Chapter 363

Chapter 363

Eat The World Tree.

Episode 363: Sprouting Monster (2)

“Hey, hyung, look at this.”

Beaming, with a wide smile, Taeyang unfolded a thick book he pulled from under the bed.

[Encyclopedia of Tree Planting]

Aori was clinging to my shoulder, looking at the encyclopedia with me. Taeyang’s face hardened into a stern expression. He spoke to me in a stiff voice.

“Once you taste the burl, you’ll lose your mind, hyung.”

“…What is this, anyway?”

“It’s a list of all the tree types I’ve experienced so far. Why would we risk our lives picking trees?”

Taeyang clasped his hands together in the posture of a devout believer. It was as if a sticky halo was shining behind him.

“Those who seek to pick trees, let them not be dominated by that pleasure.”

“……”

“It’s from the Tree Gospel, chapter 2, verse 1. From now on, I’ll introduce trees worth eating. Are you ready to listen?”

“…Go ahead.”

If Taeyang was going this far in a situation where time was of the essence, there must be a reason.

He opened the encyclopedia and began to explain each tree to me.

And what was revealed inside was quite surprising.

From ㄱ to ㅎ, A to Z.

Trees that had spread globally, not just in Korea, were packed into the encyclopedia.

[Swordsmanship Aptitude] – Elm, Hackberry, Snowbell Tree….

[Mana Increase] – Kalopanax, Fringe Tree….

Taeyang’s ability was very similar to mine, and Aori also stole abilities by having intercourse with others.

Therefore, this encyclopedia I was looking at now was a partially completed one that I couldn’t see yet.

“Hehehe.”

Taeyang and Aori put their hands on their hips and puffed out their chests triumphantly.

“How is it!”

“…Impressive.”

“I usually don’t pass on my secrets to others like this, but for you, hyung, I can even do it with my mouth.”

Forget the jokes, if I just picked and acquired the aptitudes I needed from this encyclopedia, it’d give my growth wings.

For once, Taeyang was earning his keep.

He never shared information until he was beaten, was there really more?

“Hey. If you know anything else, spill it now.”

“Hyung…. Do you see me as someone who drops loot when beaten? I’m not that capable.”

“House prices have been falling lately. Don’t you want to live in a nice place? I have enough money to get you one.”

“……Want me to give you a hand?”

“No, damn it, give me information, information.”

-Tap tap.

While I was arguing with Taeyang, Aori pulled my elbow and handed me her encyclopedia.

Aori’s Encyclopedia of Tree Planting. It seemed to be for women only. Was there any helpful information for me?

“What’s this?”

“…Abilities gained when inserted.”

“……Put it away. I have some integrity.”

Even though I said that, she brought it for me, so I didn’t want to curse at her.

I roughly patted Aori’s head.

Looking at her, she felt like an unstoppable little sister.

-Growl growl growl.

Almost simultaneously, both of their stomachs growled. Aori rubbed her belly, and Taeyang cleared his throat.

“Are you hungry?”

I turned my head and looked at the kitchen.

On the sink, there was an unwashed ramen pot and a pile of instant noodle cups with the broth still in them.

Even though they earned money, they had to spend it all elsewhere, so they could only eat instant noodles.

“Do you want instant noodles? We only have tempura udon, though.”

“……”

“Oh, today we can grill ham too. It’s not Spam, but cheaper ham.”

“Taeyang… tuna?”

“No way, you brat. We have to save that.”

One more word and I’d start tearing up.

Why did these capable guys live so pitifully? They could easily earn hundreds of millions just by rolling around in dungeons.

“…Ah, that, haha.”

Even when asked, Taeyang just scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

“We had a lot of debt from making an artifact to find you, hyung.”

An artifact to track the Tree Spirit King’s mana. I even heard about it and saw it once.

It was made by the research institute where Taeyang used to stay, after spending over ten years and pouring in money and manpower.

An artifact that performed such an impossible miracle of tracking a specific being, it cost a lot to maintain, so they had a mountain of debt.

