Chapter 35

The Blan Clan’s guild house.

[You have acquired Enzyme Carapace.]

[You have acquired Battle Bee Stinger.]

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Leaning back in his chair, Woojin accepted the materials and looked up. Peron and his subordinates nodded with awkward smiles.

“N-no! Luckily, the Enzyme Carapace was on the marketplace, and my men went straight out and got the stinger.”

“Good. But...”

Checking the notifications, Woojin cast a sidelong glance at them.

“One’s missing, isn’t it?”

“W-well...”

Peron faltered at his question.

“The Scales of the Earth aren’t something we can obtain.”

“Why not?”

“Well... the Scales of the Earth have a three-star acquisition difficulty. Materials rated three stars or higher can only be obtained on the central continent.”

Peron took a map out of his coat.

“If you look here, you can get the Scales of the Earth in a place called the Snowfield of Strife, in the southern central continent.”

“The Snowfield of Strife... Does that mean we have to go to Dragon Anvil?”

Dragon Anvil was a dungeon designed as the home of ancient gnomes known as the Steel Clan, populated by all sorts of mechanically engineered monsters. Its recommended level range was 55–60.

It was by no means an easy place.

“Yes. I looked into it, and apparently it’s a material you can obtain by defeating Gurtas, Dragon Anvil’s boss monster.”

“Hmm...”

Woojin frowned slightly at the answer.

'Just reaching level 50 and getting over to the central continent will take quite a while...'

“Isn’t there another way?”

“In principle, the central continent and the Dark Forest have separate marketplaces, so you can’t trade between them.”

“In principle, sure. But those traps you used came from the central continent, didn’t they?”

“W-well...”

'He really doesn’t miss a thing.'

Looking as though he had been caught out, Peron nodded.

“Haha, traps are ordinary items, you see. And they don’t have level restrictions. You can’t list them on the marketplace, but you can bring them over yourself or receive them through the mail. However...”

He glanced cautiously at Woojin before continuing.

“The Scales of the Earth are a rare material with a three-star acquisition difficulty. That makes them B-grade, so you can’t even bring them over in person.”

Although no one else was in the guild house, Peron glanced around anyway.

“But there is one way.”

He lowered his voice further.

“You buy smuggled goods.”

“Smuggled goods?”

Woojin tilted his head.

'Smuggling...?'

Peron’s words left him speechless.

“Unbelievable. Even that goes on in this game?”

“Whew... People are the same wherever you go, aren’t they? Though this isn’t a method players generally know about.”

“I don’t think that’s anything to brag about.”

“Heh. Become an expert at anything, and you can at least scrape together a living.”

Peron bowed his head as he spoke, a far cry from the swaggering man Woojin had first met.

“Have you ever heard of the Azen Trading Company?”

Pulling a chair out from under the table, Peron sat down and continued in a slightly animated voice.

“It’s a company run by the gnomes of Stonewater Harbor, in the eastern central continent.”

“I’ve heard of it. A guild made up entirely of NPCs... right?”

“That’s right.”

There were all manner of factions on the central continent. Clans and alliances naturally consisted mainly of players.

As time passed, however, players had begun taking part even in the running of the kingdoms and cities that had originally formed the game’s setting. Some completed hidden quests to enter a kingdom’s service. Others became city guards or administrators of noble estates, weaving themselves into the world.

'At this point, it’s fair to say [Evil Tale] has become a world where players, the outsiders, live alongside NPCs, the continent’s natives.'

Yet, strangely enough, the Azen Trading Company had never accepted a single player.

“That’s because Azen handles almost all the consumables traded on the central continent.”

From herbs to potions, alchemical ingredients, and magical implements... there was practically nothing they didn’t carry.

'Some people have crafting Traits, but ninety-nine percent of players are adventurers.'

A few joined factions, but they were a minority. Most players aimed to conquer the Labyrinth Tower.

It was only natural. Most people played games to experience things they couldn’t ordinarily do, like hunting and combat.

The higher their levels, the more materials and restorative items they needed, yet few people produced them.

'Since it’s a game, everyone takes buying potions at a shop for granted...'

But [Evil Tale] was no ordinary game. In some ways, it was more real than reality.

'This isn’t just about hunting and quests. It’s a world where money changes hands.'

It had nothing to do with the matter at hand, but for the first time in a while, a businessman’s keen gleam entered Woojin’s eyes.

'Maybe an opportunity to make use of this will come along...'

He knew better than anyone just how fearsome the power of a monopoly could be.

“So you’re saying Azen is involved in smuggling too?”

“Yes. The ban on trade between the Dark Forest and the central continent only applies to players.”

“How do I meet them?”

Peron waggled his eyebrows.

“Do you know Hundred Flowers Valley?”

Woojin had heard of it. It was a small village directly below the portal to the central continent.

