Chapter 45: Young Carda

'Wow, the scenery is really beautiful...!'

The tension he felt while stepping outside his territory for the first time quickly vanished, replaced by the joy of sightseeing.

At this rate, it felt more like a picnic than a hunt.

Since making salt had become a daily habit lately, this place felt even more like a getaway.

However, a nagging warning followed immediately.

[**The Boss of the area outside the territory is Level 3.**]
[**The Earth Dragon's level is 33.**]
[**While Earth Dragons can be hunted due to elemental advantages, the level difference must never be ignored.**]

'Wait, did my level go up?'

When he first defeated the chameleon snake, hadn't it said he was Level 2?

As Go Nam-tae was silently rejoicing, Danhong spoke up.

"Was the Boss really that weak? I'll protect you! Don't worry!"

Flames flickered from her tiny, clenched fists. The fire looked weaker than a matchstick's flame. The look in Danhong's eyes as she watched him was filled with pity...

The chicks, which had been hopping ahead playfully, suddenly stopped. The ground in front of them was turning black.

The areas where Earth Dragons lived turned black because of their excrement. Their waste was the best fertilizer, but it was so potent that it scorched the earth black, preventing any small plants from growing nearby.

However, this did not apply to Go Nam-tae’s crops.

'If they weren't so big, it would be great to just release them into the fields and raise them...'

As he imagined creating black holes all over his fields, the color of the soil grew even darker.

[**The Earth Dragon's territory begins just ahead.**]

"Then I guess I should get ready!"

Go Nam-tae raised the pickaxe he had been using to clear the path. However, he wouldn't be using it for hunting.

[**The moment the Boss steps forward, the Earth Dragon will react immediately.**]

"Do you mean it'll run away like last time?"

[**This is outside the territory, so it will likely charge and try to eat the Boss instead.**]
[**Though you will be safe as long as you stay on the path.**]

"Wait... didn't you say I could catch them because of the elemental advantage?"

[**It is possible.**]
[**However, there is no need for the Boss to step forward personally.**]
[**I believe it would be best for you to watch from here today.**]

The Sasin-su dove into the baskets and emerged holding several grenade pumpkins. Based on their momentum, they looked like bombers carrying a full load of missiles.

A chick hopped onto the head of each member of Haeul’s family. The remaining chick stuck close to Go Nam-tae’s side. Looking at its eyes, it was clearly ready for battle.

However, Earth Dragons were the natural predators of ermines. Haeul’s family going out to hunt Earth Dragons was like a mouse trying to hunt a cat.

"Are you all really going, too?"

Haeul replied.

'We are the Boss's Kin. And we aren't planning to hunt them directly, so please don't worry!'

For some reason, Nam-tae could see the spirit of a general facing an arch-rival in the little creature. Toto added his support as well.

[**Haeul is right.**]
[**A Kin of the Boss should be able to handle at least one Earth Dragon easily.**]

It was an absurd statement, yet for some reason, it sounded perfectly natural to Go Nam-tae.

'That's right, my Kin should be at least that much... Wait, what?'

Before he could realize something was off, the creatures announced their "deployment."

'We will bring back the largest Earth Dragon!'
'We'll be back!'

"Constructive... I mean, be careful."

After absentmindedly saying goodbye, the creatures vanished in an instant. All that remained by Go Nam-tae’s side were one chick and Danhong.

Danhong pulled him toward the side.

"The Boss should sit here!"

In the small forest, there was a massive, flat boulder. Miraculously, a rock shaped like a chair sat on top of it. Go Nam-tae sat on the stone chair and let out a hollow sigh.

'Then why did I even come here...?'

[**Nothing worrying will happen.**]

"...Right."

If anything happened, he could call them back using "Emergency Rescue." Even the chicks, who were Heung-bok's subordinates, were now eligible for emergency rescue.

Danhong stood bravely on his lap, keeping her eyes fixed on the front. But since he had nothing to do, his hands started to itch.

"Maybe I should tidy this place up a bit?"

With a little work, the entire boulder looked like it could be used as a dining table. He was observing the surrounding stones and trees while planning the design when it happened.

*Boom!*

A thunderous sound, like an artillery shell exploding, shook the forest.

***

Go Nam-tae jumped to his feet.

"Toto, was that really the sound of a grenade being thrown?"

[**Yes, that's right. It is the sound of Heung-bok's pumpkins exploding.**]

"...!"

Go Nam-tae had vaguely imagined the power of a hand grenade. However, judging by the shockwaves reaching his stone seat, the power was dozens or even hundreds of times greater. It was no different from the power of a heavy artillery shell.

As Go Nam-tae stood there in shock, Danhong spoke.

"Boss, I'll go take a look! Yellow chick, stay here and guard the Boss well!"

Before Go Nam-tae could even respond, Danhong flew off like a jet.

*Boom! Bang!*

The sounds of explosions continued in the meantime.

The moment the dozen or so explosions and vibrations stopped, Danhong returned as quickly as she had left and poured out her briefing.

"The yellow ones pecked the ground, and then the Sasin-su threw the pumpkins! Then the ground went boom, and the Earth Dragons popped out!"

"..."

"When the Earth Dragons went 'roar,' Haeul's family kicked them right in the head! Then the yellow ones pecked the Earth Dragons again! And then, boom...!"

Danhong had a talent for briefing. Although it was full of onomatopoeia, the meaning was clear.

The yellow chicks located the hiding Earth Dragons, the Sasin-su dropped the pumpkin bombs, Haeul's family beat up the emerging dragons, and the yellow chicks delivered the finishing blow.

'...A chick?'

