Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Gotta Do What Needs Doing
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Oh.
Fifty.
Fifty billion.
"Fif... fifty billion...?"
The exact amount that had just hit my account. A hundred times what was already there.
It was a number so massive I didn't even want to bother counting the zeros.
How the hell am I supposed to earn this?
I couldn't even begin to form a plan.
Just... impossible. There was no connection whatsoever between my life and fifty billion won.
Thud.
I flopped straight onto the bed. The creaky old mattress seemed to absorb all my helplessness.
"This fucking sucks..."
There wasn't a shred of hope in my mumbling voice.
I knew how to get my original body back, but the starting line felt like the summit of Everest—no, beyond the stratosphere.
Fifty billion... fifty billion...
Those words just aimlessly floated around in my head.
How long did I lie there? I clutched my throbbing head. Maybe I should just boot up the game again.
Yeah, that was better. Overthinking it would just give me a headache without changing a damn thing. If it was impossible anyway, ignoring it was healthier for my sanity.
I listlessly rolled over and grabbed my smartphone from where I'd tossed it on the bed.
Red Archive!!!
The game character's voice filled the room.
"......"
Man, the loading was taking forever today. Normally I'd wait, but it pissed me off, so I hit the back button.
That's when the recent apps screen caught my eye.
[Pia Bank]
Balance: 50,034,340 KRW
The balance I'd checked earlier.
"Hmm."
...Come to think of it, this money came from just one antidote.
A basic antidote. The most fundamental of basics.
Fifty million for that...
The gallery was packed with countless recipes.
Potions with flashy names and bizarre effects that made my eyes spin.
The antidote I'd made was at the very bottom of that list—like a goblin from the tutorial.
Then... what if I make something even more impressive?
Higher-grade potions.
Even more money.
It was a simple conclusion.
I still had no concrete plan for scraping together fifty billion. But in my head, once filled with impossibility, a tiny spark of maybe flickered to life.
"Fuck it."
I shot up from the bed. Fresh blood surged through my veins.
"Let's do this. Yeah."
*
Normal Operations Guild hideout.
Choi Yuna sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, a satisfied smile on her face. Four guild members stood before her, their expressions complicated.
All of them had been sidelined from raids for a while due to neurotoxin aftereffects.
"Here, one bottle each."
Yuna nodded toward the small glass vials on the table.
The guild members picked up the potions filled with blue liquid, faces skeptical, but none rushed to drink.
"This... is the antidote you mentioned, Guild Leader?"
One gulped dryly as he asked.
"One bottle of this... will do it?"
This time, another stepped forward. He was once the guild's frontline tank, but half a year ago, worsening neurotoxin aftereffects had made it impossible to hold his shield properly.
They'd scoured for healers too late, missing the treatment window. No amount of money could fix it now. He'd even seriously considered retirement.
"I heard you blew an entire quarter's activity budget on this. Honestly... I can't believe it. You know regular antidotes from doctors or military medics don't work on mana-based toxins..."
"Min-cheol. Think I don't know that?"
Her sharp retort chilled the air in the hideout.
Then, one guild member who was good at observation—usually on recon—spoke up after studying Yuna closely.
"Come to think of it, Guild Leader, your complexion..."
All eyes turned to her.
Her usually pale face now had a healthy flush. More importantly, the fingers that used to tremble faintly when holding a coffee mug were rock steady.
"No way... you too, Guild Leader?"
Kang Min-cheol asked in a quivering voice. Yuna grinned and held out her hand.
"Trust my body."
It was perfectly steady, no tremor.
"Or trust my decision. Your call."
No surer proof existed.
The guild members exchanged glances. Doubt in their eyes began giving way to faint hope.
Finally, they shakily uncorked the vials. A bitter yet refreshing herbal scent wafted through the hideout.
Gulp.
Kang Min-cheol downed his first. Eyes squeezed shut, he chugged it in one go.
And moments later...
"...Huh?"
His eyes widened in shock.
He slowly raised his left hand.
The incessant spasms that had tormented him were gone, as if they'd never existed.
"Th-this..."
He clenched and unclenched his fist. Fingers that had been stiff and unresponsive moved smoothly and strongly, like before.
His eyes reddened in an instant.
"My hand... my hand's back... normal!"
His shout was the signal.
"...The headaches that dragged on for months... gone?"
"Whoa, shit. Mana flows this smoothly?"
"My legs... my legs move like they used to!"
One traced complex spell formulas in the air. Another hopped in place, reveling in his restored body.
It was the moment their hunter lives reignited.
"See? Told you."
Yuna shrugged. But the smile on her lips looked lighter than anyone's. Her gamble on the guild's future had paid off before her eyes.
"Guild Leader! Where the hell did you get these made?"
Kang Min-cheol blurted, unable to contain his excitement. All eyes focused on Yuna again.
"Told you back then. Rabbitfoot."
Yuna shrugged as if it were no big deal.
"Shy guy, so don't pry further."
"A friend? You saying one person made these? Someone that amazing... supplying our guild ongoing...?"
"Yep."
Yuna's short reply swept over the members.
Her gaze was firm—no more questions needed.
Overwhelmed by its weight, they fell silent. The unfamiliar name Rabbitfoot lingered quietly in their minds.
"Alright, time for rehab."
Yuna slipped out of the meeting room with a satisfied smile.
She pulled out her smartphone and opened a familiar chat.
[Kim Talky]
*
I'd overworked my brain.
I was about to sit at the computer for a break when my phone pinged.
Ding—
[Choi Yuna: Kim Talky, free for a quick call?]
The boss.
I hesitated, took a deep breath, then hit call.
"H-hello...?"
- Talky? You sound pissed off.
"N-no! It's not that...! Wh-what's up...?"
I overcompensated, voice louder than intended. A stifled laugh came through the receiver.
- About the potions. The guild members say thanks.
"Oh... g-good."
- More than good. So, placing our first official order.
"Or-order?"
- Yeah. For the members' safety, we need a standing stock. Can you supply 10 a week regularly? We'll handle ingredients per the contract, of course.
Ten a week.
My first official gig.
No reason to refuse. To hit fifty billion, I'd have to churn out potions anyway.
"G-got it. I'll do it."
- Great. Details when we meet. Count on you.
"Yeah..."
Call ended. I stared blankly at the dark screen, then tossed the phone on the bed.
"...Time to work."
I steeled myself and opened the door.
And faced the kitchen disaster.
Sink clogged with dried black Moonlight Herb scraps. Gas stove hosted a lone pot crusted with mystery mixtures.
The floor crunched underfoot with unidentified powders.
"Haa..."
A deep sigh escaped.
One potion had turned it into this mess. Now I'd repeat it daily.
Prep ingredients, brew, clean... Horrifying just thinking about it.
And...
I eyed the cramped kitchen.
Yellowed tiles, ancient cookware of unknown vintage.
Don't normal alchemists work in clean spaces?
Imagining potions from here going into others' mouths... felt off.
...Too late for Yuna, who'd already downed one.
"I need a proper space. Somewhere to focus on alchemy..."
Yeah. A workshop.
My own alchemy lab.