Gourmet Gaming-Chapter 1263

Chapter 1263

[Hidden Quest: Finding the Bodies of Agu’s Parents.]

Rank: SSS

Requirements: The first person to take out a pickaxe.

Rewards: Rainbow Pearl.

Penalty for Failure: The effects of all of the pearls inside the Pearl Mine will be destroyed.

Description: Agu died while searching for his parents’ bodies inside the mines. His firm determination and his strong will to find his parents upon his death had turned him into a ghost and allowed him to dig inside the mine even further. Help him find his parents’ bodies.

Ring!

[You only have one chance.]

[Only the person who had taken out a pickaxe for the first time can enter.]

[Warning.]

[The Pearl Mine is a mine recorded in the myths.]

[Many dangers are lurking inside the Pearl Mine.]

[You have to go all the way to the place where their bodies are buried underneath the rubble and destroy the Mine’s Nucleus.]

Ring!

[Agu’s Soul’s remaining time on earth will be shortened. He has three hours before he completely disappears.]

Rumble!

The walls of the mines trembled. Minhyuk looked back at the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s executives, who had also heard the same notifications that he had heard.

Although all were present, Minhyuk was the only one who understood what Agu needed and wanted. Because of this, only one person was qualified to enter the mines and swing a pickaxe.

Minhyuk slung the pickaxe on his shoulder and turned to look at Agu. Agu grabbed the pickaxe with both of his hands and charged straight into the depths of the mine. He chased after Agu until they reached the part of the mine that had already been blocked by debris.

Agu raised his pickaxe and began breaking the piles of rocks and debris blocking their path.

Clang!

Clang, clang!

Clang, clang, clang!

‘Amazing...’

Minhyuk had seen many mines and countless miners work in Athenae. There were two reasons why the word amazing flashed in his mind. The first was the mine itself.

[Pearl Mine’s Durability: 65,434]

‘I have never seen a mine with such a high durability like this!’

The second reason was none other than Agu.

‘And I have never seen such an outstanding and talented miner like him before.’

A few miners working together would take at least a few days to dig at least two meters into the mine. Agu was different. With every swing of his pickaxe, he easily hit the rocks and broke a portion of the wall of debris blocking their path.

‘Yet even an outstanding miner like Agu could not go deep into this mine.’

Minhyuk saw Agu gritting his teeth. He was giving it his all. It was as if he knew that this was his final chance. Finally, Minhyuk began to move.

Clang, clang, clang!

Although Minhyuk had no mining skills, his DEX, beyond anyone’s imagination, allowed him to breeze through the hard work.

Clang, clang!

Clang, clang, clang!

With Agu and Minhyuk’s relentless swings, they could clear through a portion of the rubble and debris.

[There’s 653 meters between you and the target position.]

Minhyuk thought they only needed to focus on one spot and use that as the breaking point to move inward. The plan seemed foolproof. Unfortunately, that was where he was wrong.

[The Pearl Mine will never allow you to dig through the rubble that easily.]

The inside of the mine was dark and damp. That was not all, Minhyuk and Agu also had no choice but to breathe in the dust that constantly rose from every swing of their pickaxes.

Shwaaaaa!

In addition to the unfavorable conditions, a massive pillar of flame shot out. The fire briefly illuminated the inside of the mines as they burned Minhyuk and Agu.

“Ugh!”

[Your HP has fallen below 90%.]

[The blazing hot flames have disappeared.]

Minhyuk felt relieved when he saw the flames disappear just as quickly as they appeared. However, he could feel it.

‘The temperature inside the mines has risen sharply.’

The temperature had increased by over fifty degrees, and even the air they breathed felt hot. The worst part? The flames had consumed the cave’s oxygen, making breathing even harder for them.

Despite being burned in his soul state, Agu did not stop. He continued to swing his pickaxe over and over again.

[The heat makes your body unresponsive.]

Nevertheless, Minhyuk continued to work with Agu. They raised their pickaxes and swung at the Pearl Mine like crazy.

Clang, clang! Clang, clang, clang!

Suddenly, Minhyuk felt curious about one thing, ‘I wonder what Agu is thinking right now?’

