“Ayayayayaya, let go of me!” -Grrrrr.
The red-haired girl cried out sharply. However, my loyal subject (?), Ppori, showed no intention of letting go. This was an incredibly baffling situation.
I hadn't felt any presence at all, yet the girl was already within arm's reach. And on top of that, she was invisible.
‘Was Stealth always such a common skill?’
No. According to Dr. Jin, there were fewer than ten Hunters in the country who could use the Stealth skill. An advanced technique only possible for the highest-ranking Espers. Yet both Ppori and this girl before my eyes possessed the Stealth skill.
Ppori even had the ability to detect another's Stealth. At this point, I was the one who felt incompetent. This girl must be an Esper-type, right?
A pretty strong one, at that. I activated the Black Ether in my body to its fullest and glared at her. I had to be careful, not knowing what tricks she might pull.
“Let go! I said let go!” -Grr!
“...?”
Hmm.
Something was strange. For a skilled Esper, she was too clumsy. No, pathetic would be a more fitting word.
Her expression was venomous, but tears were already welling up in her eyes. How much could it hurt for Ppori, who was barely a handful in size, to bite her neck? But she was visibly flustered.
She was feeling immense fear from Ppori's attack (?), which was at most a slight sting.
‘Oho.’
Is she the type to panic when her Stealth is discovered? Or is she the type who can't do anything besides Stealth? It had to be one or the other, or perhaps both.
Just in case she tried to activate Stealth again, I grabbed the girl's arm.
“That’s enough. You can let go now.” -Kku?
Hearing my words, Ppori returned to his usual resting spot on my shoulder.
“Good job. Very well done.” -Kkuwang!
Pleased with the praise, Ppori rubbed his face against my shoulder.
“W-What are you people...!”
The girl struggled, her face filled with terror. But no matter how much she strained her arm, there was no way a girl of her caliber could overcome my grip, which had reached the level of D-rank physical body.
“That’s what I’d like to ask.”
I looked down at her face carefully. She had a prim and cute face. No, considering she had no makeup on, she was a rare beauty.
If not for the horrific scar running across one of her lips. Her clothes were as shabby as mine, and the gray vest she wore had a great number of pockets.
“Why were you using Stealth to spy on me?”
I had anticipated some level of danger lurking in the black market. But actually meeting someone who was targeting me made me tense up automatically.
“It hurts. I’ll tell you if you let go.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“I won't lie. If I use Stealth, that damn thing will bite me again.”
She's pretty smart. I complied with her request and let go of her hand.
“Let’s start with names. I’m Cheon Hae-seon.”
“... It's Bi-soo.”
“Bi-soo? Is that your name?”
“No one uses their real name to do business here. I have a real name, too.”
“Ah.”
So I should probably make up an alias too.
“Alright. Bi-soo. What was the reason for lurking around me?”
Bi-soo let out a sigh and answered as if spitting out the words.
“Hey. Why do you think a pickpocket hangs around? To grab something and run, of course.”
A pickpocket.
To think she uses an advanced skill like Stealth for mere pickpocketing. Wasn't it too trivial a job for the ability she possessed?
“And you failed spectacularly?”
“Damn it... Fine. You got me. For your information, I’ve snatched over a thousand items here. I only got caught because of that damn monster; I’ve never been caught before.”
That was probably true. Even with my heightened senses, I hadn't felt her presence at all. If it weren’t for Ppori, I might have been a victim myself.
“I watched you two for two hours. At first, I thought you were some rookie Hunter who wandered in out of curiosity. And that thing you’re holding.”
Her finger pointed to the black plastic bag.
“Who comes to do business in the black market with such flimsy packaging? I was sure it had to be something worthless.”
Ah.
To think this black plastic bag would trigger such a safety feature. I glanced at Ppori with a ‘Really?’ look, and he nodded as if to say, ‘Of course!’ My face grew hot.
“But as time went on, my thoughts began to change. You clearly looked like someone who came to sell something, but the fact you couldn’t find a shop for over two hours was significant. This isn't a department store for window shopping, you know?”
Had she forgotten that she was caught spying? She had a look of self-admiration, quite engrossed in her own deductions.
“I came to the conclusion that the item you have might be a rare species that can only be traded in a secret area.”
“A secret area...!”
Indeed.
Bi-soo’s explanation cleared up most of the questions I had. So this place was just for show, and the ‘real’ market was somewhere else. If she hadn't told me, I would have wasted the whole day for nothing.
I was at the point where I felt grateful she had spied on me.
“Your deduction is correct. This bag contains a Copper Eternal Flower.”
“What???”
Bi-soo’s cold eyes instantly doubled in size.
“Wh-… Isn’t this guy a complete psycho? Who carries a Copper Eternal Flower in such a shabby bag? You must be completely... wait.”