Go Nam-tae reflexively looked down at the chick at his feet. The fluffy yellow chick was stomping its feet as if it knew nothing.

"Oh, look! They're coming back!"

Baekho and Jujak flew back and went straight into the baskets. As soon as the two, now equipped with grenades—no, artillery shells—flew back out, the sound of explosions began to ring out fiercely again. In the process, Cheongryong and Hyeonmu swapped places to restock.

Another *boom* echoed!

*Kreeeeeeeak!*

Amidst the thunderous explosions, the final scream of a monster drifted over faintly. Only then did Go Nam-tae realize.

'...I was the ammunition supply officer.'

***

*Cheep! Cheep!*

The yellow fluffballs chirped proudly.

Each of them was showing off their might by using the head of a hunted Earth Dragon as a footstool.

Go Nam-tae, who was only able to see the hunting grounds after the bombardment stopped, could only stand there with his jaw dropped. A scene from the depths of hell—no, a monster world's version of a slaughterhouse—lay before him.

The results of the pumpkin carpet bombing far exceeded his expectations. It looked like a smaller-scale version of the chaos from the previous mass breakout. Strictly speaking, this was even more gruesome. Back then, there had only been one Earth Dragon that Go Nam-tae had hunted himself, but this was incomparable.

A half here, a quarter there, and another over there...

Pieces of what used to be Earth Dragons were scattered everywhere. Toto's stingy evaluation reached his ears.

[**They are still inexperienced, so they could not hunt as cleanly as the Boss.**]
[**However, for their first hunt, it seems quite decent.**]

He wondered if "decent" was the right word for this, but Go Nam-tae, caught in a state of confusion, couldn't respond. While this incredible event was unfolding, all he had done was "plan a table." Honestly, he had come hoping to experience the thrill of hunting Earth Dragons. But the role he actually played was that of an ammunition depot, and one more thing.

"Butcher, butcher!"

He had heard that this task was usually handled by porters... well, he was nominally the Boss, so let's call it being the General Manager of Rear Support.

Surprisingly, it was the yellow fluffballs born today that helped the most with the cleanup. It was hard to believe his eyes as he watched those tiny bodies dragging those massive Earth Dragons.

'Butcher!'

After using the skill repeatedly until his mana bar turned a vivid yellow, nearly ten Earth Dragons were transformed into piles of by-products. Four small mounds were created where the cleanup was finished.

Meat, hide, manure, and miscellaneous.

The goals for today were meat and manure, but everything else was also very useful. He had brought both a basket and a cart, but he couldn't fit everything. It wasn't the kind of stuff you could just mix together.

"I'll have to make a few more trips."

At first, a 100-ton capacity and a 90% weight reduction on the cart seemed incredible, but once he had to carry more than 100 tons, it felt insufficient. Furthermore, the capacity for two or more types of cargo was reduced to 1/10. Even if they were from the same monster, they were classified as different types after the butchering process.

"Should I have butchered them at home instead?"

[**It would have only made a difference of one or two trips.**]
[**Butchering them here is much better.**]
[**The remaining Earth Dragons will eat the scraps and settle back in this area.**]

In other words, he should use the remains to lure the dragons that escaped and turn this into a permanent hunting ground. Toto was surprisingly meticulous... maybe he could drop the "surprisingly" part.

[**Considering the future, it would be better to manufacture a new cart.**]

"What materials do we have?"

[**For the basket, Silit vine, Belktree bark, and Carda stems are suitable.**]
[**For the cart, you can use Rigidwood, runesteel fasteners, and Earth Dragon hide.**]

Aside from Earth Dragon hide, Go Nam-tae didn't recognize any of the materials. However, as he looked around, his eyes widened.

[**Vampire Vine, Maze Grass, Venomous Spirit Herb, Blood Lily, Rigidwood...**]

He could see the names and characteristics of everything in sight. Even the weeds and pebbles he had thoughtlessly stepped on had names and traits he could recognize.

"I thought only Awakened with plant-related traits could do this."

When Go Nam-tae marveled at this, Toto replied instantly.

[**How can you compare the ability of one who merely knows about plants to the Boss's power?**]

'I'm just "good at farming," though?'

But he didn't bother to argue. Even though Toto scolded him for having low mana every time, he still revered him as the Boss.

"If I make it, will I get items of this quality?"

[**If you use more special materials, you can't match them exactly, but you should be able to replicate the performance as much as possible.**]
[**Also, the Boss's items will continue to improve the more you make them.**]

"Well, I'll find out once I try."

He packed all the meat into the basket at once. Even though he had cleared a path to this place, he couldn't call it his territory yet, so it was prone to theft. But there were many creatures eyeing the remaining by-products as well. Just as he was about to turn back after packing as much as possible, the chicks stood guard in front of the remaining piles.

"You guys have to come, too."

Then Haeul translated what they were doing.

'They say they'll stay here and guard it!'

Go Nam-tae couldn't understand them directly, but it seemed Haeul's family could. They looked like tiny chicks on the outside, but they were actually powerhouses that had taken down Earth Dragons.

"Thanks. I'll share some Earth Dragon meat with you when I get home."

*Cheep! Cheep!*

They were certainly qualified to share the Earth Dragon meat.

On the way back, Go Nam-tae discovered Silit vines and Belktree bark. And surprisingly, he found the Carda stems at home.

'Boss, welcome back! You worked hard!'

A name was floating above Heung-bok’s stem.

[**Carda (True): A young Carda just born by the Boss.**]
[**Depending on its growth process, it will grow into either the Essence of Apocalypse or the Essence of Life.**]

'...Huh?'