The Gardener in a Hunter World - Chapter 10

Little Wars (1)
After clearing the dungeon, Yoo Ji-ha couldn’t resist the couple’s words to eat after clearing the dungeon, so he came home after filling his stomach.

Jumi kept trying to feed him because she felt sorry for the skinny Yoo Ji-Ha, and thanks to that, he had to grab his bloated belly and come back.

‘By the way, they don’t have a baby yet.’

It’s been a while since they have married but they did not have any children.

The red thread between the couple seems to be good and the will is full. Is there a problem on one side?

‘That’s unfortunate.’

It would be cute if a baby was born between the two of them.

He couldn’t sleep for a while because he was worried about his bloated stomach, and then he barely fell asleep.

The forest in the dream was quite different during the day.

‘Hummingbell… It looks like a real bell.’

For that reason, it looks almost identical to the Golden Bell you think of when you think of a Bell.

However, it was not known what the role of this flower was.

‘It knows how to make a sound…’

Yoo Ji-Ha tapped the hummingbell, noticed that the creek was quite wide, and approached it.

“Wow.”

He can’t help but admire it.

The creek, which was only a narrow stream, has become quite wide.

He didn’t even know there was life before, but now there are quite a few small fish roaming around.

‘There are also crayfish.’

It is said that 20 years ago, you could see freshwater crayfish by lifting a stone from a creek like this, but now, because of monsters, he can’t even think of it.

Yoo Ji-Ha squatted and watched fish and crayfish for a while, then he was startled by the sound of something ringing.

Woong woong woong-

‘What is this suddenly? Ah, it is a Hummingbell.’

He approached Hummingbell, but the sound was coming from outside.

The sound of the humming bells subsided as he touched the mist next to the cave.

‘It must be here.’

However, nothing can be seen outside because it was foggy.

There doesn’t seem to be anything unusual…

Looking everywhere, he saw the Theradrones tumbling under his feet, and knelt down.

‘I…The tongs are similar.’

It looks very similar to the tongs that killed the troll in the polar dungeon.

But the size is too different.

These guys were the size of a fingernail, but that monster was bigger than SUVs.

He thinks it’s not even the same species…

Now, the Theradrones were going out of the fog,

Yoo Ji-Ha was stuck as if it was blocked by a wall, but these tiny insects came in and out casually.

When he put his hands on the ground and carefully observed the boundary line, the surrounding fog became transparent. And a new world opened.

“Wow…”

Yoo Ji-Ha’s mouth was wide open.

The world outside the fog was something he could not have imagined.

It seemed like an ordinary forest had been reduced to a hundredth.

A forest is still a forest, but the size of trees, rocks, and lakes is so small.

When he saw a tiny deer passing by, Yoo Ji-Ha opened his mouth.

‘I feel like I became Gulliver.’

But he cannot interfere with this lovely forest.

When he looked more closely, the Theradrones were fighting something.

‘It’s a devil ant!’

A dangerous class monster named in Korea.

However, the hunters working in the field hated them more than their hate ratings.

This is because they come out in swarms and spit out poison that smells bad, making them difficult to deal with.

If you kill one, you have to deal with ten, so even a hunter with a fairly wide range of energy will get tired of it.

Although the Theradrones were larger than the devil ants, they were struggling with a quantity that was several times larger.

‘For a moment I thought… Are these guys small or am I big?’

The forest, a remin­iscent of a miniature, and the devil ants, everything felt small to him except for the features and flora and fauna within the territory.

‘They’re trying to come in here.’

Just looking at it, he could see that the devil ants were constantly trying to invade the subterranean area.

He can’t stand still, but what should he do?

He pushed the wall of fog with his body, but it didn’t move. Then a message popped up on the status window.

 

[The war between your Theradrone Corps and the invader demon ant corps has begun. Would you like to help your legion?

YES/NO]

 

“Oh.”

The bewildered Yoo Ji-Ha made a stupid noise. Can he intervene in these little guys’ wars?

