Leveling Up through Eating

PR: MattForgenti

69 Territorial Defense (Top)

“Wow. He’s really weak. How can he die in just one stab? Maybe he lost all his abilities when he got demoted to a middle class demon.”

“……”

Argon’s mouth closed and opened just like a carp blowing bubbles in the water. Then, Minhyuk approached him.

“No. Can you look for the keys…… please?”

Argon unconsciously spoke to him politely.

“Ah. That’s right. You said that I should remove those with a key, right?”

Minhyuk, who had just tried to pull out the nails, turned around to approach Baran again. Suddenly a loud Thud! rang loudly in the room.

“Huh? But I thought that I did not pull it out?”

“……Huh?”

Just to make sure, Minhyuk touched the other nail that was embedded on Argon’s other hand. The nail came out just like a chopstick that was stuck in between rice.

“Huh? This came out too? Eyyy. Wait. Did they nail it loosely? The demons are too sloppy. Tch!” 

Argon’s mouth was once again shut in silence!

Then, the notifications began to ring in Minhyuk’s head.

[You have saved Prince Argon.]

[You have acquired tickets to the Demon World.]

[You have gained 400,000 contribution points.]

[You can now upgrade your shop to a Royal Shop.]

[You have acquired 3, 000, 000 EXP.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

Then, he began to hear footsteps near them.

“Catch it!!!” 

“Catch that!!!!” 

“Prince Argon is escaping!!!” 

Then, Prince Argon turned towards him and asked him.

“Do you happen to have a bow or something like that?” 

“Yes.” 

“Let me borrow it.” 

Minhyuk handed his Abyss Bow to him. Argon pulled the string taut and aimed it towards the wall. Then……

Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh—

Hundreds of invisible arrows passed through the wall and penetrated the demons that were running beyond the wall. It looked just like a machine gun firing its bullet.

However, a few demons were still able to escape and enter through the door.

Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh!

Argon’s arrows penetrated their foreheads with great accuracy.

“……Wow.”

Argon felt that he had exerted more force than what he had estimated that he would use. His forehead crumpled as he groaned in pain.

“Keuheuk. It’s been a long time since I was tied up.” 

He looked down at his palms. He was quite courageous when he shot those arrows even though he knew that his palms were wounded.

“Please drink this.” 

Argon’s eyes widened in shock when he saw Minhyuk handing him the ‘Elf’s Full HP, MP Recovery Potion’.

“This potion…… Did you upgrade to a Rank A shop?” 

“Yes.” 

“……A, amazing.” 

Argon knew more than anyone how difficult it was to upgrade and access a Rank A shop. He quickly gulped down the potion. He quickly felt the effects of the potion as the wounds that littered his entire body started to recover.

“Please upgrade my shop to the Royal Shop.”

“……Yes?”

Argon tilted his head in confusion. The upgrade to a Rank A shop was already surprising but he was telling him to upgrade it to a Royal Shop? To upgrade to a Royal Shop, he needed to have an additional 1 million contribution points. However, before he could even give him a piece of advice, Argon heard the notifications.

[Requesting to open the Royal Shop after taking 1 million contribution points.]

“……!”

Argon’s eyes widened imperceptibly as he looked at Minhyuk with surprise. The Royal Shop was a shop that was created by the three great elves. It contained the most outstanding items that the elves had created. It was a place that was filled with things that Argon was not even aware of.

Not long after, Argon readily nodded his head in agreement. In the first place, the chance to open the Royal Shop was one of the rewards for rescuing Prince Argon so he had nothing to disagree with.

At that moment, the notifications poured in on Minhyuk’s side.

[You have purchased an Elf Shop upgrade.]

[You have used 1 million points.]

[Your Elf Shop will be upgraded to Royal. Members of ‘Legend Guild’ and your allied guilds can use Prince Argon’s Royal Shop.]

[All items in the Elf Shop will be available to you at a 70% discount.]

And just like what Cania did, Argon also handed him a treasure chest.

[You have received Prince Argon’s Treasure Chest (SSS) as a reward for being the first to access a Royal Shop.]

Minhyuk started to read the notifications but they still continued to ring.