They were just paying off the interest bit by bit.

“…I’ll buy you food, let’s go eat. What do you want to eat?”

“Oh, hyung. Can we really?”

“King, then I want meat….”

“Hey, you brat! Don’t be rude. Ignore Aori, hyung, and just buy us each a bowl of rice soup.”

I ended up pinching the bridge of my nose.

Who would save those poor siblings? They were living by selling their bodies just because they were descendants of a king who fell after being chased by the World Tree.

My eyes were stinging.

“…Shut up. You’re having Korean beef.”

“Can you two do everything I tell you?”

“Yes!!!! We’ll do everything!”

“Yes! We’ll do everything the king tells us!”

Following my words, Taeyang and Aori repeated my orders.

Their faces were greasy and their bellies were full, which was good to see. Their loyalty had doubled, and they were puffing out their chests with faces full of spirit.

“Was the Korean beef that good?”

“It was so good, you’d kill for it!!”

“Taeyang, I’m alive?”

“Then go die.”

Their relationship had become much more lively, maybe people became happy when they ate.

Their faces, which once growled at each other, now bickered without losing their composure.

I was sipping a cup of coffee at a nearby cafe, watching them.

Seeing them stuffing their mouths with ice cream and croffles, saying they’d get their money’s worth, my eyes couldn’t dry.

“I’ll get you two rooms and give you plenty of money, so don’t use it to pay off debt and make sure to eat properly.”

“Hyung……”

The tension was completely gone.

My insides, which were as limp as rotten spinach, felt a little lighter for some reason.

Let’s think more rationally. It’s not like we didn’t have time. It was not just my job.

“So, hyung. Can we talk now?”

Taeyang, who had put forward the Encyclopedia again, pinpointed and explained a few trees among many trees.

Callicarpa japonica. Hawthorn. Chestnut and Persimmon.

“Considering how you fight, hyung, these four are essential for collecting aptitudes, and will you increase mana further?”

“As much as possible.”

“Then we need to aim for more.”

“How?”

I had many questions about the method.

Originally, I was planning to just break through a few cradles or similar places alone.

Taeyang, who received my thoughts, nodded quietly.

“Your method is fine too, hyung. It’s dangerous, but if the three of us break through, there’s almost no place we can’t break through. But is there really a need to go to the city to find trees?”

“What do you mean?”

“People are in the city… where would trees be?”

“Well, the forest?”

Taeyang nodded with a meaningful face.

“You’re still stuck in the academy, hyung, so you don’t know what kind of dungeons there are… and how many undeveloped dungeons there are.”

“That’s right.”

“Among them, there’s a dungeon left by the Tree Spirit King’s descendant, but I think it’s too early for you to go there. Dungeons are the best way to expand the encyclopedia.”

In short.

Taeyang’s lips drew a bold arc.

“Pack your bags. You won’t be dry for a while.”

“Bbi?”

Shiba, grabbing my arm, cautiously looked up at me.

I grabbed Shiba’s shoulders and hugged her tightly, so she wouldn’t feel suffocated.

“Bbya. Daddy?”

“Daddy’s going on a business trip for a bit.”

“…Can’t you not go?”

“Daddy wants to be with our daughter forever too, but the world won’t let me.”

“The world? Who’s the world?”

“It’s because Daddy did something very wrong. If our daughter lives kindly, everything will be fine.”

“Bbiing. If Shiba lives kindly… will Daddy come back soon?”

“Of course.”

I finished my usual farewell with Shiba before leaving and stood in front of the door, dragging my luggage.

I gave Shiba, who was on the verge of tears, a small kiss on the cheek.

“…Bbii.”

Jin Dallae, standing behind Shiba, also sighed and saw me off. Dallae, wearing an apron, took a step closer and kissed me.

“When can we live properly… do you think?”

I had nothing to say, no matter how many mouths I had.

Waiting and waiting continued, but nothing was improving.

“Sorry.”

I apologized and left the house.

I walked for a while, then entered an alley, breathing in the dawn air.

I leaned my back against the wall for a moment and dropped my backpack.