She stopped her muttering and said with a great sense of pride.
“See, I wasn’t wrong. I knew there had to be something amazing in there. Hehe.”
I found her strange, and she seemed to find me strange. It was that kind of situation. Bi-soo dusted off her palms and bowed to me.
“Sorry for trying to snatch it. But as you know, this is the black market, so there are no police. This is a place where the one who gets robbed is at fault. Just think of it as stepping in shit. Bye.”
“Don’t give me that ‘bye’ nonsense.”
Strange is strange. She had to pay the price for daring to target my belongings. Where did she think she was sneaking off to?
“What, you gonna report me to the police or something?”
“No. You said there’s nowhere to report it. I’m thinking of making you pay for your sin in another way.”
“Pay for my sin... Don’t tell me you’re going to have that thing bite me again?” -Kku?
Bi-soo grits her teeth and glares at Ppori. Now, this was the time to bluff. Let's hope she's gullible.
I turned back the clock to the day before my Awakening. I had to recall the expression of the doctor back then, who delivered my terminal diagnosis with an indifferent face.
“You'd be lucky if it just bit you. You’re going to die soon.”
I said it calmly, mimicking the doctor's expression and tone from that day.
“W-What… did you say?”
“As you’ve felt, this creature is no ordinary monster. It can use Stealth on its own, and the fact that it can detect another’s Stealth says it all. Besides... this thing is a Poison-type.”
“Poison!!”
Bi-soo let out a sound that was close to a scream. Look at this. She was far more gullible than I had expected.
“You know about Poison-type Monsters, right? Without powerful healing, it's common to die within minutes. Seeing as you used Stealth, you seem to be an Awakened, but even so, you won’t last more than a few hours.”
“Lies... Don’t lie to me!”
“Go ahead and die screaming that, then. Isn’t the part where you were bitten itchy? That’s one of the symptoms of poisoning from a Poison-type Monster.”
Bi-soo’s face turned pale. Lies, after all, shine brightest when mixed with a bit of truth. Getting bitten by Ppori was itchy, but it didn't inject any harmful substances into the human body.
But it seemed she already perceived herself as a terminally ill patient.
“I... I don’t want to die like this! You’re going to kill someone just for one pickpocketing attempt? You vicious bastard!”
Seeing her teary eyes, my heart began to soften. I felt a bit sorry, but I couldn't stop here either.
“You said it yourself. Here, the one who gets their things stolen is at fault. It shouldn't be any different if the stolen item was a ‘life,’ right?”
“You... son of a bitch...!!”
“So cooperate. If you take me to a place where I can trade this Copper Eternal Flower, I will heal your poison.”
“Heal? You’re saying you can save me?”
“Of course. I happen to be a healer, you see.”
To be precise, a healer ‘applicant’. But what does she know?
Haha.
“Choose. Either die within a few hours, or guide me to a place where I can trade the Copper Eternal Flower. But it has to be a reliable dealer.”
“Can I... really live? For sure?”
A single tear fell from Bi-soo’s eye. Why is a pickpocket in the black market so soft-hearted?
Then again.
Not just in the black market, but anywhere in the world, there aren't many people who can remain calm in the face of death.
“Yes. All I need is to sell the Copper Eternal Flower for a fair price. I have no hobby of killing people.”
“... Dammit.”
She bit her lip and hesitated for a long time. Her face was pale as a sheet a moment ago, so what was she hesitating about?
“I really hate going to Father...”
“Father?”
Just mentioning ‘Father’ made her complexion turn deathly pale. Seeing her fear-drenched face made me gulp.
“He’s the boss of the traders I belong to. Everyone here calls him Father.”
“That’s a unique title. Is he a trustworthy person?”
“Yeah. When it comes to deals, Father is as sharp as a knife. But if you lie... there's no mercy.”
Bi-soo subconsciously fiddled with her scar.
“Ha. Today’s just my unlucky day. Follow me. I may be a low-level grunt there, but I can at least help you get in.”
“That’s good to hear. Let's go.”
“... Aren't you going to give me the antidote? I accepted your proposal.”
Bi-soo asked me, cautiously gauging my reaction. Seeing her so transparent, I couldn't help but burst into laughter.
“Hahaha. Have you been in business for only a day or two? Your cure comes after the deal is completely finished.”
“... Son of a bitch.”
If the market we were just in was the ‘hopeful side’ of the black market, then the place I had now arrived at could well be called the perfect ‘despairful side.’ After following Bi-soo here and there, I was finally able to meet the man called ‘Father.’
“Chomp chomp. Sluuurp.”
The place where a king would hold court with his subjects. The structure was similar to the royal audience hall from the Joseon Dynasty I had seen in pictures. The difference was that the lighting and interior decorations were incredibly dark and gloomy.