[The Food God’s Shop has opened.]

[You have reacquired 1 million contribution points.]

[You have acquired a SSS-rank Limited item.]

[You have acquired the Elf’s Character HP, MP, Skill Cooldown Reset Parchment. (2/2)]

[You have acquired the 60% Skill Casting Time Reduction Parchment. (5/5)]

[You have acquired an Elite High Elves Troop Summoning Parchment. (1/1)]

[You have acquired a Mass Teleport Parchment. (2/2)]

Minhyuk felt surprised and amazed at every notification that rang in his head. 

60% casting time reduction? Character skill cooldown reset and HP and MP restoration?

Of course, it went to say that they were all items that could be used in a war. But looking at these items alone, he was sure that once he went to Elvenheim then they would have a tremendous effect.

But the thing that piqued Minhyuk’s interest the most was this……

‘Food God’s Shop?’ 

Minhyuk quickly opened the detailed description.

[Food God’s Shop. A benefit to the user who would open the Royal Shop. Created by Valencia, one of the three Great Ancient Elves. He was an Ancient Elf Mage that was comparable to Rafielt in strength. Items inside the shop are listed according to the job class of the user who opened the Royal Shop.]

I can access items that are fit for my job class?

Minhyuk quickly checked the information thoroughly.

[Food God’s Shop]

You can view items 1 to 3 in order.

1 Fantastic Chinese Cuisine Set

400,000 points. When eaten, you can acquire hidden skills or skills that are yet to be acquired in your job class. (However, if it’s not available, then you will not be able to acquire it.)

2 Fantastic Bossam & Tray Noodle Set

400,000 points. When eaten, the rank of one of the artifacts that you have equipped will be upgraded randomly.

3 Chicken & Pizza Set

400,000 points. When eaten, one of the special skills attached to one of your equipped artifacts will be reinforced randomly.

4 Elves’ Finest Pork Tenderloin

50,000 points

5 Elves’ Finest Beef Tenderloin

60,000 points

6 Omitted……

“……?!!!” 

Minhyuk tilted his head in thought. He soon realized that the items listed in the Food God’s Shop were tailored by the system to match his job class in the first place. Of course, the most suitable item for a Food God was none other than ‘Food’. And there were even excellent and amazing rewards hidden in the food listed in the shop.

Starting from 4, 5 and 6, the items listed were ingredients. When he checked them, he found out that they were all SS-ranked ingredients. Minhyuk looked at the shop in satisfaction.

And together with Argon, they continued forward to join his forces. According to Argon, he would continue to stay with Minhyuk in the meantime. Of course, this was only natural since the Royal Shop was only available through Argon.

Not long after, Minhyuk joined with his forces. Then, he heard another set of surprising notifications.

[You have successfully completed the quest to rescue Prince Argon.]

[You can select one knight each from Iron Blood, Reapers and Rice Supplement Company. They can be hired and used in Valhalla Territory.]

It was a slightly different concept from vassals. It was because they were not an NPC under Minhyuk but literally a military force under his command. So Minhyuk selected one from each of the companies. Of course, who he selected were the leaders who led them. When he checked, he saw that their levels averaged at 440~470. Minhyuk smiled happily.

Then, he purchased the first dish listed in the shop, the ‘Fantastic Chinese Cuisine Set’.

[You have used 400,000 contribution points to purchase the Fantastic Chinese Cuisine Set.]

***

In Valhalla Territory, the farmer Bardan was heading towards his field holding his pickaxe just like the usual. He was only in his mid-30s but due to the curse of baldness that was passed on in his family, his hair had mostly fallen out. He also heard that they had presbyopia in the family.

How can I grow my hair while I farm again today? 

While thinking about that on his way to the field, Bardan heard Corr, the rumored new vassal, shrieking loudly with his recorder.

“Grow up seeds! Seeds!” 

“Tch, tch!” 

Bardan clicked his tongue. 

I heard that he was a pretty successful paladin for a princess(?) but why has he been like that for a few days now? Is what he’s doing normal for seeds to grow?

As a professional farmer, he couldn’t understand the logic in what he was doing. Then, at that moment……

“Huh?” 

