Chapter 32 : The Priest of the Sun Sanctuary

The statue suddenly spoke, causing the crowd to stir.

“What is it saying?”

“It tastes good? The egg tastes good?”

“Then why did it hate the meat earlier?”

“Just be quiet for now. Let’s hear more.”

The statue’s eyes flashed brightly.

『An excellent offering! Zziip, the Sun God will surely be pleased. I shall grant you four weeks’ worth of Blessing.』

Gasps escaped from the crowd.

The explorer who had just offered a rare 7th-tier Magic Stone barely received ten days’ worth of Blessing.

Yet Yuseong had received several times that amount just by offering a Monster’s egg.

But the statue’s words didn’t end there.

『Zziip zziip, you shall receive a special title as a Priest of the Sun Sanctuary.』

The crowd erupted in astonishment.

“W-what is that?”

“I’ve never heard of it before. Why would they give such a privilege?”

『As a Priest of the Sun Sanctuary on this Layer, you shall receive the Sun’s Blessing without fear of Abyssal invasion.

Monsters will not dare attack you first, and your treasure shall prosper abundantly.』

As the statue blessed the explorer, the light of the Magic Stone it held began to glow more powerfully.

A powerful Blessing settled upon Yuseong.

[‘Sun’s Blessing’ acquired.]

[For the next four weeks, you will be able to see clearly within the Abyss, and your resistance to Abyssal darkness will greatly increase. You have been granted a light-attribute Blessing upon your attacks.]

[Extraordinary Achievement: ‘Priest of the Sun Sanctuary’ completed.]

[Priest’s Blessing applied.]

Yuseong smiled faintly.

“It’s not just any egg — it’s a perfectly soft-boiled egg marinated in soy sauce. How could that not be delicious?”

Yuseong knew well the secret of this statue in the Sun Sanctuary.

It would become quite famous in the future, but this statue not only accepts Magic Stones but also gladly receives the bodies of Monsters as offerings.

However, there are conditions.

The Monster must be rare and difficult to obtain, free of most poisons, and still rich in magical energy.

The Monster meat that the explorer had just offered was nothing special.

It seemed to be the meat of a carnivorous Monster caught nearby, but the picky statue detests such offerings intensely.

The statue even judges the taste of the offering.

『However, once you have offered a particular sacrifice, it will not be accepted again. Zziip. Rarely do I receive sacrifices other than Magic Stones. Zziip zziip.』

At this time, these secrets were not yet known.

Later, explorers would offer all the rare Monster bodies they could find here, making it nearly impossible to receive Blessings without Magic Stones.

“Still, to be honest, it’s a bit of a waste to give up the Golden-Horned Beast Egg.”

For Yuseong, the Golden-Horned Beast Egg was actually more precious than a 7th-tier Magic Stone.

But there was a reason he kindly prepared and offered that egg.

It was to receive this Priest’s Privilege.

To obtain the title of Priest by offering Magic Stones, one must offer stones of at least 20th tier. Such stones cost billions each.

“How many people have received the title of Priest before?”

『In this region, thirteen; combining all regions, 372. Quite a few have obtained the Priest title in this sanctuary, despite the small size of the land. Zziip zziip.』

“I see.”

This region likely refers to the Korean Peninsula Abyss, and other regions mean the World Abyss.

“Thirteen in this region, yet there’s no rumor spreading yet… must be pioneers leading the way.”

Though many now inhabit the Eighth Level, there must have been a time when it was unexplored territory.

Those first pioneers wouldn’t have known to offer Magic Stones to the statue.

They must have learned by trial and error.

Some probably faced punishment for incorrect offerings, while others gained the title of Priest.

Yuseong had learned what he needed to know.

He turned around.

The crowd watched him with envy, suspicion, and curiosity.

***

When Yuseong returned, the camp was already complete.

But Jang Dojin was nowhere to be seen.

He had likely set out to scout the surrounding area after pitching the tents.

Yuseong entered the tent and opened Jang Dojin’s 150L backpack.

Inside were various tools.

There were essential ropes for exploration, hygiene items, and first aid kits.

But most of the weight came from food supplies and cooking utensils.

Yuseong pulled out the largest Boraeng Box.

It was a product designed to maintain refrigeration without electricity, powered only by Magic Stones.

He opened the back of the box.

“The battery’s running low.”

The glow of the installed Magic Stone had dimmed considerably.

He took out a new Magic Stone and replaced it.

Now the power supply would last at least a few weeks.

Opening the Boraeng Box revealed it packed with various ingredients.

