Chapter 33

Chapter 33

TAAT!

The black furball sprang upward like a compressed spring.

The mutant grasshopper opened its terrifying jaws and charged straight toward the Divine Beast.

Just before those jaws snapped shut...

The Divine Beast twisted its body in midair.

Then dove downward.

Its tiny fangs sank directly into the thick joint of the grasshopper’s rear leg.

CRUNCH!

“KIEEEEEEK!”

The attack pierced straight through the thick shell.

The mutant grasshopper screamed in pain.

Furious, it swung its front legs.

But the Divine Beast had already slipped away.

It landed on the opposite side.

“Move!”

Zakan didn’t miss the opening.

As if the Divine Beast understood his shout...

It lowered itself and kept the monster’s gaze fixed on the ground.

Then...

Zakan dropped from above.

His greatsword smashed into the mutant grasshopper’s thick back shell.

CRAAAAASH!

The shell split apart.

Black bodily fluid sprayed everywhere.

The perfect combination attack between Zakan and the Divine Beast caused the mutant grasshopper to stagger.

“KIAAAAAAAK!”

Cornered...

The monster let out a desperate scream.

Its body suddenly swelled.

Then...

The broken joints and cracked shell began splitting apart.

Fragments of thick armor shot in every direction.

What is this? Phase Two?

The mutant grasshopper had thrown away its heavy shell.

Underneath...

Disgusting red muscles pulsed violently.

I had seen this pattern plenty of times in L.O.C.

A berserk state.

It sacrificed defense...

In exchange for extreme speed and attack power.

“Zakan! Be careful!”

I shouted.

“It removed its armor! It should be much faster and stronger now!”

I tried running toward Zakan.

But the endless swarm of grasshoppers still chasing the Ancient Seed blocked me.

BOOOOM!

Exactly as expected.

Its speed was insane.

I could barely follow it with my eyes.

The unarmored mutant grasshopper instantly closed the distance to Zakan.

Then smashed its massive head into his chest.

“Kugh...!”

Zakan instinctively used the broad side of his greatsword as a shield.

But the impact was too powerful.

He was launched dozens of meters away.

“Zakan!”

After sending him flying...

The mutant grasshopper looked directly behind me.

At the Ancient Seed.

[Ancient Seed - Time Until Harvest: 00:00:45]

Forty-five seconds.

The young warriors were already exhausted.

Their arms moved painfully slowly.

And now...

The berserk mutant grasshopper was approaching.

Then...

“Grrrrrr...”

The little black furball stepped in front of me.

BOOM!

The mutant grasshopper charged.

The wolf pup jumped straight toward it.

This is bad!

I closed my eyes.

Even with legendary blood...

There was no way a puppy could withstand that enormous body.

But...

The impossible happened.

The huge mutant adult stopped dead in midair.

The charge had been completely blocked...

By the tiny Divine Beast’s headbutt.

“Kieek?”

The grasshopper looked confused.

It opened its massive steel jaws.

But before it could bite...

The Divine Beast moved.

Its tiny mouth clamped onto the giant jaw joint.

CRUNCH! CRACK!

The grasshopper’s steel-breaking jaws...

Shattered like brittle stone.

“KIAAAAAAK!”

The monster thrashed wildly.

But the Divine Beast immediately lunged toward its neck.

One brutal bite.

The monster stopped moving.

“AWOOOOOO!”

The Divine Beast climbed onto the corpse.

Then howled proudly.

Immediately...

THUD! THUD! THUD!

The remaining grasshoppers dropped from the sky.

The entire swarm had been suppressed by its presence.

Then...

[Ancient Seed - Harvest Available!]

The countdown reached zero.

Golden light exploded from the silver stem growing in the Prime Land.

“Finally...!”

I stared.

The light faded.

And the result appeared.

[Achievement unlocked! You have cultivated a Special Crop using Finding Prime Land. Experience gained.]

[Title acquired! ‘Farmer with Hawk Eyes’. Stat Point +1, Fame +1, Prime Land Slot +1.]

[One requirement for unlocking ‘Muscle Potato’ in the Potato Evolution Tree has been fulfilled.]

[Muscle Potato Unlock Conditions]

[Potato Understanding 100% - Incomplete]

[Grow 1 Special Crop - Complete]

I barely registered the messages.

Because what stood in front of me made absolutely no sense.

I planted a seed.

So...

Why did a cow appear?

“Izak... what exactly did you plant?”

Zakan walked over while holding his side.

Malko rubbed his eyes.

“A-An animal came out!”

“...A cow?”

A huge strange plant had grown where the seed had been.

Its body was a vine-like stalk.

But on top...

Was an enormous cow head.

A black-and-white dairy cow pattern covered it.

And it had a giant smiling mouth.

The thing slowly swayed its head.

Was this a plant?

An animal?

“BARBARIAN!”

[Skill ‘Peeking’ activated.]

