he grabbed the stem in the air and landed on the floor. Unlike me who fell down, it was a stable landing. His score is about 9.5 out of 10.
“Sheesh, it bothered me that a civilian also came in.”
There is no one else. Fortunately, Lee Chorok doesn’t seem to be getting caught up.
“Do you have any weapons or items that you can use?”
“Hmm … This?”
I took out the +2 attack shovel from my inventory and showed it to him.
“Huh? Really? Is this an item?”
He looks like he’s never seen an item like this before. He looks around the seedling shovel and admires it as if it were a strange thing. When he returned it, he said,
“You must have been very surprised, but calm down and trust me! Huahaha!”
I thought you’d laugh at me.
‘As expected….’
I added confidence to the discomfort I felt earlier.
The No. 2 ranker, Hunter Choi Cedric of C&L Corporation. Numerous personality controversies that followed the name crossed my mind.
Compared to the personality controversy, I think he’s kind….
At that time.
Crash, pugh!
“Huaaaa!”
Choi Cedric laughed when he saw me jumping back in surprise at the pouring secretion for the second time.
“Why are you screaming all of a sudden? Are you scared?”
“Hey, look at all this grass that’s spraying water. If it hits me, I’ll melt and become manure for this dungeon!”
“Oh, that one?”
Sheeng.
As he replied indifferently, he drew out his sword and swung it. Two times exactly on both sides and up and down. A sword almost the size of Choi Cedric’s, as light as a fly swatter.
Crunch!
The leaves that spit out secretions were destroyed.
“What are you afraid of?”
Chak, he returned to his previous position and put the sword around his waist. He brushes his slightly messy hair with his hand and smiles brightly. As if now is the time to admire.
What is this weird feeling….
“Wow, that’s really great. It’s so cool.”
“….Ehem, hmm!”
Even with words that didn’t contain much soul, an indescribable joy spread across Choi Cedric’s face.
“I’m glad I have Hunter Choi Cedric. I’m relieved.”
“Yes, that’s right. You only need to trust me!”
Didn’t he usually get a lot of compliments … he shrugged his shoulders and walked away.
I see. I know what this feels like.
He looks a bit like my house cat.
‘Suddenly, the No. 2 Ranker feels familiar.’
Anyway, entering this strange plant dungeon was at first bewildering, but I soon regained my composure.
Lee Chorok will protect the Blue Celaeno Flower well. All I have to do is get out of here and there’s no reason to be scared because I’m with the second most famous Hunter in Korea after Muwon.
Crack!
Slid, kaaang!
Crush!
He proceeded forward, slashing the leaves and stems that spewed out secretions.
“Huh! Over there! Behind you!”
“Where?”
Shush, bang!
In Monster Hell, there were parasitic insect-type monsters. However, However, they died at one stroke of Choi Cedric’s sword and became manure.
Is this how it feels to ride an express bus?
Ignoring the road, he cuts off the roots and stems in front of him and proceeds. The Munchkin’s companion experience was amazing. This must be why movies where the main character just smashes everything are popular.
I also felt the refreshing procession of destruction briefly.
However, this Monster Hell dungeon was bigger than I thought. I walked on the uneven roots for a long time, but I still couldn’t see the end.
Translator’s Corner:
Otaku (오타쿠) is a Japanese word for people who have an obsessive interest in a specific object, mainly Japanese manga and anime fans. Sometimes, the word 오덕후 is shortened to 덕후.
Flies hell (파리지옥) is Venus Flytrap.