But when he saw Agu’s muscles swell and his jaw tick as he gritted his teeth, he realized that not much was running through the boy’s head. He was just moving forward because his mom and dad were waiting for him on the other end.

As for Minhyuk, many things were running through his head.

Agu had been shunned and despised by the adults that he had met in his life. However, his world changed when he met the middle-aged couple, who loved him dearly.

‘And his world also collapsed with them.’

He wanted to ask Agu if he ever thought this wouldn't have happened if he had not met the miner couple. Then, Minhyuk realized that Agu and his parents would have given the same answer.

Minhyuk was sure that Agu’s parents would say, ‘We may have died for you but we do not regret anything.’

He was certain Agu would say, ‘Thank you.’

Minhyuk tightened his hold on the pickaxe. He swung more fiercely, trying to make another breakthrough point, chasing after the desperate Agu.

[The Pearl Mine will never allow you to dig through the rubble that easily.]

The mine’s ceiling suddenly shook and trembled.

[The ceiling begins to crumble.]

[Two hours have passed since you entered the mine.]

The big and small stones and rocks supporting the mine ceiling began to chip and fall. Flames also appeared occasionally. Yet Minhyuk and Agu continued to swing their pickaxes.

At the same time, Minhyuk felt his lips grow dry. The heat was making him thirsty.

[You cannot eat or drink anything inside the Pearl Mine.]

The notification almost drove Minhyuk into the depths of despair. Minhyuk looked at Agu once again. Finally, he started to focus on his task.

[The Skill: Divine Will has been triggered!]

[All of your skills and abilities related to DEX will temporarily increase by 30%.]

[All of your stats will increase by 8%.]

[Your attack power and defensive power will increase by 6%.]

[The Skill: Divine Will has been triggered!]

[All of your skills and abilities related to DEX...]

Minhyuk was doing this to obtain pearls from the Pearl Mine, but he also wanted to help Agu find his parents’ bodies. Agu had met many bad adults, and Minhyuk wanted to show him that not all adults were necessarily bad, just as his parents were so good to him.

Thud, thud, thud!

[There’s 100 meters between you and the target position.]

[Your HP has fallen below 30%.]

[The structures set up inside the mine are collapsing at a much faster rate.]

Thud, thud, thud!

A hot and burning wind bubbled up from somewhere deep within the mine. It was as if a hippopotamus was waiting with its mouth around them and breathing down their necks. The hot wind surged and engulfed Minhyuk and Agu.

Shwaaaaaa!

The typhoon-like wind made it difficult for Minhyuk to stay still and control his body. Nevertheless, he forced himself to move, jumping toward Agu and embracing the child.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

The huge pieces of stones and rocks that fell became weapons that almost tore Minhyuk apart.

‘He has kept on doing this over and over again for hundreds of years despite the harsh conditions of this place?’

After knowing that it was almost impossible to complete, the heavy burden of this challenge felt even heavier.

[Your HP has fallen below 9%.]

When Minhyuk let Agu, who was in a soul state, go, he could see that the boy was also injured. There was blood dripping all over his body, especially in his hands that were holding tightly onto his pickaxe. At this point, it would not be strange for Agu, who looked frail and skinny to begin with, to fall and collapse at any given moment.

[There’s 70 meters between you and the target position.]

The already exhausted Agu continued to swing his pickaxe.

Bang!

Blood would drip down his already torn hands with every swing of his pickaxe.

Bang!

Despite the pain, Agu did not stop. At that moment, a stone fell from the ceiling and fell directly on Agu’s head.

Thud!

Clang!

The blow forced Agu down on his knees. Even so, he struggled to get up and swing his pickaxe again.

Thud, thud, thud!

Minhyuk stood next to the determined Agu. At that moment, their eyes met. This was the first time since Minhyuk entered this mine that he had made eye contact with the boy. Although there was no expression on his face, Minhyuk could see a surge of emotions hidden deep within his eyes.

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[There’s 20 meters between you and the target position.]

[Your HP has fallen below 3%.]

[You cannot move your body freely.]

[Your consciousness has started to grow hazy.]

The two were already almost at the end. However, they both collapsed on the ground. They tried to move and grab their pickaxes again but their body no longer listened to them. Unable to move any longer, tears fell down the expressionless Agu’s eyes.