 

‘Your Theradrone Corps…’

He felt his chest tighten.

He can’t control these little insects, but if he supports from the rear and Win the War, he could probably expect a small reward.

Most of all, he felt sorry for the insects, which he have a little affection, were struggling with the poison of the devil ants.

‘Those demons.’

When he looked at ‘YES’, a new option then appeared.

 

[The Theradrone Corps needs these things. What would you apply for?

Poison Resistance Potion
Stamina Potion
Food with high preference
Physical Resistance Potion]
‘Hmm…’

So, it means they need these things?

Potions are for humans, but he thinks it could be applied to the Theradrone as well.

But now he didn’t have anything.

‘If it’s food with high preference, then that’s it.’

The sap jelly he brought from the Polar Dungeon just in case.

I’m sure the Theradrones will eat it.

Yoo Ji-Ha took out the plastic containing the sap jelly from his backpack and put it on the ground.

The Theradrones that were pushed back from the battle with the devil ants began to show interest.

“Eat this and be strong.”

It was the only thing he could say.

After a while, a significant number of Theradrones flocked to the sap jelly and began to suck it up.

‘After eating they’re a little bit bigger.’

Had they shrunk from starvation?

As you get bigger, you must get stronger.

The Theradrones did not disappoint his expectations and began to separate the demon ants’ waists with its large tongs.

‘Wow, that’s great.’

The demon ants, pushed by the rapid charge of the Theradrones, responded with quantities.

When one of them died, three came out to deal with Theradrone.

They came from nowhere and was gradually expanding the occupied territory.

Theradrones regained their strength in an instant, but it seemed that their stamina was running out.

‘Poison resistance or stamina, one of the two would have to give.’

Unfortunately, Yoo Ji-Ha doesn’t have anything. Then another message came to mind.

 

[Your Theradrone corps is being pushed back. You can apply a wide-area buff using your essence. YES/NO]

 

‘Did you say to use essence here?’

It was the precious essence that he barely obtained in the polar dungeon.

It can be said that Yoo Ji-Ha without any combat skills cannot save it for the future, so it is meaningless.

Still, good people gave it to me….

In hesitation, Yoo Ji-Ha could see the defeated Theradrone Corps.

‘Maybe the role of Theradrones was to protect this forest.’

The moment Theradrone is completely defeated, his peace may end.

After thinking up to this point, Ji-Ha chose YES. The next option came.

 

[The Theradrone Legion needs these things. What would you like to apply?

Increases HP by 30% for 1 hour -1 Essence
Increases poison resistance by 30% for 1 hour -1 Essence
Increases physical resistance by 30% for 1 hour -1 Essence
Worker’s Blessing -2 Essence]
‘What is number 4? Are you referring to me as a worker?’

As in his class name worker.

As much as it needed two essence, the effect seemed to be better than the above options, but he couldn’t be so sure.

After much deliberation, Yoo Ji-Ha chose number 4.

‘Anyway, it would be better than the above.’

The moment he looked at his options, a pale golden glow emanated from his body.

It was incomparable, but it was like the radiance of the branches he had planted in the forest.

The Theradrones began to move enthusiastically as if they had gained power.

‘Huh, now the devil ants are holding on to Dokdo1.’

Maybe it’s because of the increased physical resistance, so even if one Theradrone fights with four devil ants, it doesn’t get pushed back.

The worker’s blessing seemed to increase both stamina, poison resistance, and physical resistance.

‘In exchange for using 3 buffs, 2 essence is lot cheaper.’

Yoo Ji-Ha appreciated the effect of the package.

Realizing that they were being pushed back, the devil ants retreated and formed a line.

However, Theradrone was not a fool enough to wait for that, so they intensively pushed into the battle line and separated the demon ants’ waists.

‘Don’t run away, fight back!’

He shouted inwardly, but the devil ants moved much faster.

They stopped the Theradrones by spewing poison, and then ran into the mist.

