Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Anatak's Battle Hammer
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“Wow…… there sure are a lot of fascinating items here.”
The clerk let out a hearty laugh at my words.
“Still, isn’t this the charm unique to this place? Hahaha.”
“That’s true.”
I’d been a bit startled by the explosion, but he was right.
This was the allure of the black market.
Even back when I played the game, I loved that aspect and frequented the black markets often.
Well, I stopped coming around after hitting year five.
By then, everything was familiar, so nothing surprised me anymore.
But now.
‘That book, or the robe I bought earlier…….’
Everything was full of wonders.
With a hundred years passed, plenty of new and bizarre items had been added.
“You can access this place from the other districts too, right……?”
“Oh, first time here, I take it? Yes, that’s correct. This is a mysterious market connected to every district. Each district has its own entry tickets and guides for the entrance.”
‘Same as before.’
The entrance location might have changed, but the feature of connecting to all districts remained.
That meant I’d be popping in here like it was my daily meal for a while.
‘Time to build.’
I needed to update my build to match the new items.
That spirit of exploration was an essential virtue for a true veteran.
Plus, it was a way to prepare for variables I didn’t know about.
Anyway.
“Have you seen everything you wanted?”
As I wandered the shop a bit more, the clerk asked.
He was clearly hoping I’d buy something soon.
The problem was, the item I wanted wasn’t here.
When I told him that, he kindly asked back.
“Oh, what might you be looking for?”
“I’m looking for [Anatak’s Battle Hammer].”
He flinched.
The clerk, who’d been listening quietly, asked in surprise.
“[Anatak’s Battle Hammer]…… you mean?”
“Yes.”
Then he bowed at the waist.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were such a VIP customer and treated you poorly. I should have served you properly…….”
He seemed bothered by his earlier casual demeanor.
Fair enough, considering the antics VIPs in the black market could pull.
I waved it off to reassure him it was fine.
“Ah…… no, no. You treated me plenty well. Honestly, it was refreshing not to feel burdened.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
VIP, huh……
The item I wanted to buy must be pricey indeed.
Just mentioning I was looking for it had changed his attitude completely.
No wonder, at around 50 million won in value.
“So, do you have the item I’m looking for?”
“Oh, of course. Please follow me.”
Thud, thud.
The clerk strode ahead, his polished shoes clicking properly.
He stopped in front of an iron door and pressed a button beside it.
An elevator—the first I’d ride in this world.
‘Powered by mana, right?’
Whatever the method, it was fascinating.
Mana communicators that looked like smartphones, this elevator right here—lots of things similar to my old world.
‘People are the same everywhere.’
With that thought, I stepped into the elevator.
Ding.
The clerk naturally pressed the button for the second floor.
“We’re going up?”
“Yes. The top-grade items are managed separately on the second floor.”
“I see.”
This place was clearly one of the top luxury shops in the black market.
The first floor had impressive items already, and there were even better ones.
“……Hold on. Top-grade items? So only better stuff than the first floor?”
“Yes? ……Ah, yes, that’s right.”
“Then the prices are higher too?”
“Yes, usually at least double. Is there a problem……?”
The clerk asked with a worried look, but I barely heard the rest.
My mind was consumed by one thought.
The most expensive item on the first floor.
That ring costing a whopping 10,000 gold.
‘Why was something like that on the first floor……?’
Two possibilities came to mind immediately.
Either it had serious flaws and got demoted to the first floor.
Or……
Everything on the second floor was far pricier than that ring.
Ding.
I’d know the answer soon enough.
“Please step out.”
The elevator doors opened on the second floor, and the clerk walked ahead briskly.
I followed right away, quickly scanning the price tags on the nearby items.
Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets—accessories first.
Then armor, guards, helmets, weapons—equipment.
And coats, cloaks, scarves—clothing.
I checked them all……
‘This is bad.’
Everything started at a minimum of 20,000 gold.
An absurd amount for me, with barely 5,000 gold to my name.
“[Anatak’s Battle Hammer] is this way.”
Oblivious to my suffocating shock, the clerk smiled kindly and guided me.
“……Ah, yes.”
I followed him for now.
No way I’d leave after coming this far.
I needed to see it with my own eyes first.
And.
“Haha, hahaha…….”