Rumble!

The mine began to crumble. For some reason, it looked just like a scene from a disaster movie. Minhyuk could not find any words to say to the crying Agu.

Agu did not whimper or say anything. He just crawled forward and tried to grab his pickaxe somehow. He reached the remaining wall of rubble and debris through his desperate struggle. However, no matter how hard he tried to move his hands, they did not listen.

Thud, thud, thud!

A pile of stones fell and began to bury Agu and Minhyuk. Minhyuk stared at the huge rubble wall and debris blocking their path.

‘All we need to do is go over there yet...’

No matter how hard they tried to move, their body would not listen. All Minhyuk could do was stare at Agu’s trembling back. In that one glance, Minhyuk could feel the frustration and despair that the boy was feeling.

Clang, clang, clang!

At that moment, an unknown sound rang in their ears.

Clang, clang, clang!

The sound was coming from the other side of the wall of rubble.

Clang, clang, clang!

A portion of the wall blocking their path suddenly broke off.

Clang, clang, clang!

Through the hole that was created in the crumbling wall, they caught sight of two translucent figures.

Clang, clang, clang!

Agu had spent hundreds of years searching for the bodies of the two people he loved dearly inside the mine. Even though he knew it was impossible, he never gave up and continued his search. However, it seemed Agu was not the only one who did not give up.

[Agu’s parents have died. However, they could not bear to leave their child behind.]

[They knew that Agu would come to look for them here.]

[They had been waiting for Agu for 600 years.]

[Agu’s parents start to open up a path.]

Clang, clang, clang!

Thud, thud, thud!

Minhyuk saw, with his own eyes, how the two people stared at Agu as they created a gap in the crumbling stone wall. They swung their pickaxes nonstop until the wall collapsed and disappeared.

Rumble!

The two people climbed over the collapsed wall of rubble and debris. And right behind them? Two bodies had long decomposed and had only left behind bones.

[You have completed the Hidden Quest: Finding the Bodies of Agu’s Parents.]

Agu slowly stood up, his appearance changing from the soles of his feet. Bright light covered his entire body until the burns on his face disappeared. Even his dirty, smelly, stained, and worn-out clothes had changed into pristine white clothes. The same changes were happening for Agu’s parents.

At the same time, the mine’s collapsing ceiling stopped.

The couple, wearing clean, pristine white clothes, smiled at the young Agu. The boy ran swiftly and jumped into their arms. Agu, who had finally met his parents after 600 years, looked at them and said the words he had wanted to say to them for a long time.

“Thank you for becoming my parents.”

The two did not say anything. They just hugged Agu tightly in their arms.

Minhyuk, still sitting on the ground, looked at them with a small smile.

[Agu’s long-standing resentment has disappeared.]

[Agu is finally reunited with his parents.]

A bright light flashed on one side of the mine. Although they did not know whether this light would bring them to heaven or hell, Agu’s parents still walked toward it.

The eleven-year-old Agu followed his parents. However, they all stopped in their tracks when Agu looked back.

At that moment, Agu ran toward Minhyuk. With a bright smile on his clean and lovely face, he said, “Thank you, hyung.”

Agu waved at Minhyuk and ran after his parents. When Minhyuk saw Agu standing in the middle of his father and mother as they walked into the light, he was reminded of a child babbling a story innocently and excitedly to their parents.

Finally, Agu and his parents disappeared into the light.

[Agu’s soul, which was filled with resentment and regret, has disappeared.]

[You have completed the quest. You have now obtained full ownership and authority over the Pearl Mine.]

Ring!

[Agu has left behind the Rainbow Pearl as a gift to you.]

That was not all. Agu had also left behind a small gift for Minhyuk.

In the place where Agu and his parents disappeared, something covered in bright light appeared and floated toward Minhyuk. It was none other than the pickaxe that Agu was using.

Minhyuk reached out and grabbed the floating pickaxe.

[Agu was the Miner’s Child!]

[You have obtained the Pickaxe Filled with the Power of the Miner’s Child!]

[Anyone who has equipped the Pickaxe Filled with the Power of the Miner’s Child will be able to demonstrate abilities and skills that could rival even the God of Mining.]