Chapter 576: Hehe. It's all according to Great Blackie's plan!
TL: Hanguk
Inside the mental world of Hydra's first head.
"Grrrr. Do you want to come over here quickly and get beaten together?! Or would you prefer to be beaten separately until you die?! Gather quickly while I'm still being nice!"
Blackie roared with a menacing voice toward the surroundings.
For the Mukbupal, as long as you subdued the main mind located in the head, the auxiliary minds in the eight legs would be subdued together.
But in the case of Hydra, each head's consciousness was equal, so subduing just one was meaningless. All had to be subdued at once.
After a short while,
"One."
"Two."
...
..
.
"Nine! Roll call complete!"
All nine lizards of different colors gathered in one place. (TL: Korean skink to be specific)
"Grrrr. First, bow your heads!"
""Yes, sir!!""
"Hydra, do you know what you did wrong?"
They started the conversation while bowing their heads first.
The conversation started with Hydra's apology, followed by an apology to Mukbupal, and ended with the humiliating process of receiving over the youngest subordinate's duties from Besugu.
And then,
"Great Blackie-nim" "Still" "We" "Fought" "Together" "With the Earth Dragons" "Against Jǫrmungandr" "To prevent <Earthworm>" " From being digested" (TL: Each of the lizard speaking a part of the complete sentence)
The nine-headed Hydra started appealing to Blackie about its merits to receive some consideration.
"That was well done. I'll let butler know about it."
"Hehe." "Thank you."
"But what do you mean by 'fought to prevent being digested by Jǫrmungandr'?"
Blackie, who still didn’t know that the <Earthworm> was inside Jǫrmungandr’s stomach, asked.
At that moment,
"What?! You didn't know? This is inside Jǫrmungandr’s stomach right now. Jǫrmungandr ate me to save itself! That bastard is real trash! Great Blackie-nim, please take care of Jǫrmungandr!"
Hydra ranted, tattling on Jǫrmungandr to Blackie about the bad things Jǫrmungandr had done.
"What?! Eating a comrade?! Grrrr. I’ll personally destroy Jǫrmungandr!"
"Thank you!"
Hydra rejoiced at Blackie's answer.
However,
'You fool. That means you'll remain the youngest forever.'
The rest of the Blackie family looked at Hydra with pity.
After finishing the meeting with Blackie like that, Hydra, who had lost power and shrunk, stood before Sejun.
With its nine tiny heads, now no bigger than peas, it bowed energetically.
Hithit!
(Sunfish Sejun-nim, hello! Greetings from the new recruit!)
Following the handover instructions from Besugu, Hydra greeted Sejun.
Kihihit.
That’s right. Butler is a Sunfish.
Blackie felt pleased with Hydra’s greeting.
"Mm. Nice to meet you too."
Sejun, who couldn’t understand Hydra's words, simply accepted its greeting without knowing anything.
Kihihit.Kking!
[Hehe. Butler! Give this one a name!]
Blackie asked Sejun to name Hydra.
"A name?"
Nine heads, nine colors, a lizard...
Sejun examined Hydra while extracting characteristics and fell into thought
Ding.
Sejun's Naming Shop opened once again.
Nine (구 - Gu) headed (頭 - du) snake (蛇 - sa)... Gudusa? (TL: 頭 & 頭 are chinese characters)
Nine-colored lizard... Gu-sek-do? (TL: 구 - Gu meaning Nine+ 색 - sek meaning color + 도 - do from 도마뱀 meaning lizard)
Nine-headed Hydra... Gudura? (TL: 구 - Gu meaning Nine + 頭 - du + 라 - ra from Hydra)
As Sejun enthusiastically brainstormed names,
Thump-thump.
The Blackie family watched Sejun with eyes full of expectation.
Mukkun! Mukkun!
Ppukun!Ppukun!
Bekun!Bekun!
The 7-8-9 line especially had high hopes.
Ah, it’s time for a name with 'Ten' in it.
Sejun, under the intense gaze of the 7-8-9 line, included 'Ten' in the name and continued brainstorming.
Nine heads plus 'Ten'... Ameosip? [TL: 아머십 (Ameosip) = 아 (A) from 아홉 meaning Nine + 머 (meo) from 머리 meaning head + 십 (sip) meaning 10. Also in the final name 아머 meaning armor + 십 (sip) due to which it can also be translated as Armored 10 or Armoredsip/Armored Ship]
Nine lizard plus 'Ten'... Adosip? [Like above 아 (A) from 아홉 meaning Nine + 도 (do) from 도마뱀 meaning lizard + 십 (sip) meaning 10]
"Hmm."
This is tough.
As soon as 'Ten' was added, the naming difficulty shot up dramatically.
At that moment,
Kking! Kking! Kking!
[Oh, right! Butler! It wasn’t attacking here. It was protecting it! So, give it a slightly better name!]