At first, it had served as a rest stop for people traveling between the continents. But at some point, mid-level players who had failed to adjust to the central continent began gathering there.

“A place for failures who’ve graduated from the Dark Forest but can’t make a living on the central continent.”

People kicked out of raid groups for lacking skill, people who had lost their weapons to PK, even fugitives fleeing warrants...

“They’re there for all sorts of reasons, but they’ve all set foot on the central continent. They don’t have the guts to level a new character, but they still want to play, so they’ve settled there.”

People called it:

“The village of failures.”

That also made it the most secretive, clandestine place on the continent.

“But it won’t be easy. Getting to Hundred Flowers Valley is one problem, but buying smuggled goods...”

He made a circle with his thumb and forefinger.

“That takes a lot of money.”

“How much?”

“Hard to say. For a B-grade material, wouldn’t it be at least three hundred gold?”

“Th-three hundred gold?!”

Ruen cried out in shock at Peron’s answer.

Her reaction was understandable. By the time players reached level 50 in the Dark Forest and crossed to the central continent, they could usually have saved only around twenty gold at best.

“The price difference between the central continent and the Dark Forest is enormous. Unless you spend real money... it’s tough.”

“How about this?”

TAP.

Just then, Woojin took something out and set it before him.

It was a large gem Peron had never seen before.

“What is this?”

“Take a look.”

Looking bewildered, Peron examined the gem Woojin had produced.

“...!!!”

His eyes flew wide.

“Gah! H-hack!!!”

He was so startled that he choked while trying to speak, breaking into a fit of coughing.

Name: Low-Grade Dragon Mana Stone

Grade: B

Description: A gem said to be made from dragon blood. Known among mages as a gem of dreams for its ability to increase mana sensitivity.

Use Restrictions: Mage, Alchemist, Druid

▶ Increases maximum mana by 10% when consumed.

▶ If the consumer’s magic grade is below Grade 5, they can learn magic one grade higher.

▶ The magic advancement effect does not apply to mages of Grade 3 or higher.

▶ Items that increase mana sensitivity cannot be used more than once.

“An item that raises your magic grade... I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Peron spoke as he turned the [Dragon Mana Stone] over again and again in fascination.

“I’m going to sell it.”

“Whoa... Are you serious?”

Unlike Peron, who thought selling it would be a waste, Woojin had intended to sell the [Dragon Mana Stone] from the moment he took it from the storeroom.

'According to Irurin, there are plenty of things far better than this.'

As if to prove her point, the [Dragon Mana Stone] had “Low-Grade” attached to its name.

'If there’s a low-grade version, there must be a high-grade one too.'

Rather than be dazzled by immediate benefits, he could simply wait until he obtained something better.

“Peron, do you know why I let you live that day?”

“Well... Because you needed a subordinate?”

“You’re half right.”

“Haha... Then what’s the other half?”

Peron gave Woojin an awkward smile.

“Your information network.”

“... My information network?”

“Yes. Not many people based in the Dark Forest have a foothold on the central continent too. Honestly, I think highly of your abilities.”

“Haha, I wouldn’t call it ability. It’s only because I’ve been handling odd jobs for people on the central continent.”

“And? You’re not planning to rot in the Dark Forest doing odd jobs forever, are you?”

“... What?”

Peron’s gaze wavered.

After all, the reason he had accepted the contract to assassinate Woojin in the first place was to secure safe passage to the central continent, where major clans abounded.

“Are you really... asking me to join you? What makes you trust me enough... to do this?”

“I don’t trust you yet. I’m only making an offer. Now you have to prove you have the ability to deserve it.”

Woojin pointed at the [Dragon Mana Stone].

“Try selling this.”

“You’re entrusting this to me? I could run off with it, you know. I could sell it, make a new account, and start over.”

“Right. You could. But if you started over, you wouldn’t be going to the central continent with me.”

“... With you?”

Peron swallowed involuntarily at his words.

'What a strange man.'

They had met only twice, at most. And those meetings had involved a contract to kill him.

Even revenge should hardly have satisfied Woojin, yet here he was asking Peron to join him...

But it wasn’t Woojin’s magnanimity that Peron found strange.

Why did he feel he could trust a mere level 35 player’s offer to back him?

'He’s certainly strong beyond all reason, but...'

He was still only one man.

'Beating Colson was incredible, but the Genesis Corps has plenty of people stronger than him.'

Take on the central continent, teeming with clans hundreds strong, on the strength of his faith in one man?

It was plainly absurd.

And yet...

“Can I trust you?”

Peron found himself drawn into this ridiculous offer.

“That comes after you prove your worth, doesn’t it?”

“... Understood.”

Peron tucked the [Dragon Mana Stone] into his coat.

“Do you have a price in mind?”

“Why? So you can match it?”

Peron gave a faint grin.

“No. Whatever you’re expecting, I’ll get you more.”