“Golden-Horned Beast eggs, A-home eggs, rice… green onions, Italian salami, tomato paste… Hmm, the frozen bread will need to be toasted. It’s been frozen too long. Next time, maybe I’ll try making bread from flour.”

Yuseong checked the ingredients while reviewing his plan ahead.

This was something he had repeated even before his return.

Planning the exploration while simultaneously organizing the meals to be eaten.

Even for Yuseong, eating all three meals inside the Abyss was difficult.

Most aim to properly eat only one or two meals a day.

The exploration plan and meal plan were completely intertwined.

It was hard to tell if the meals were arranged according to the plan, or the plan was designed to obtain the ingredients for the meals.

In fact, hunting the Golden-Horned Beast was part of the plan, with a backup plan ready if he failed to catch it.

“So then, this time, it’ll be pizza bread. Hehe.”

Yuseong planned the menu for the Eighth Level around pizza bread.

Almost all the ingredients were ready.

Except one.

Yuseong turned on his tablet and pulled up the map.

“I need to make cheese.”

Perfect pizza would be best, but that was still out of reach.

However, even for pizza bread, the most important ingredient—cheese—couldn’t be missed.

“Here, here, and here.”

On Yuseong’s map were marks only he could recognize.

Places where cheese could be obtained.

“Hyung! You’re back?”

Just then, Jang Dojin rushed into the camp out of breath.

“Oh, you’re back.”

“Hyung, we need to hurry and line up.”

“Huh?”

“There’s a Blessing essential for conquering the Ninth Level, and people are lining up outside to receive it.”

Jang Dojin seemed to have investigated the exploration method in the meantime.

“But some person just offered a Monster egg and got a huge Blessing. Let’s go get ours quickly.”

“That person is me.”

It was commendable, yet also futile.

“Huh?”

“That person is me.”

Yuseong raised his hand and activated the Blessing he had just received.

Warm light radiated from his palm.

“Ohhh.”

“You should get it too, but it’s a waste to spend Magic Stones because of it.”

Still, offering another Golden-Horned Beast Egg wasn’t an option.

“Anyway, let’s kill two birds with one stone and get ingredients for dinner.”

“Okay. Where to?”

“The dairy farm.”

Jang Dojin’s expression froze.

***

There used to be an incredibly beautiful dairy farm in Daegwallyeong.

People raised sheep and cattle up in that high place, but now it had turned into a barren wasteland.

There was also a dairy farm on the island where Yuseong spent his childhood with his grandfather.

Cows, ordinary bulls, pigs, chickens, sheep, ducks.

It was almost like a zoo.

When Yuseong was young, his grandfather said that drinking milk would help him grow tall, so he drank milk every day.

Though it could have become tiresome, Yuseong loved milk.

His grandfather milked the cows himself, stored the milk in stainless steel milk cans to keep it cold.

Then he bottled the milk in glass bottles, giving him a honey straw to sip every morning.

The rich flavor and subtle sweetness made Yuseong fond of the spotted cow he raised.

“Wow, it really looks like a dairy farm.”

“Just if the cows were normal-sized.”

After walking a full two hours from the Sun Sanctuary near the Gate, Yuseong finally reached his destination.

It was the closest of the three candidate locations marked on his tablet.

“This should be fine.”

“But how do you milk those beasts? If they kick you with their back legs, you’d be dead.”

Jang Dojin’s fear was understandable.

What Yuseong took him to was a vast grassland.

Gently sloping hills stretched widely, with herbivorous Monsters leisurely grazing.

Among them were some that truly resembled cows.

“They’d die if they kicked you.”

“Isn’t that a problem?”

“To survive, you have to overcome life-threatening dangers.”

The problem was that the cows here weren’t ordinary size.

They were much taller than an adult man, with body lengths over five meters.

Exaggerating slightly, they were as large as trucks.

Not only that, but they had sharp horns and muscular bodies.

Even Spain’s famed bullfighting bulls would not dare raise their heads before such a Monster.

“They’re called Holstein Kings. Though they look like that, they’re gentle and won’t attack humans first.”

“Phew, that’s a relief.”

“As long as you don’t get too close.”

Jang Dojin slowly backed away.

But not getting milk from here was unacceptable.

The milk produced by the Holstein Kings was rich and subtly sweet.

Moreover, milk was the basic ingredient for all dairy products.

Cheese, butter, yogurt, even alcohol. There was nothing you couldn’t make.

They had to get milk from here by any means.

Just as Yuseong was about to move forward,

“Young man, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but this is dangerous.”

“Yes, think again.”

Adventurers resting nearby spoke up.

Among them, an older adventurer who seemed to be the leader wore a particularly concerned expression.