I ended up confirming it.
30,000 gold.
A price nearing 300 million won.
And at 30,000 gold, it was the most expensive item on this second floor.
“Haha, impressive, isn’t it? You’re lucky, sir. We were planning to send it to auction next month.”
“……W-Wasn’t this originally 5,000 gold?”
I stammered in shock, and the clerk replied.
“Ah, it was, but it was recently upgraded to top-grade, so the price went up.”
“Upgraded? How…….”
“Because its hidden abilities were just discovered. Oh, you didn’t know?”
“……No.”
My response came out deflated without me realizing.
And rightly so.
Who could’ve guessed the price would jump after I psyched myself up to buy it?
Or maybe.
-You know how much that costs when you say that?
……Barundel might have known.
That could explain why he got mad.
“Whew…….”
Either way, the situation was dire.
I’d come to gift Barundel a new weapon, but now I’d have to return empty-handed.
And I couldn’t blame anyone.
This was all my own doing, my own mistake.
‘Damn it. Who could’ve known? A 5,000-gold item turning into 30,000!’
Feeling a bit indignant, I asked the clerk.
“What kind of effect made the price skyrocket? How did it get top-grade rating?”
“Oh dear…… you really didn’t know anything.”
Realizing he couldn’t sell it, the clerk shook his head regretfully and said.
“The upgrade conditions for [Anatak’s Large Axe] were just revealed.”
Upgrade conditions.
That meant one thing.
“……So [Anatak’s Large Axe] is a growth-type artifact?”
That this axe was a growth artifact, potentially reaching mythic grade.
At that absurd revelation, the clerk nodded in affirmation.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“……Hah.”
If true, the price hike made perfect sense.
Mythic artifacts were impossible to obtain no matter how much you had.
Pricing it at 30,000 gold now……
“It hasn’t grown yet.”
“Correct.”
Even with conditions known, no one had managed it.
If it had, it wouldn’t be available for a mere 30,000 gold.
Naturally, curiosity sparked.
What condition could prevent anyone from upgrading it?
The clerk answered.
“You have to kill 10,000 demons.”
“Ah…….”
A whopping 10,000 demons.
Hearing it, I could see why no one succeeded.
‘10,000…… that’ll take ages.’
Last two weeks, sweating blood, we’d caught just a few hundred combined.
Even that, split among four of us.
Individually, maybe a hundred if I stretched it.
10,000 solo? No one would try.
That’s why it was still for sale here.
But.
‘……Tempting.’
No one attempting it felt like an opportunity to me.
A chance to arm Barundel with end-game gear.
10,000 demons wasn’t a big deal.
I’d hit it eventually with steady hunting.
Plus, its base stats and effects were solid now.
Not a legendary artifact for nothing.
Just.
‘30,000 gold…… that’s insane.’
The price was the issue.
30,000 gold wasn’t pocket change.
Without backing from some tycoon noble, it was near impossible.
‘Fighting Baal might be faster…….’
Not a joke—dead serious.
Even maxing my rank-one zombie swordsman, I’d never scraped over 10,000 gold.
Inflation since then aside……
30,000 was still ridiculous.
One piece of gear was one thing.
But with Barundel’s weapon plus the rest of the party’s equipment, it was a mountain.
“No installments?”
“Pardon?”
“Like 120 months interest-free…….”
“…….”
The clerk stared at me like I was insane.
Yeah, no dice.
“Then rental…….”
“……Sir, how could we rent something like this? How would we even price the rental fee?”
“…….”
Fair point.
Rental itself was iffy, let alone pricing.
Over 1,000 gold a month? That’s 12,000 a year.
And if it broke during use…… the debt would balloon.
“Honestly, from our side, we’d love to lend it out. It’s been a headache to sell.”
“Oh, really.”
Right, he’d said auction next month.
A hard-to-grow artifact might fetch less than 30,000 at auction.
They wanted it off their hands quick, even at that.
Then.
“Wait, how about this?”
A decent idea hit me.
“No monthly fee, just a long-term rental. Say, five years?”
“What? Why would we agree to that…….”
“In exchange, I’ll return it fully grown to mythic grade.”
“Pardon?”
The thought of borrowing [Anatak’s Battle Hammer] for free.
Under very plausible terms.