Flap, flap.

(I must hurry, hurry!)

The golden bat hurriedly returned to the tower, anxious to save Sejun. What was being taken from Earth at this moment was not important at all.

(I’ll take anything I can get!)

So, the golden bat instinctively grabbed what caught its eye and returned to the tower.

And the golden bat, who had hurried back to the 77th floor of the tower, looked around quickly but,

(Huh?! Sejun, where are you?!)

Sejun, who had been taken by the monkeys, was nowhere to be seen.

****

Eastern deep part of the Mana Stone mine on the 77th floor of the tower.

“Is this the place?”

Iona, who had arrived at the excavation site under the guidance of the vice tower lord, Gonova, asked.

“Yes, Iona. But detecting the holy stone is not easy from here.”

“Is that so?”

At Gonova’s words, Iona closed her eyes and used mana detection. It was to pinpoint the location of the holy stone and assist in its excavation.

But this was a Mana Stone mine. Too many mana waves overlapped, and it took time to pinpoint the exact location of the holy stone.

While Iona was focusing, analyzing the mana waves one by one, looking for the wave of the holy stone,

‘Then take care.’

Chuk

Gonova, smirking at Iona, carefully placed down a blue orb the size of a fist and left the place.

A moment later,

Kaboomm! Kaboom!

Rumble!

With a tremendous explosion and vibration, the mine where Iona had been collapsed instantly.

“Now the lord of the Gravity Wizard Tower is me, Gonova! Kuhahaha.”

Gonova laughed loudly, looking at the collapsing eastern mine. Iona, who had joined late at the Gravity Wizard Tower, had surpassed him, who had been the apprentice to the former tower lord, and became the tower lord.

Although he hated Iona, his own talent was insignificant compared to hers, like a firefly’s light before the sun.

Moreover, after becoming the tower lord, she gained fame as the ‘Destructive Wizard’ and even became the president of the Wizard’s Association, solidifying Iona’s position further.

Just when Gonova was about to completely give up on becoming the tower lord,

“Gonova, don’t you want to be the tower lord?”

The tower lords of the other 7 wizard towers, including the Flame Wizard Tower, Destruction Wizard Tower, and Meteor Wizard Tower, approached him secretly.

They promised that if Gonova killed Iona, they would support him to become both the tower lord and the chairman of the Wizard’s Association.

Thus emboldened, Gonova chose the Mana Stone mine he had been managing to deal with Iona.

The place where Gonova took Iona was where unstable mana stones were buried in large quantities. Even a small magical explosion could cause a chain reaction of explosions, so work there had stopped.

“Kukukuku. Now it’s time to go back and prepare.”

Gonova laughed in delight and returned to the tower to prepare for Iona’s funeral. He had already thought of the epitaph.

-Here lies one who foolishly met their end, using magic in a place buried with unstable mana stones.

Kaboom!

Rumble.

Even after Gonova returned to the Gravity Wizard Tower using teleportation, the eastern deeper part of the mine continued to experience chain explosions and earthquakes for a while. There were never any holy stones there to begin with.

***

“What, meow?!”

Theo, who was diligently rushing towards the 99th floor, stopped at the entrance to the 77th floor, confused.

“Why do I feel President Park Sejun’s knee here, meow?”

Theo felt Sejun’s knee on the 77th floor, when it should have been on the 99th. This caused him to momentarily wear a bewildered expression.

But

“I’m going to the 77th floor, meow!”

Now was not the time to hesitate. He decided to trust his senses.

“President Park’s knee is in danger, meow!”

The signal that Sejun’s knee was in danger was getting stronger.

After entering the 77th floor and moving for about 10 minutes,

“Meow?”

Theo again wore a puzzled expression.

“Now President Park’s knee is not in danger, meow!”

Suddenly, Sejun’s knee was safe.

“I’m so happy, meow!”

As his knee became safe, Theo happily hurried towards Sejun.

***

Flap. Flap.

(Sejun!)

The golden bat diligently flew around, looking for Sejun.

And then,

(Sejun!)

It found Sejun imprisoned in a wooden prison in the center of a village made of hundreds of huts constructed from branches and grass.