“By the way, how did that big guy get that milk can?”

“This?”

Jang Dojin held up the stainless steel milk can.

It was the same type seen in the old animation Flanders’ Dog.

When the adventurers recognized it, Yuseong was a bit surprised.

“You came prepared to milk the cows? You know what that is?”

“…What? You’re going to milk the Holstein King?”

The middle-aged adventurer, seemingly in his mid-fifties, looked stunned and opened his mouth wide at Yuseong’s words.

“That’s crazy… Well, my father used to run a dairy farm, so I know a bit.”

“Then you remember how the milk tastes, right?”

“Of course. Our farm used to supply milk to half the elementary schools in Gangwon Province.”

Jang Dojin, who hadn’t heard before, asked what they meant.

It was said that in the past, every elementary school class received a pack of milk each day.

“Really? It was like that?”

“It was. It helped the kids grow. Although looking at you, you’d grow even without milk.”

“Hmm, milk is interesting.”

Such a prosperous era had existed, but now the world was one where risking life to get milk was necessary.

The middle-aged adventurer chuckled.

“Well, fresh milk tastes good. But look over there.”

He pointed toward the Holstein Kings.

There, small Monsters lurked, circling and growling.

“Those Pang Hounds have been targeting the Holstein Kings since earlier. Watch.”

Although Pang Hounds were smaller than the Holstein Kings, they were nothing like ordinary dogs.

They were far more dangerous than even fierce large dogs.

Four Pang Hounds circled a Holstein King from a short distance.

They drooled, showing sharp teeth as they growled.

“Woof woof!”

“Grrrr!”

Then they suddenly charged at the Holstein King together.

Having faced larger Monsters before, their cooperation was precise.

However, the Holstein King grazing leisurely suddenly changed.

“Muhyung!”

One of the approaching Pang Hounds was rammed by the Horn.

“Kyaeng!”

The hit Monster was sent flying, a large hole in its belly.

Another was kicked by a massive hoof.

With two killed instantly, the remaining two whimpered and fled with tails tucked.

“See? No matter how much it looks like a cow, it’s a Monster. Being rammed by that horn only ends one way.”

There was good reason for the middle-aged adventurer to try to stop Yuseong.

But Yuseong didn’t falter at all.

“Hey, you there. Are you just going to watch? It’s dangerous!”

Ignoring him, Yuseong began approaching the Holstein King.

Jang Dojin hurried after him, still hesitant.

“Huh… this guy’s going to get himself killed.”

The middle-aged adventurer watched Yuseong with anxious eyes.

Then he noticed something clenched in Yuseong’s hand.

“What’s that? Grass?”

Yuseong had been holding a handful of grass since some time ago.

It looked like he was offering it to the Holstein King.

“Where did you hear that? You think a cow eats any kind of grass?”

But the middle-aged adventurer shook his head vigorously.

He had helped his father run a dairy farm during childhood and knew a lot about cows.

It was a huge mistake to think cows, as herbivores, would eat just anything.

The adventurer thought Yuseong would be gored to death immediately.

“Tsk…”

Yuseong moved very slowly, deliberately, toward the Holstein King.

The King stopped grazing and raised its head.

The watching adventurers sensed something was off.

The atmosphere was different from before.

Yuseong was now close enough to almost touch it.

But unlike before, the Holstein King showed no signs of attacking.

“He’s that close and it still hasn’t attacked?”

Holstein Kings normally would ram anyone entering a certain distance.

But this one was calm.

At that moment, the middle-aged adventurer recalled a distant memory.

When he was a child, a cow had become aggressive after stepping on a thorn.

He had rushed over worried about his beloved dog, Kkotsoon, only to be gored, breaking his arm.

His father had appeared then.

Without panic, his father calmly approached Kkotsoon.

He fed the dog some beans it liked.

Soon, the aggressive dog calmed down.

That memory suddenly came to mind.

“Ah.”

Yuseong’s hand glowed warmly.

He gently petted the Holstein King.

“Wiyi. Eat well, Dotty.”

“Moo.”

The Holstein King happily ate the grass Yuseong offered.

Yuseong’s hands, warmed by the Sun Sanctuary’s Blessing, the thoughtfully chosen Sedgegrass from the Seventh Level the Holstein King favored, and Yuseong’s own experience raising cows combined to soothe the Monster.

“Does it taste good? Then eat this, and we’ll take some milk.”

“Muuu.”

The Holstein King nodded as if understanding, happily accepting the Sedgegrass.

It was an unbelievable spectacle.

The middle-aged adventurer watching with his mouth wide open.