Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: You, Me, They
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"H-Hey, is that really a cigarette?"
A man gulped nervously as he asked.
"What, you think it's fake? If your eyes work right, just check the item info on my stall."
The man muttered "Item info" with trembling eyes.
Power Light Cigarette (x1) - 50pt Description: A cigarette sold at Earth's convenience stores. Effect: Nicotine activates, improving your mood. "Oh my god! This is a real Earth cigarette!! But the price... you crazy bastard! 50pt for one smoke? That's enough for fifty loaves of bread!"
"If you can't afford it, don't buy. I wasn't planning on selling to beggars like you anyway."
I snorted and pulled out a cigarette, sticking it in my mouth. I lit it with my lighter and took a deep drag.
A puff of white smoke billowed out with a whoosh, tainting the tower's pristine air as it spread. The summoners watching had eyes gleaming with greed. They were on the verge of losing all reason.
In the end, the first to crack was the guy who'd swallowed hard earlier.
"Um... j-just one..."
"Points first."
I held out my hand. With shaking fingers, he fiddled with his tablet and sent me 50pt.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Received 50pt from 'Yellow Teeth'. (No fees) I confirmed the points and accepted the sale. A cigarette materialized in his hand. He cradled it like a holy relic and frantically lit it up.
The moment he took his first drag, an ecstatic expression bloomed on his face.
"Kuhaha...! This is it! This exact taste...!"
His reaction was the best advertisement possible. The other summoners rushed me all at once.
"Gimme a pack too!"
"How much for chocolate?"
"Here's 100pt! Two cigarettes!"
In an instant, my stall was swarmed. I checked the influx of points with a satisfied smile. This was the power of monopoly. Endless demand, one sole supplier. The price was whatever I called it.
The female summoners nearly burst into tears at the sight of the sanitary pads. Forgetting their shame, they begged me with points in hand. I winked at them, bundling contraceptives as a discounted set—never missing a sales trick.
"Who knows what'll happen in this tower? Better prepare ahead."
In under an hour, most of the modern goods on my stall were sold out. My points shot past 15,000pt. Satisfied with the tidy profit, I packed up.
Selling in bulk was for amateurs.
You had to control supply to keep prices high forever.
Humans are weak to desire. That's why those who control desire rule everything.
With my massive points from the gouging, I advertised another stall in two days, then headed straight out of the village without hesitation.
My next stop: the site for the quest from Ariel. The Spring of the Corrupted Spirit.
I opened my tablet to check the quest details again.
📜 QUEST: PURIFY THE SPRING OF THE CORRUPTED SPIRIT 📜 Goal: Find and eliminate the source corrupting the 'Spring of the Corrupted Spirit' deep in the 1st floor forest, then purify the spring.
🎁 Reward: 20,000 EXP, Spirit's Tear x1
Spirit's Tear Description: Tears shed by cute spirits. Hard to come by. Effect: Permanently increases Intelligence by 3 (one-time use). Warning: Monsters in the area are extremely ferocious due to the spring's corrupting energy. Nice reward. 20k EXP—how many levels is that?
I hummed as I strolled through the forest path.
But soon, I sensed multiple footsteps trailing me from behind. A quick glance back revealed five or six rough-looking guys keeping their distance.
Customers already.
I clocked their intent instantly. Hyenas after the fat stack of points I'd made at the black market.
Any normal summoner would've panicked, fled, or tried talking it out. Not me.
Perfect timing.
I needed to fill today's kill quota anyway. No reason to turn away prey walking right to me. Plus, thanks to my contract with the demon Fellios, killing these guys today netted 50% bonus points.
But fighting head-on was for idiots. I scanned the terrain. Jackpot—a goblin den nearby, their frequent haunt. The ideal stage.
I slowed my pace to make it easy for them, luring them toward the den. Then, faking a stumble, I let out a loud scream.
"Gahk!"
Falling for my act, the thugs finally showed their true colors.
"Hey. Let's talk for a sec."
The leader smirked sleazily as they surrounded me.
First, check their levels.
I activated Third Eye (C-). But this time, not on a single target—on the whole group.
Target: Ambusher Group Avg. Level 3~4 (Min Lv. 2, Max Lv. 5) As expected.
Third Eye gives different results based on what you target and ask.
"What do you want?"
"What do we want? Hand over all your points and items nice and easy, and we'll let you live."
I burst out laughing at that.
"Puhaha! Did I hear that right? You worthless shits think you can rob me?"
My mockery twisted their faces in rage.
"This fucker wants to die!"
"Kill him!"
They charged with weapons drawn. Instead of meeting them, I drew my new long sword, rolled aside to dodge, and bolted into the forest.
"Nyahaha~! Catch me if you can, you braindead fuckwits!!"
"Shit! He's running—get him!"
Why the hell would I fight you fair and square?
One-on-one, sure, I'd smear them honorably. But a gang? I had plans.
Oh, there they are.
They hadn't noticed, too focused on me.
The 1st floor 'forest' was prime goblin territory. And near a high-difficulty quest start, they swarmed in numbers.
And I had backup.
Achievement: Goblin Slayer Effect: Goblins feel fear toward you. No more preemptive goblin attacks. I spotted dozens of goblins huddled together and waved cheerfully.
"Heya! Let's be friends!"
Sure enough, they flinched and backed off at the sight of me. I dashed past them into the opposite woods.
"Yo, what about those things?"
"What about 'em? Chase him! Those goblins look like total pushovers!"
The ambushers tried barreling through the goblin pack just like I had.
Krurrk?
Kieeeek!
But unlike with me—whom they let pass in terror—the goblins went berserk on my pursuers.
"Gaaah! Why the fuck aren't these goblin bastards attacking him?!"
In seconds, the battlefield turned into a chaotic three-way brawl: me, the thugs, and the goblins. The perfect You-Me-They setup.
"Man, no popcorn?"
I sat back at a safe distance, munching caramel popcorn from my inventory, enjoying the ambushers' desperate fight for survival like a mad movie.
"Anyone wins, I don't care~! Winner's my buddy~!"
"That fucking guy!"
"Argh! Watch the front! Front!"
Truly, small-fry scraps were the most entertaining.
But these ambushers weren't total noobs; despite injuries, no deaths yet, and they were thinning the goblin numbers impressively.
"Whoa, needs a balance patch bad."
Too bad—no GM here. Game over.
Time to even the odds myself.
"Lord, incoming!"
(For the record, I wasn't religious.)
In the gap of a goblin attack, slash—sword through the throat!
The new blade was sharp; head rolls clean off!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Day 3 daily kill quota achieved. Quest Reward: 50% point gain buff active until midnight. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ Summoner 'Hyeong-cheol' defeated. 530pt acquired. Killed a summoner with 10+ stat difference. Random stat +1. Agility +1 "This new gear slaps."
"Hyeong-cheol!"
"Don't worry, you'll join him soon."
The goblins, grasping I was helping, ramped up their aggression.
As their numbers dwindled and they gained the edge, the ambushers took wounds more often.
Of course, the finishing blows were mine.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Summoner 'Man-deok' defeated. 600pt acquired. Killed a summoner with 10+ stat difference. Random stat +1. Agility +1 ⚔ STATUS ⚔ Summoner 'Ha-song' defeated. 370pt acquired. Killed a summoner with 10+ stat difference. Random stat +1. Strength +1 Kya~ Sweet as candy.