"That’s true!"
"Hydra-nim helped us out!"
Blackie and the Earth Dragons vouched for Hydra, pleading for some leniency.
They also told him that <Earthworm> was now in Jǫrmungandr's stomach. Since this was something Sejun had somewhat anticipated, he wasn’t particularly surprised.
Because Hydra had done a good deed, Sejun decided to give it a slightly better name.
Listening to Blackie’s suggestion, Sejun resumed naming Hydra.
Since it had accumulated virtue by doing good deeds…
“The ultimate virtue is Ten Virtues.” (TL: Talking about the 10 virtues. Read more here -> https://www.unseenwarfare.net/the-ten-virtues#:~:text=If%20we%20distill%20the%20long,%2C%20and%20gratitude%20(contentment). )
But since it has nine heads… Sipdeokgu? [TL: 십덕구 (Sipdeokgu) = 십덕 meaning Ten Virtues + 구 (gu) meaning Nine so overall the name became Ten Virtues Nine]
“Sipdeokgu… Sipdeokgu. That’s good.”
The name rolled off the tongue smoothly.
However, consideration for leniency didn’t always mean something good. Because the better Sejun's intentions, the more likely a more tragic name would come out.
And
Hehe. It’s all according to Great Blackie’s plan!
That was precisely what Blackie had aimed for.
Kihihit.Kking!
[Hehe. Butler, you did great!]
“Sejun-nim has done it again!” Kkiruk!
Shalarang!
...
..
.
Blackie family cheered at the name Sejun came up with.
Mumu!
Ppuu!
Bebe!
Even the 7-8-9 line cheered.
They had finally escaped from the very bottom!
Mubalchil and Mukbupal were happy that after Besugu, they now had Sipdeokgu as a solid foundation
I'm not alone!
Besugu was thrilled that a name on par with its own had been created.
Once the naming was complete,
[The effect of Talent: Namer has been activated.]
[The name ‘Sipdeokgu’ has been imbued with a special effect.]
[All stats increase by 109.]
[<Power: Ten Virtues> has been granted.]
Special effects were imbued in the name Sipdeokgu.
<Power: Ten Virtues> was a power that granted one random blessing every time ten virtues were accumulated, as the name suggests.
"Ah. By the way, Besugu and Sipdeokgu are peers.”
Since Hydra had done a good deed by protecting <Earthworm>, Sejun gave him a slight privilege.
Bebe?!
[What?!]
Sejun’s sudden statement, like a bolt from the blue, shocked Besugu.
Hithit!Hithit!
[Sunfish Sejun-nim, thank you!]
Sipdeokgu expressed its gratitude.
However,
“......”
The atmosphere suddenly turned icy. The increase in stats allowed Sipdeokgu to communicate with Sejun, but that turned out to be its misfortune.
“Sipdeokgu, did you just call me sunfish?"
Hithit?!Hithit...
[Huh?! That was Besugu who-]
“You’re demoted to the youngest.”
Hithit...
Without even a chance to explain, Sipdeokgu was demoted to the youngest.
This is all your fault!
As Sipdeokgu glared at Besugu, who had given him wrong handover instructions and was now feigning innocence,
Crack.
In the sky of <Earthworm>, surrounded by white snakes reproduced in Jǫrmungandr's stomach, cracks appeared.
Clang!
The partially repaired defensive barrier, infused with the energy of creation emitted by the Destruction Devourers, was destroyed once again.
“Everyone, over here.”
The party ate the bean set distributed by Sejun and resumed the battle, while the Earth Dragons also hurried back to join the battle.
And then,
“Everyone, let’s plant quickly!”
Kya-kya!
Sejun worked hard with the Destruction Pioneers, planting Destruction Devourer Seeds.
While defeating the white snakes was important,
This was going to be a long battle!
Until they could figure out a way to get<Earthworm> out from Jǫrmungandr's stomach, they needed to hold out.
And to hold out for a long time, they had to keep repairing <Earthworm>’s defensive barrier with energy of creation.
Kking!
[Guys, let’s help butler!]
Blackie family also helped Sejun diligently plant the Destruction Devourer Seeds.
Although they didn’t have farming skills like Sejun, and the seeds didn’t immediately sprout Destruction Devourers the moment they were planted, it was still helpful.
Just like the saying, 'Even a dog recites poetry after three years at the village school', Blackie had perfectly mastered the basics of farming after spending six months with Sejun.
Thus began hours of tedious battles and farming.
However,
[Guard Park Theo has defeated the digestive cells of Jǫrmungandr, the world-devouring serpent and 3rd seat of the Apostle of Destruction.]
...
[Intermediate Herbalist Cuengi has...]
...
[White Tower's Honorary Employee Ajax...]
...
[You’re a Field Lv. 9 has been activated.]