==========

【Target Information】

• Name: Crunch-Crunch Moo Flower

• Classification: Carnivorous Defensive Plant

【Details】

• A cow-shaped carnivorous plant that feeds on pests invading the land.

• If left hungry for too long, it lures targets and devours them.

※ Warning: When hungry, it may fail to recognize even its owner. Quite a few owners have been eaten.

==========

“...Crunch-Crunch Moo Flower?”

Before I could complain about the ridiculous name...

“MOOOOO!”

The plant suddenly cried like a real cow.

Then it opened its giant mouth.

It walked toward the grasshoppers.

Yes.

Actually walked.

Three thick roots moved like legs.

CRUNCH-CRUNCH.

GULP.

The Moo Flower began eating the grasshoppers.

One after another.

CRUNCH-CRUNCH.

GULP.

“MOO!”

The entire pest army disappeared into its mouth.

Everyone watching stepped backward in shock.

I looked between the Moo Flower...

And the Divine Beast wagging its tail.

An automatic natural pest-control system.

That wasn’t bad.

Though the part about it eating its owner...

Still bothered me.

Several days earlier.

Western Volcano Tribe territory.

“The Chief has returned safely!”

The guard’s booming shout caused an uproar throughout the village.

Inside his luxurious tent...

Karga had been brushing his long, thick red hair.

The moment he heard the news...

His shoulder twitched.

He returned alive?

Burta?

Karga forced his expression under control.

Then hurried outside.

According to his calculations...

Burta should already have been a cold corpse somewhere in the north.

There was no way he should have defeated that vicious monster.

Yet...

Burta walked confidently into the village.

He looked healthier than before.

“HAHAHAHA!”

Burta laughed loudly.

“Why are you all standing there with such stupid faces?”

He spread his arms.

“I, Burta, have returned alive under the protection of the Ancestor Spirits!”

Bandages wrapped around his chest.

But his steps were strong.

His energy was overflowing.

“The Great Flame of the Volcano has returned!”

“WOOOOO! BARBARIAN! The Ancestor Spirits protect Burta!”

The tribe cheered.

A path opened.

Karga quickly arranged his face into the expression of a loyal subordinate.

Then stepped forward.

His long red hair flowed down like silk as he bowed deeply.

“Chief...! I am relieved you are safe.”

He dropped to his knees.

“When I heard you disappeared after being attacked by that monster, I prayed to the Ancestor Spirits every night.”

His voice shook dramatically.

“This was my failure. Punish me!”

The tribespeople nodded approvingly at Karga’s loyalty.

But Burta simply looked down at him with an unreadable smile.

“...Varg.”

Karga looked up.

“W-What?”

“That monster you allowed to escape.”

Burta’s eyes hardened.

“Its name is Varg.”

Karga froze.

Burta continued.

“A young Shaman from the north told me.”

Then he smiled.

“Do you know who killed the monster that even you did not know the name of?”

“...Surely not.”

“That’s right.”

Burta’s voice was calm.

“The children of the Rock Tribe accomplished what you could not.”

“...!”

Shock flashed through Karga’s eyes.

The Rock Tribe.

Why had that worthless little tribe become so irritating lately?

“The young Chief of the Rock Tribe and their Shaman saved my life.”

Burta continued.

“They killed the Varg that I could not defeat.”

Then he unconsciously licked his lips.

“They also restored my weakened body with wonderful potatoes.”

He remembered the incredible potato stew Izak had cooked.

The nourishing food had healed more than his physical injuries.

It had even eased his exhausted spirit.

“I...”

Burta slowly clenched his fist.

“No, our entire Volcano Tribe owes those children a debt that cannot easily be repaid.”

To an outsider...

Burta’s words sounded like simple praise for the Rock Tribe.

But to Karga...

It was a direct criticism of his incompetence.

Cold sweat ran down Karga’s back.

Those miserable Rock Tribe bastards...

They ruined my plan.

He wanted to march straight to the Rock Tribe and cut off those arrogant children’s heads.

But he clenched his teeth.

Then lowered his head.

“...I admit my failure.”

Burta nodded.

“Good.”

He slapped Karga’s shoulder.

“Then, Karga, bring out the finest meat and rarest alcohol in the Volcano Tribe.”

Karga looked up.

Burta smiled broadly.

“Prepare a feast.”

He continued.

“Send an official messenger to the Rock Tribe.”

His voice rang through the area.

“Five days from now, we will invite the great young Chief and Shaman of the Rock Tribe.”

Burta raised his fist.

“We will repay their kindness with the finest feast the Volcano Tribe can offer!”

“Understood...”

Karga kept his head lowered until Burta disappeared into his tent.

Only when Burta’s footsteps had completely faded...

Did Karga slowly rise.

The mask of loyalty disappeared.

His face twisted like an evil spirit.

That washed-up old bastard...

He humiliated me in front of the tribe?

Poisonous hatred swirled in Karga’s eyes.

Fine.

He wants me to prepare a feast?

I’ll prepare it properly.