‘Ah, sorry.’

Had he pushed a little bit more, he would have been able to win completely.

But he is satisfied that they have protected this forest.

The Theradrones returned to the forest one after another, biting a very small golden lump with their tongs.

It seems to be the loot, but Yoo Ji-Ha realized soon that it was an Essence and Ether Stone.

It was too small to see clearly.

A few Theradrones came to Yoo Ji-Ha with essence and ether stones in their tongs and put them at his feet.

“Are you giving this to me?”

Watching them carefully going around, they might be telling him to eat it.

But can he eat something this small?

When he gently brought his finger closer, it surprisingly seeps into his body just like in the polar dungeon.

Essence changed to 5, and Yoo Ji-Ha was enveloped in a warm sensation.

‘This is a real essence.’

If so, then the ether stone would also be real.

Finding a tiny stone and barely putting it on his palm, it became huge.

“Haha.”

At this point, nothing is heard but laughter.

Yoo Ji-Ha was satisfied with the five essences and ether stones.

And since the devil ant is a dangerous monster, the ether stone will also be sold at a high-priced.

The Theradrones brought more essence and ether stones, but he declined.

“I’m satisfied with this, so you guys can eat it.”

When he took a step back, the guys understood and took it underground.

These guys are clever.

‘The cost of investing little essence has returned into a great deal .’

It can be said that it was a very successful business as he exchanged 5 Essence and 5 Ether Stone for 2 Essence.

With a satisfied face, Yoo Ji-Ha put five ether stones into his backpack.

 

In the evening, Yoo Ji-Ha lit a bonfire in the middle of the forest.

Tick-tack-tick-tack

As he was processing the ignition stone into flint while listening to the sound of the burning bonfire, a Theradrone approached him.

“Uh, you, it’s dangerous to come here.”

Knowing it was dangerous, he kept some distance from the bonfire. Looking closely, this guy grew larger compared to its size during daytime.

The guy who used to only as big as fingernails grew to the size of a finger, was it because he got the essence or was it a large individual?

“Are you the captain?”

Instead of answering, he put down what he was biting with his tongs.

“Huh? What is it?”

It was a very small seed, but when put it in his hand, it changed quite a bit.

 

[The Seed of the Fog Chasing Flower]

 

‘If it’s a fog chasing flower, can it drive that fog away?’

Maybe it’s for the expansion of this forest.

It’s not good if the forest to grow too big, but Yoo Ji-Ha wanted to see something new.

Yoo Ji-Ha gently stroked the shell of Theradrone that brought the seed.

Perhaps it recognized a compliment, he took out his wings and trembled.

“You had wings.”

It’s a drone, so maybe it’s normal.

As Yoo Ji-Ha was rummaging through the books, a message popped up on the status window.

 

[The Theradrone is asking to rescue the Queen. Do you want to allow it? YES/NO]

 

These guys didn’t have a queen.

If they have a queen, will she give birth and lead the corps?

‘I can have more.’

When he selected YES, the insects got busy.

Isn’t it amazing to be able to communicate with Theradrone through this?

Yoo Ji-Ha bonfire was lit and seeds of Fog Chasing Flower were planted.

Then, within a day, flowers grew, and his territory expanded. A new plant appeared.

 

[Evening Primrose: Increases poison resistance for 30 minutes]

 

‘This is a plant used for poison resistance potions.’

However, it displayed a poison resistance effect which is different from the evening primroses seen in normal dungeons.

Well, everything that grows in this forest is like this.

Yoo Ji-Ha collected the liquid scattered in the petals of evening primrose.

This will make a good poison resistance potion.

‘With stamina potion and poison resistance potion, I will be able to fight against the devil ants.’

Ready to support the war of the little corps.

1Dokdo are two islets on east coast of Korea and Sea of Japan. It is controlled by Korea but contested by Japan of its sovereignty. So, it basically means that the devil ants are holding on to their territory.