Phew…

Fortunately, the monkey on guard duty was asleep.

“Golden Bat, you’ve come.”

Seeing the golden bat that had come to find him, Sejun quietly expressed his relief.

“Quickly, untie this!”

Sejun, who didn’t want to marry a gorilla, spoke hastily. He had to escape no matter what since he was set to depart for the gorilla village the next morning.

(Yes. Here, take this.)

The golden bat handed Sejun something it had brought from Earth.

“Huh? It’s a banana?”

Sejun accepted the banana that the golden bat handed him.

(Is that what’s called a banana? I brought it from Earth because it smelled sweet.)

Chop.

The golden bat responded as it cut the wooden bars of the prison.

Sejun carefully placed the cut wood on the floor and stepped out of the prison, only to

Ook?

“Huh?!”

Make eye contact with the monkey who had woken up from its sleep, drawn by the sweet smell.

Ook!

Ook-Ook!

Other monkeys rushed out of the huts at the guard monkey’s cry.

In an instant, Sejun was surrounded by monkeys.

“Golden Bat, make way as soon as I attack.”

(Yes!)

As Sejun and the golden bat planned their escape,

Ooka!

An old monkey leaning on a staff walked out and suddenly bowed to Sejun.

“Huh?!”

And then,

Ook!

Ook!

The other monkeys followed the old monkey in bowing to Sejun.

“Why are they suddenly doing this?”

Sejun was taken aback by the monkeys that had suddenly started bowing to him.

(I don’t know.)

The golden bat was equally confused.

“Is it because of this?”

Sejun said, waving the banana in his hand.

Then,

Ook!

The monkeys became excited.

Theo’s sense was accurate. This was the moment when Theo felt that Sejun’s knee were safe.

Then,

[The monkeys illegally occupying the farm now obey you.]

“Obey?”

[You have reached a harmonious agreement with the monkeys.]

[You have completed the quest.]

[As a reward for completing the quest, you are recognized as the rightful owner of the land deed.]

[Land Deed Skill: Farm Information Lv. Max is activated.]

“Farm information?”

Upon rechecking the land deed, Sejun found

[77th Floor Farm Land Deed]

→ This land deed proves ownership of the farm on the 77th floor of the tower.

→ You can be recognized as the owner of the land deed by going through the engraving process.

→ It has been over 100 years since the last information update on the land deed.

→ Owner: Tower Farmer Park Sejun

→ Grade: A

→ Skill: [Farm Information Lv. Max]

The skill appeared.

[Farm Information Lv. Max]

→ Size: 66,000 square meters

→ Crops: 5381 banana trees

→ Worker: 1 person (landowner)

Special situation: The banana trees are dying of disease. (Remaining lifespan 30 days) There are 749 monkeys that can be used as workers.

“Were those the banana trees I saw before?!”

Sejun recalled the trees he saw when he arrived on the 77th floor of the tower yesterday. He never knew they were banana trees.

‘I must save them!’

Determined to save the delicious bananas, Sejun resolved to save the banana trees at all costs.

And then,

Ook…

Ook-Ook…

He approached the monkeys that were lying prostrate.

***

Moo!

Kreong!

Cuengi and the Black Minotaurs arrived on the 77th floor of the tower.

Kreong!

[That’s the direction!]

Cuengi said, looking at the direction the compass needle that Kaiser had given him was pointing.

Moo!

Moo!

The Black Minotaurs lined up and charged in the direction Cuengi pointed.

Bang!

Kkiak!

The sudden charge of the Black Minotaurs crushed and killed the monsters on the 77th floor of the tower.

At that moment,

Kreong?

Cuengi looked closely at the compass. There were two needles on the compass?

One white, one black. But the direction Cuengi had given to the Black Minotaurs was the one pointed by the white needle.

But considering the creator was the great black dragon, there was no way the direction indicated by the white needle could be where Sejun was.

Kreong!

[Uncles, come back! We need to go that way!]

Cuengi hurriedly called the Black Minotaurs, but they had already gone too far.

Kreong! Kreong!

[There’s no choice! Cuengi will go save Daddy alone!]