In the night sky, a small cluster of light, chasing away the darkness, was gathering from the far east.

The lukewarm air of summer was quite unpleasant, and even if I flapped my clothes to create a breeze, the humid air didn’t disappear.

“Tsk.”

Clicking my tongue, I tilted my head.

An alley thickly enveloped in darkness. I murmured softly towards that darkness.

“Come out. I know.”

No matter how well they hid their presence, there was no way I wouldn’t recognize her presence.

I knew her better than anyone else. I was confident I’d never forget her, and I found her again this time.

-Thump.

A woman walking out from the endless blackness. White mana flickered on the head of the woman wearing a huge black dragon robe.

“……”

Baekdo was staring fiercely.

Her eyes flashed, and the sharp hostility was making my body react on its own without me even trying to feel it.

The hairs on my whole body stood on end, and I raised the corners of my lips.

“Why did you come? It hasn’t been long since we separated…. Are you two doing well?”

I opened my mouth to exchange light greetings.

-Thwack!

However, Baekdo’s body moved faster than I expected.

Baekdo stretched her leg out long and then leaned forward.

She extended her fist back and then shot her bent back forward with all her might. White mana poured towards me in a long straight line.

It was like seeing the headlights of a truck rushing towards me just before crossing a crosswalk where the streetlights were off.

-Kwaaaang!

My bag flew into the air. Black, red, and various other clothes fell to the floor with a thud.

The hard sensation on my face was brief, and I threw away my luggage and slammed my body against the wall behind me.

-Drip.

Blood dripped from my nose. I opened my closed mouth.

“…Ha.”

The external wounds on my face quickly healed.

Baekdo punched the wall right next to my head. After a terrifying silence, Baekdo, scattering red light in her eyes, muttered fiercely.

“Hey.”

My ears were ringing. It hurt like a fly was buzzing next to my ear.

I slightly lifted my eyelids. Towards Baekdo in front of me.

“…If you’re going to hit me, do it now. Teacher. We don’t have much time.”

“A guy who doesn’t know anything and can’t even use his fists has a stubborn streak-”

“What do you want to say?”

“Give up.”

“Who?”

Out of nowhere, she suddenly barged in, punched me in the face, and then demanded something without explaining the situation.

Typical of Baekdo.

I guess what she was telling me to give up was what I was trying to do now.

“I heard the situation.”

Baekdo’s words were filled with anger. She wasn’t even using her usual martial arts style of speaking.

I stared dryly at the sky behind Baekdo’s head.

“What if I don’t?”

“I’ll break your limbs right now and force you.”

Her eyes were wild. I had no choice but to make a decision.

“Is that so?”

I raised my hand and grabbed Baekdo’s arm. As Baekdo hurriedly tried to pull her arm away, I raised my hand first and tried to choke her neck.

Baekdo, who paused, moved out of my reach.

“If you’re going to do it, you’ll have to do it properly.”

I reached out and grabbed my left shoulder.

-Crack crack crack!

Digging into my fist and crushing the muscles and bones, my left arm, with its nerves deadened, dangled.

“…You, what the hell. Wait…! Stop….”

Her eyes widened in shock. I activated my authority and regenerated my arm.

Crack- The flesh and pieces of meat found their places, and my hand moved as if it had never bled.

“My body’s like this. Do it with the intent to kill.”

“……You’re really a crazy bastard.”

Baekdo, looking at me with bewildered eyes, seemed to have a fleeting look of relief in her eyes.

Even if you cut off my limbs, it’d be hard to restrain me. Unless it’s a perfectly optimized artifact.

“You’re still a Cheondo worshiper, just like in the past.”

“What?”

She frowned and made a face as if asking what I was talking about.

I moved my hand and activated space magic. A method that can be used because it’s Baekdo, not a magician, and she was careless.

Baekdo flinched. She could have stopped me at any time, but this time she didn’t bother to move.

I could have lied and tried to save Sansuyu secretly, but I couldn’t lie in front of these people.

“Tell my teacher. I’ll never die.”