[You have planted Destruction Devourer Seeds in the body of Hydra, the Nine-headed snake and 10th seat of the Apostles of Destruction.]
...
..
.
"Hehehe."
Sweet. So sweet.
Thanks to the steadily accumulating experience points and the increasing number of Destruction Devourers, Sejun didn’t feel bored at all.
At that moment,
Bang!
Grrrrooowl.
A loud rumble came from Cuengi’s stomach as he swung his Thunder Staff while fighting hard.
It’s already mealtime, huh?
“Land Moving!”
Sejun quickly created a brazier and began cooking.
“Cuengi, let’s eat!” Since they still needed to eat, they took turns eating one at a time.
After Cuengi, Ajax, and Paespaes had eaten their fill
"Vice Chairman Theo, eat."
It was now Theo’s turn.
“Puhuhut. I’m so happy, meow!”
Theo lay on Sejun’s lap, looking happily at the grilled fish Sejun had prepared.
“Vice Chairman Theo, isn’t it tiring?”
Sejun asked Theo, who looked up at him.
“Puhuhut. It was a little tiring, but receiving the energy of Great Hybrid Chairman Park’s lap has filled me with strength, meow!”
Theo responded energetically.
"Eat quickly."
“Puhuhut. Got it, meow!”
Pat, pat.
Sejun gently patted Theo’s bottom as Theo ate the grilled fish.
“Puhuhut. Chairman Park, I’ll head back to fighting, meow!”
Theo hugged Sejun’s lap tightly one last time before heading off to deal with the white snakes again.
And then,
“You guys, come over quickly too!”
Sejun called out 100 Earth Dragons at a time.
"Are you giving us some too?"
“We can just eat dirt, though?”
The Earth Dragons seemed puzzled.
However,
“Abundance!”
When Sejun used his Power multiple times to upgrade the soil quality to the highest level,
“Huh?!”
“Wow! This is so delicious!”
The Earth Dragons began eating the soil excitedly.
<Earthworm> had soil of the worst quality since it had not been maintained at all.
While the Earth Dragons were enjoying the highest-quality soil,
[A quest has been generated.]
[Quest: Feed the Earth Dragons, whose strength has weakened from eating the low-nutrient, lowest-quality soil, with high-nutrient, highest-quality soil to help them recover their strength.]
Reward: Strengthening of <Power: Resilient Young Dragon’s Solid Bones>, permission for Black Earth Dragon Toryong Park to stay.
A quest appeared in front of Sejun.
This time, without even needing to ask, Toryong’s residency permission was included as a reward.
"Hehehe. What's so difficult about this. Of course I'll do it. I’ll do it. Abundance!”
Gulp, gulp.
Sejun diligently drank mugwort juice potions and activated his Power.
"I’m overflowing with strength!"
The strength of the Earth Dragons, who ate the highest-quality soil, surged significantly, making the battle even easier.
***
Administrator Area of the White Tower.
“Is Sejun doing well?”
Kellion, who was anxiously awaiting news, murmured to himself.
At that moment,
Wooong.
[Defeated Hydra, the Nine-headed snake and 10th seat of the Apostles of Destruction in <Earthworm>.]
[The destruction of <Earthworm> has been delayed.]
The crystal orb vibrated, and an alert appeared.
“Ahahaha! Excellent!”
As expected of Sejun!
Kellion sighed in relief as he saw the notification on the crystal orb.
[<Earthworm> is being restored with energy of creation.]
[<Earthworm> has been restored to 55%.]
[<Earthworm> has been restored to 56%.]
...
..
.
Additionally, notifications about <Earthworm>’s restoration kept appearing.
He’ll probably be back soon.
Kellion completely let go of his worries.
At that moment,
[<Earthworm>, located inside Jǫrmungandr's stomach, is surrounded by the Power of Destruction.]
[The Power of Destruction is severing the connection between <Earthworm> and the White Tower.]
The connection to <Earthworm> will be severed in 30 days.
Another problem had arisen.
“What?! <Earthworm> is inside Jǫrmungandr's stomach?!”
Doesn’t that mean both Ajax and Sejun are also inside Jǫrmungandr's stomach?!
This is bad!
If the connection between <Earthworm> and the White Tower is severed, Sejun and Ajax will have no way to return to the Tower.
Then they'll end up being digested!
“No! Clan Leaders! The great White Dragon’s hatchling is in danger! I request your help! Sejun is in danger too!”
Kellion urgently sought help from the leaders of the other towers. The great dragons had a duty to help a hatchling in peril.
As Kellion requested assistance from the other dragons,
[Sejun-nim is in danger!]
Flamie, who sensed Sejun was in danger, also set out to help Sejun.
Flamie Park dispatching!
Flamie's roots that had climbed the tower like vines moved toward Jǫrmungandr at the outskirts of destruction.
*****
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