Cuengi gripped the bag strap tightly, about to head towards where the black needle pointed when

Gurgle.

A noise came from his stomach.

Kreong!

[First, I’ll eat a packed lunch and then depart!]

Cuengi started eating one of the three portions of tuna chunks from the bag.

Chomp chomp.

Kreong.

[It’s lonely.]

Cuengi felt lonely eating something delicious alone. There was no dad to praise him for eating well, and no big brother Theo to nag him for eating his grilled fish.

Gulp.

Still, the grilled tuna went down his throat smoothly.

Kreong!

[I have to find Daddy quickly!]

Just when Cuengi, feeling so lonely, decided he had to find his dad quickly,

Gwoooh! (Stop!)

Gwoo! (Stop eating!)

Two gorillas, each 3 meters in size, hiding because of the Black Minotaurs, appeared in a hurry.

Originally, they were watching the situation and planning to snatch Cuengi’s grilled tuna, but upon seeing the tuna disappearing quickly into Cuengi’s belly, the gorillas grew impatient.

However,

Kreong?

[Are you targeting my meal right now?]

They had poked the wrong bear.

Kreong!

[I can’t forgive you for targeting my meal!]

They had provoked the most ferocious baby beast while eating.

And the result was a scruff grab. Since Cuengi had been told by Sejun that tying was bad, he gently grabbed them by their scruffs.

Kreong?

[Are you going to target my meal again?]

Cuengi grabbed the scruff of the two gorillas with both front paws and shook them roughly.

Gwoooh!

Gwoo!

The gorillas shook their heads vigorously from side to side. They didn’t want to experience Cuengi’s scruff-grab again. They could have been sent to the next world.

Kreong?!

[But have you guys seen my dad?]

Gwoo? (Cuengi’s father?)

Gwoo! Oh!! (What does he look like?)

Kreong.

[He’s very weak-looking, with only a little hair on his head.]

Upon hearing Cuengi’s description, the gorillas imagined a taller and thinner figure, with hair only on the head, and promised to let him know if they saw him later.

Kreong!

[Got it!]

Cuengi let the gorillas go and started eating the tuna again.

And then,

Kreong!

[Now it’s time to look for Dad!]

Bam!

After finishing his meal, Cuengi quickly ran towards the direction where Sejun was.

***

Just as Cuengi set out to find Sejun,

“I can feel Sejun’s knees here, meow!”

Theo had already arrived at a village of monkeys, following where he could feel Sejun’s knees.

And then,

Sneakily.

“President Park, where are you, meow?”

As he climbed onto the roof and looked around for Sejun,

“I’m hungry, is there anything to eat?”

Sejun’s voice was heard.

“I found you, meow!”

Theo hurriedly ran toward Sejun, surrounded by monkeys.

However,

Ook!

Ook-ook!

The monkeys tried to block Theo, who was running toward their god.

The monkeys worshiped Sejun as a god. It was because of the bananas brought by the golden bat. According to monkeys’ legend, the one who appeared with bananas would save them.

“Wait!”

Sejun quickly stopped the monkeys trying to attack Theo.

“This is Theo, my subordinate.”

Ookee…

At Sejun’s words, the monkeys hurriedly bowed to Theo. The god’s subordinate is the god’s messenger, the one who carries out the god’s will.

“Puhuhut. That’s right, meow! I am President Theo, the subordinate of Park Sejun, meow!”

Theo, who enjoyed being served, proudly walked over and climbed onto Sejun’s lap.

And then

“Feed me, meow!”

He took out a Churu from his bag and handed it to Sejun.

Slurp slurp slurp.

‘This is the taste, meow!’

It wouldn’t have tasted this way without Sejun’s lap.

Purr-r-r

Theo, who had been tired from searching for Sejun, concluded the exhausting day by sprawling out and falling asleep on Sejun’s lap.

*****

TL Notes:

Wizard Towers mentioned in this chapter are, as the name suggests, wizard towers. They could also be translated as mage towers or magic towers. They are in no way to be confused with the black tower or other towers in which Park Sejun is currently stuck. Furthermore, these wizard towers are located inside the black tower.

*****