Three months later.
“You have worked hard all this time.”
“Not at all. I owe you plenty too.”
As Old Man Johnson and I exchanged the customary final farewells,
the old man went inside and returned with a small coin pouch.
“You have worked hard for me all this time, so I ought to repay you as well.”
No way.
‘Severance pay?’
From this miser?
Just as my eyes began sparkling with anticipation,
“We got quite a lot of Mana Stones yesterday. I will sell them to you cheap. What do you say?”
A bitter smile escaped me.
‘Of course.’
Stones containing mana that came from the Labyrinth. Mana Stones.
They were essential materials needed for every tool, product, and facility that required mana.
Even if they were only red, lowest-grade, Common Mana Stones.
But there was no chance the Mana Stones this man was talking about were normal ones like that.
“You mean the Mana Stones that were written off as junk because they barely contain any mana?”
“......You have been collecting those anyway, have you not? You have some use for them, do you?”
That was true.
I could collect junk Mana Stones and raise their Grade.
‘And every one of them is money.’
That was also why I had not quit working at the general store over the past three months.
But.
“Did you seriously buy them on purpose because of that?”
“I told you. It is to repay you. Well? You do not want them?”
I was simply dumbfounded that he had gathered reject Mana Stones specifically so he could sell them to an employee who was quitting.
Still, it was not a bad offer for me.
“How many do you have?”
“This much.”
RATTLE.
Old Man Johnson showed me the small red stones filling the pouch.
Every one of them was a dim red crystal-like Mana Stone.
[Red Mana Stone (Common)]
-A low-grade product containing very little mana.
Low-grade even among Common-grade ones.
Junk.
“......I’ll give you 1 gold for all of them.”
“Bah! That price is nowhere near enough!”
“Then forget it. Take care, old man.”
“Ah. Ah, wait!”
The instant I turned to leave, Old Man Johnson grabbed me.
“These cost me more than 1 gold. Tell me just one thing and I will give them to you for 50 silver.”
“What? Tell you what?”
At my question, the old man gave me a knowing look, sidled closer, and asked in a low voice.
“What are you using these reject Mana Stones for? There is money in it, is there not? Right?”
A chill passed through my chest.
Printing money with the Goblin Basket.
Of course that was my purpose.
‘Even this old man noticed right away......’
It made me wonder just how much I could safely get away with.
“......Someone I know makes items and said even junk Mana Stones can be used as materials. They said they’d make me one decent Common item for the Labyrinth.”
“Ah....... Is that so?”
“So either sell them or don’t.”
“Bah! We have known each other all this time. Fine! I will sell them to you!”
Old Man Johnson took 50 silver and handed over the Mana Stones.
But I could not help feeling troubled.
Even then, the suspicion had not completely disappeared from the old man’s eyes.
‘I can’t keep printing money like this.’
The moment anyone learned that I possessed the Goblin Basket, or an ability similar to it, every future I could imagine was horrifying.
While my thoughts were tangled like that,
CREEEAK.
“Welco......!”
I was about to spit out my habitual greeting when an unpleasant face came into view.
“Yo, reject. Your big brother’s here. Been a while, hasn’t it?”
Lee Jeong-ho grinned like the punk he was, casually raising one hand in greeting.
‘Lee Jeong-ho?’
I looked behind him.
No one.
Neither Kim Hyeon-sik nor Cha Hye-ryeon.
He was alone.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
I slowly looked him over.
He was very different from three months ago.
Dull leather armor that had lost its sheen.
A greatsword chipped here and there from poor maintenance.
Dry, unkempt hair.
More than anything,
the confidence that had clung to him three months ago was gone.
Something else had taken its place.
‘Anxiety?’
“Your big brother brought plenty of good stuff again.”
THUD!
Lee Jeong-ho dropped the sack from his back onto the counter.
Then,
CLATTER-CLATTER-CLATTER!
he dumped its contents out.
Rocks.
Broken bones.
Rusty scraps of metal.
And more rocks.
‘......This bastard.’
It was exactly the same as three months ago.
No.
It was worse.
“Here.”
Lee Jeong-ho jerked his chin.
“Calculate it.”
“......”
“What are you doing?”
He tapped the counter with his finger.
“Hurry up.”
Three months ago, I would have calculated it.
I would have put even the rocks on the scale.
Paid him an absurd price.
And sent him away with a smile.
Because I had not wanted to get beaten.
I picked up one of the objects on the counter.
It was a rock.
I turned it over.
Still a rock.
TAP.
I tossed it onto the floor.
“Not buying it.”
“......What?”
“This.”
I picked up another rock.
TAP.
“Not buying this either.”
Another one.
TAP.
“Or this.”
Lee Jeong-ho’s expression hardened.
I picked up the last rock and held it out in front of him.
“Want me to make an exception for this one?”
“......”
“Sure.”
TAP.
I dropped it at his feet.