He felt a warmth rubbing slightly against his bald forehead. Before he could confirm it, the warmth had already disappeared. Not long after, he looked up at the sky.

“Is it because it’s sunny today?” 

He moved on without much thought. After he finished plowing his fields, he came straight home. Then, the next morning……

He looked in the morning and was stunned.

“……!!?!?!” 

Just like a desert, his head did not have a single grass on it. It was so shiny that no hair could be found at all! But a few strands had already started to sprout from his shiny head. The hair was so short that it looked like the prickly hairs of a newly grown beard!

He recalled the warmth that he had felt yesterday.

‘D, don’t tell me?!!!’ 

Today, he went to the place where Paladin Corr was staying.

“Grow up seeds! Seeds!!” 

And just like he expected, he felt the warmth on his head again. And the next morning……

“……Heok!” 

Bardan couldn’t help but be shocked. It was because his hair grew longer compared to yesterday.

***

When Legend Guild left for Elvenheim, the Vice Lord Ben was left in Valhalla Territory mulling over ways to increase the finance of the territory.

Meanwhile, he heard stories about people singing strange songs in town. The song they sang went on like this……

“Talmor Fati~ didididi~” 

“Grow, grow hair! Grow, grow hair!” 

“Talmor Fati! Ddiddiddi!” 

The Vice Lord Ben ended up sending some of the soldiers to investigate. It was then that he discovered that the people who sang the song were mostly men in their 40s and 50s. 

“What the hell is Talmor Fati?” 

Vice Lord Ben was wondering about it when another report came in.

“The people who sing this song go to the field where Paladin Corr is. They go there every single day.”

“Really? Let’s go and look.” 

Old Man Ben quickly moved. He couldn’t help but be stunned when he saw the scene in the field.

“Sir Talmor!!” 

“Sir Talmor!!” 

The field was jam packed with hundreds of people. And the man that was standing in the middle of it all looked around him seriously.

“Do you believe?” 

“We believe!!” 

“Do you desire it?” 

“We desire!!” 

“We want black hair!!!” 

“We want it!!” 

“Then, let’s drop it down!!!” 

Then, Paladin Corr took out the Frightening Instrument and turned it into his favorite instrument, the recorder. As soon as it transformed into a recorder, he blew into it.

The rhythm and beat of the notes that he played were exactly that of the Talmor Fati, the song sung by all those men in town. 

Ddiddiddiddiddi~ 

“Talmor Fati!” 

“Talmor Fati!!!” 

“Aaaaaah! My head is getting warm!” 

“Aaaaaah!” 

“It’s growing! It’s growing! Soooob!” 

They looked like they were praying as they clasped their hands together. Then, they suddenly burst out in tears! Not long after, they raised their arms high up in the sky as they shouted……

“Grow, grow! Hair, hair!!” 

“Grow, grow! Hair, hair!!” 

“Grow, grow! Hair, hair!!” 

Then, a shocking thing happened at that moment. Ben clearly saw that the hair of some of the people present started to grow at a visible speed!

Due to his age, Old Man Ben was also experiencing hair loss these days. He felt some warmth on his head. And he also thought of a way to increase the finances of Valhalla Territory.

And right away……

“Talmor Fati!!” 

Paladin Corr will definitely make Valhalla Territory rich!

Following Minhyuk Religion, another religion was starting to emerge. This was the story of the birth of the Talmor Religion.

***

Notes

[탈모르 파튀] – It’s a parody song for Amor Fati (another KR song) you can search it as 탈모르 파티 (Talmor Fati). The song is about loving and accepting their fate for having hair loss. 탈모(Talmo) means hair loss and adding the r makes it sound like the amor in amor fati. Basically it’s a parody song about accepting their baldness. It’s a funny song if you happen to listen to it. 

TL’s corner!

LMAO. Talmor Religion. Wait. I’m laughing my head off. I was shocked at this transition. I thought that we would jump straight back to Elvenheim and fight but it seems like we still need to show Valhalla. XD. LOL.

PR’s corner!

Those dishes in the Food God’s shop are so broken…