On a chair that could only be reached after climbing a long flight of stairs, ‘Father’ was joyfully chewing on something.
‘That guy...’
Even at a glance, he was a man far from ordinary. Long, curly hair that fell to his shoulders, with thick, dark features. Beneath the vest made of animal hide, muscles that looked ready to burst were settled.
His overall style was similar to Gu Geon-yi of the Glory Guild, but his shoulders seemed half as broad. Considering his seated height, he had to be at least 2m tall.
“Chomp chomp.”
However, there was a more primal stimulus I felt beyond his appearance. The meat that ‘Father’ was tearing into. It did not have the scent of any meat from this world.
While the scent of meat varies by species, the fundamentals are largely the same. But what ‘Father’ was eating lacked those ‘fundamentals.’ What the man was eating was, surprisingly, monster meat.
Fuck.
Why would he eat something like that. No, was that even edible?
“I hear my little cat brought a guest?”
After finishing the meat, ‘Father’ sucked his fingers clean. His appearance, his actions, everything about him felt raw. At ‘Father’s’ call, Bi-soo flinched.
Then, pretending as if nothing was wrong, she answered in a bright voice.
“Yes. Father. Hehe. I recognized a person of importance at a glance and brought him right over!”
What’s all this talk from someone who was trying to pick my pockets? I glanced at Bi-soo but didn’t provoke her any further. Although she was smiling on the outside, a deep fear was settled in her pupils.
“Alright, punk. What's in that little bag that looks like it should be holding ice cream?”
‘Father’ looked down at me while picking meat from between his teeth.
His gaze, his actions, he was a man far from clean. This is what a human would be like if thrown into the jungle from a young age. But what did it matter?
All I needed was to trade the item in my hand.
“I came to trade a Copper Eternal Flower.”
“Oh...!”
‘Father’s’ expression changed slightly, strangely.
He seemed to be thinking, ‘Well, look at this one.’
“A Copper Eternal Flower. How did a punk like you get something that can only be found in a Poison Dungeon?”
“That’s none of your business. How much will you give me for it?”
“Hm? Wahahahahahahaha!!”
His voice echoed thunderously in all directions. It didn't seem like he intentionally imbued it with a special energy like Gu Geon-yi, but his voice was overwhelmingly loud.
“Punk. This damn area has its own set of rules.”
“... You’re not going to say you won't trade because it's stolen goods, are you?”
“Ooh. Of course not. Here, the one who gets robbed is at fault.”
He was saying the same thing as Bi-soo.
“However, since the source of a Copper Eternal Flower is limited, a certain verification is needed. If it’s from the fucking Hunter Association, the cleanup is a real pain in the ass.”
In short, it was an item more troublesome than something stolen or robbed. Dr. Jin was right that besides the black market, the only place to find rare herbs was the Hunter Association.
“Verification?”
Tap.
As if in answer to my question, ‘Father’ snapped his fingers. -Grrrrrrr... Then, a chilling growl came from behind me.
“Kyaaak...!”
After confirming its presence, Bi-soo fled in a panic.
‘This one is...’
A beast with a powerful-looking jaw. However, it was a familiar monster to me. It was a Polluted Hyena.
“Wahahaha. This is to verify if you really got the Copper Eternal Flower from a dungeon. Right here, right now.”
If you have the skill, kill the hyena; if not, you die on the spot.
‘Father’s’ verification was simple yet cruel.
Did he want to see a terrified expression on my face?
‘Father’ slowly descended the stairs.
I gave him a cynical smile.
“I figured it wouldn’t be a friendly method.”
“Hm?”
At my unexpected reaction, ‘Father’s’ expression changed once more. I had already fully activated my Black Ether on the way here. A Poison-type Monster might be a disaster for most, but not for me.
And as it happened, wasn't this one an old acquaintance? -Grrrrrrr... Just like the one I saw before, it scraped its front paw as if starting its engine. There was no need to give it time to leap.
Holding the dagger-form Exa in my hand, I instantly moved behind the hyena.
Paaat- “Oh...”
With a short gasp from ‘Father’, I slashed the hyena’s rump with my blade. -Krawraak! The hyena let out a scream and leaped into the air. And soon after, it collapsed like a straw doll.
It was a somewhat anticlimactic end, but no monster could survive being cut by Exa’s black blade. In fact, one could say this one had lasted quite a while. The hyena, which had been twitching intermittently, breathed its last within a few seconds.
“Whoa...”
Bi-soo let out a voice full of admiration. She looked at me with eyes full of newfound respect. I turned away from her gaze and faced ‘Father’.
Cut the ridiculous verification and let’s get to business, Father.
“The Copper Eternal Flower. How much will you give me for it.”