“Not buying this either.”
“You bastard......”
Lee Jeong-ho’s face twisted.
It was a familiar expression.
I had seen the same face three months ago.
CRASH!
He kicked the display rack.
“You bought them last time!”
Yeah.
I did.
“Quit making people go through all this trouble and calculate everything by weight.”
Even the words were exactly the same.
I could not help laughing.
“Why are you laughing?”
“No reason.”
It really was funny.
Three months ago, every one of those words had frightened me.
Now,
‘Why does he look so pathetic?’
“Hey.”
“What?”
“You.”
I looked over his equipment once more.
Then asked,
“Did you wash out?”
Lee Jeong-ho’s hand froze.
That was answer enough.
“......What?”
“I heard about it. Some Summoners can’t adapt, never obtain a Class, and wash out during the Novice stage.”
“Shut up.”
“What about Kim Hyeon-sik and Cha Hye-ryeon?”
“I said shut up.”
“Did they dump you?”
BANG!
Lee Jeong-ho slammed the counter.
“You fucking reject!”
His hand shot toward my collar.
Three months ago,
I had not even seen that hand.
By the time I realized what had happened, my body was already hanging in the air.
But now,
‘Slow.’
I could see his fingers.
His wrist.
The way his shoulder moved first.
The way his center of gravity pitched forward.
I saw all of it.
TAP.
I knocked his arm aside with the back of my hand.
“......?”
Lee Jeong-ho’s eyes widened.
He probably could not understand it.
A reject.
Had just knocked his hand away.
“You.”
I spoke.
“Remember what you said to me three months ago?”
“What the fuck are you......”
“You said a reject like me was making people go through all that trouble.”
His expression stiffened.
Apparently, he remembered.
“And.”
I stepped forward.
He reflexively tried to retreat.
Too late.
“You hit me here.”
WHAM!
My fist buried itself in his solar plexus.
“Ghuk!”
Lee Jeong-ho folded like a bow.
At that moment,
I felt strange.
Three months ago,
I had collapsed exactly like that.
I had crawled on the floor, unable to breathe, unable to do anything.
Because I had no strength.
Now it was the opposite.
“Uh......”
Lee Jeong-ho staggered and looked up at me.
There was an emotion in his eyes I had never seen before.
Fear.
The instant I saw it,
I realized just how much I had changed over the past three months.
But.
There was still one thing left.
“And lastly.”
I grabbed him by the collar.
“You did this too.”
“W-Wait......”
HEAVE.
I lifted him into the air.
Lee Jeong-ho’s eyes widened as though they might tear apart.
“I......”
A smile escaped me before I knew it.
“Hate it when people make things annoying for me.”
Then,
WHOOSH!
“Uuuuaaargh!”
CRAAASH!
Lee Jeong-ho smashed through the general store door and went flying into the street.
“......”
“Whew.”
He flew much farther than I expected.
I must have put too much strength into it.
As I headed for the doorway,
Old Man Johnson’s trembling voice came from behind me.
“......Char.”
“Yes?”
“The door.”
“......”
I looked back.
The door was gone.
“Today’s still my last day, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you can’t deduct that from my severance pay.”
“You never had severance pay in the first place!”
“Of course.”
Consistent to the very end.
I snorted and stepped outside.
Then,
my smile disappeared.
“Urgh......”
Lee Jeong-ho was staggering back to his feet.
“You...... fucker......”
His face had gone bright red.
He seemed more humiliated than hurt.
Understandably so.
People were beginning to gather around us one by one.
“What’s going on?”
“A fight?”
“They look like adventurers.”
“Aren’t they both Novices?”
Someone snickered.
“Fights between fucking weaklings are the most fun!”
......I should remember that bastard’s face for later.
“You fucking reject......”
SHING!
Lee Jeong-ho drew his greatsword.
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
“Oooooh!”
But before I looked at him, I looked at the sword in his hands.
His hands were trembling.
His breathing was ragged.
His stance was a mess.
Three months ago, that sword had terrified me.
It had felt as though one swing could cleave my body in two.
But.
‘If Master Jerik saw that......’
He would have beaten me half to death the instant he saw that stance.
-Feet!
Jerik’s voice replayed in my head.
-Watch the feet first! If you try to dodge after looking at the sword, you’re already too late!
Lee Jeong-ho’s front foot moved.
‘Here he comes.’
BANG!
He charged.
“DIIIE!”
The greatsword came down.
I did not dodge to the side.
TAP.
Half a step back.
CRAAASH!
The sword slammed into the ground right in front of me.
Fragments of stone flew.
And.
Lee Jeong-ho’s entire body was wide open.
‘Seriously.’
I stepped in.
‘He’s terrible.’
WHAM!
A left hook slammed into his jaw.
“Ghk!”
CRASH-ROLL!
Lee Jeong-ho dropped his sword and rolled across the ground.
The surroundings went silent for a moment.
Then.
“WOOOOAAAH!”
Cheers exploded.
Only then did I realize it.
This was not revenge.
It was a test.
A test to see how different
the me from three months ago
and the me now
had become.
I looked down at the fallen Lee Jeong-ho.
And for the first time,
I felt nothing when I looked at him.
I was not afraid.
I did not feel wronged.
Just.
‘Weak.’
That was all.
But apparently, the people around us did not see it that way.
“Wooooah!”
“That was awesome!”
“He looks like a Novice, but his technique’s cleaner than I expected.”
The rowdy atmosphere was exactly what you would expect from a savage world accustomed to violence.
I found myself smiling, swept up in the mood, when I suddenly noticed several gazes looking at me as though I were insignificant.
That snapped me back to my senses.
‘Am I seriously puffing myself up just because I handled one washout? In this insane world?’
The pride swelling inside me vanished at once, and my shoulders, which had begun to straighten, sank again.
‘Careful. I have to be careful.’
Then an unfamiliar voice reached my ears.
“Advance-Retreat Step. Not bad.”
I whipped around and saw a bear-like man approaching.
Blond hair, leather armor, and bulging muscles that looked ready to burst through the gaps.
But even more striking than that
was the small dragon tattoo writhing beside his right eye as though it were alive.
‘Wow. A Special Class?’
I had no idea what Grade or Level he was, but a moving mana tattoo like that was proof that he had passed one of the gates that appeared every ten floors with exceptional results.
In other words, he was a powerhouse someone without even a Class like me could not hope to contend with.
“If you had been half a beat slower stepping back and then moving in, you would have died. You know that?”
“Yes. Of course.”
That was how the technique worked.
Apparently satisfied by my answer, the man gave a faint smile.
“And you still didn’t hesitate. Good. Your form’s clean too. Around here, if you know Advance-Retreat Step like that, did you learn from Senior Jerik?”
Senior Jerik?
“Yes. My name is Go Cheol-woo, and I train at Jerik Martial Arts Hall. May I ask your name......?”
At that, the man’s expression stiffened slightly.
“Cheoru? Unusual name. A Summoner?”
“......Yes. Though I’m not affiliated with the Royal Palace.”
“A Summoner who is not affiliated with the Royal Palace? You do not look like a wash......out?”
His gaze shifted toward the punk lying behind me, and I gave a bitter smile.
“Well, they threw me out because they said I had no talent.”
“Oh, you? Those dog-eyed bastards at the Royal Palace never change.”
I immediately liked the man.
“You don’t seem like someone who would normally be in this area.”
Why would someone like him be in Area 9, the farthest outskirts, where mostly ordinary people, Novices, and at best adventurers from around the tenth floors came and went......?
“Ah. I was looking for someone. I just came from meeting Senior Jerik, actually. He said he had a Summoner trainee with fairly decent talent. Was that......?”
“What? Ah. Probably......”
-You figured out mana easily enough, but your body’s still sluggish. Can’t you do it properly?!
Considering that the first thing I remembered was Jerik shouting at me during training, the praise did not seem to fit him at all.
But that was just the kind of person he was.
“......Master seems to think well of me.”
“......I see. I like that you are reasonably modest too. Once you obtain a Class, come to Area 4 and look for the Drake Guild.”
Was this a recruitment offer?
‘I’ve heard plenty about guilds......’
Unfortunately, almost none of it had been good.
But if he had established a guild in Area 4, that meant he was an adventurer who operated around the fiftieth floors.
There was no reason to get on his bad side.
“Yes. Thank you.”
At my greeting, the bear-like man gave a slight grin and patted me on the shoulder.
“Good. Do not imprint just any Skill. Focus your training on a few. Summoners make that mistake especially often.”
That was the same thing Jerik had told me.
-It is true for us natives too, but Summoners especially have no need to imprint too many Skills. They will only become ‘waste’ in the end.
-One attack. One method of handling mana. One evasion technique. That is enough.
“I’ll remember that.”
“Good. Take care.”
“Wait, your name......?!”
“Gix. Gix of the Drake Guild.”
The man disappeared like that, but the sight of a high-grade adventurer I had met for the first time was so striking that he lingered in my vision for quite a while.
By the time I finally came back to my senses,
“Ah!”
I whipped around and saw Lee Jeong-ho completely naked.
“Wow. Shit....... They already stripped him clean?”
I had been one step too late.
‘The armor and greatsword looked like they might’ve been worth some money.’
Still, stealing even his underwear was a little much, was it not?
Looking at Lee Jeong-ho, who had quite literally been stripped of everything, even what little desire for revenge remained inside me seemed to fade away.
Of course, I still had every intention of paying back those other two bastards.
‘And those Royal Palace bastards too.’
Having finished one revenge and resolved myself toward another,
I headed back toward the martial arts hall.