Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Transaction (4)
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2 AM. The parking lot of a park near the Tower.
A black sedan lurked silently in the darkened space. A man leaning against the hood exhaled a long plume of cigarette smoke.
The man was tall and lean, but what truly stood out was his straight, flowing long hair that reached his waist. The night breeze tousling his locks only sharpened his cold impression.
"Tch, making me drag myself out here at this hour because of those idiots."
He grumbled lowly while scanning the surroundings. The acrid smoke swirling in his mouth dispersed into the air.
The area around Seoul Tower buzzed even at dawn. But this spot, not far from Seoul, was eerily quiet. All the capable hunters had flocked to the well-equipped infrastructure of the city.
He checked his wristwatch. Three minutes before the appointed time.
As he reached into his pocket for another cigarette, something stirred in the darkness.
Whirr—
It wasn't the wind. A low mechanical hum, or perhaps the vibration of mana.
The man looked up.
And nearly dropped the cigarette from his lips.
"...Huh."
It was an otherworldly silhouette.
Cleaving through the dark night air came a massive greatsword.
It wasn't being carried or shouldered by anyone. It floated lightly in the air as if alive, gliding forward silently like a ghost.
Clinging to the side of that enormous slab of metal was a tiny dot.
A petite girl, no older than an elementary schooler, wrapped head to toe in a black coat and mask.
'...It's really a kid.'
He'd scoffed when his subordinates reported it.
Who would believe nonsense like "A kid's selling deep-layer mana stones" or "She uses telekinesis"?
But seeing that overwhelming greatsword defy gravity right before his eyes, the man's fingertips trembled faintly.
It was real.
The girl came to a stop. The greatsword halted in midair as if on cue.
A small voice came from behind the mask.
"...Black?"
"Ah, yes, yes. That's me."
He replied as politely as possible, masking his tension.
The girl fumbled awkwardly in her bag and pulled out a heavy pouch, thrusting it forward.
"This... and this one."
He took the pouch.
As he untied the string, a deep violet glow poured out, bizarrely illuminating his face.
He quickly activated his appraisal skill. The moment the info window appeared, his eyelids twitched.
[Deep-Layer Mana Stone (Top Grade) - Mana Density 98%]
It was in far better condition than the report suggested. No, it wasn't even comparable.
A flawless crystal without a speck of impurity. This was a gem that needed no processing.
"...Perfect."
An awed murmur escaped his lips unbidden.
But what really grated on his nerves was something else entirely. That grotesque hunk of metal floating behind the girl, emanating a menacing aura.
"Could I... appraise the sword as well?"
At his question, the girl silently thrust her index finger toward him. He instinctively hunched his shoulders, bracing for the sword to fly at him.
But silence stretched on. The greatsword didn't budge, rooted in the air.
"...?"
"...?"
An awkward air filled the parking lot.
The girl seemed flustered too, wiggling her extended finger before lightly tapping near her left shoulder.
Shhrrk.
With a soundless slide, the greatsword glided right up to his nose. Swallowing dryly, he hurriedly cast his appraisal skill.
A transparent system window floated over his retina.
[Item: Goblin Chieftain's Earth Crusher (Hero)]
The man's lips parted halfway.
An item that dropped at abysmal rates from boss mobs on floor 10 or higher. The kind major guilds would lose their minds over.
And this kid got it? Solo?
"Excellent item. No, it's almost too good. Take this first."
Steadying his pounding heart, he pulled an envelope from his pocket.
"This is the balance we owed you last time. Feel free to check."
He gestured to the thick envelope he'd handed over earlier and added,
"I've added a little extra as an apology."
"H-How much? So?"
The girl's voice quivered faintly. He recited the number as politely as he could.
"Ten million won."
"Ack, hack!"
The girl coughed like she'd choked. Her small shoulders heaved violently.
"A-Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah, yeah. F-Fine. Go on."
She waved it off, trying to compose herself, but to his eyes, her eye rims looked a bit red.
Without further delay, he popped the trunk.
He lifted out two silver 007 briefcases stowed inside.
"And these... are the advance payment."
"...?"
"One billion in cash."
"Cough, hack! Koff!"
The coughing grew louder. This time, she was really gasping for air.
Pretending not to notice, he continued.
"This is all the cash we can pull right now. If it's alright, we'd like to settle with this for today."
He gauged her reaction. A billion was a fortune, but she might not like it.
"If it's okay, we'll settle with this today. The remaining balance will be paid immediately after the final appraisal on the greatsword."
It was practically a plea.
But the girl stopped coughing and answered blankly.
"...Y-Yeah, sure."
A soulless reply, but to him, it was salvation.
The deal was done.
Exhaling in relief, he bolted to the car like he was fleeing. The engine roared to life, and the black sedan slipped into the darkness.
The engine noise faded completely, and I collapsed straight onto the ground.
"Haa, haa..."
Tension drained away, leaving my legs jelly. I yanked off the mask and gulped down the cold night air.
My mouth was parched, but I didn't care. My eyes were locked on the two bags on the ground.
With trembling hands, I carefully opened one.
Click—!
The bag sprang open with a cheerful snap.
Yellow. Nothing but yellow.
Bundles of 50,000-won bills packed tight, without a single gap.
The scent of money hit me hard.
"...Insane. This is freaking insane."
My voice shook.
A life where even a million in the bank made me tremble. And now, a billion? A billion!
This was my money?
I barely resisted the urge to cheer and roll on the asphalt.
No matter that it was dawn—if someone saw me dancing with a billion on the street, I'd be tomorrow's front-page news.
I pulled out the ten-million-won envelope from my pocket and felt it. The crisp stack prickled my fingertips. The unreal texture gave me goosebumps.
'This isn't a dream, right? No hidden camera?'
Little One hummed a cheerful tune from atop my shoulder.
Not knowing what money was, it must've been happy seeing me grin like an idiot. I ruffled its fluffy head roughly.
"Hey, we're rich. Filthy rich."
A lump rose in my throat.
No more rent worries, no more scraping for food. I could fill the cart at the mart without checking prices.
Meat, toys, clothes—anything.
"Huuup, fuu..."
I took a deep breath and pulled myself together. Time to get out of here.
I closed the bag lid. The one with a billion inside felt way heavier than expected.
"Little One, grab these."
Before I finished, Little One flicked its hand. The two bags floated up like feathers.
I pulled my hat low and readjusted my mask.
Heading home to my cramped, moldy studio felt like walking on clouds. Like a king entering his palace.
Inside the speeding luxury sedan.
The man in the back seat wouldn't stop humming.
The driver glanced via the rearview mirror and ventured carefully,
"Guild Master, you seem in high spirits."
The man chuckled shortly, gazing out the window.
"Do I? Must be showing. This deal's a jackpot. Haha."
A satisfied smile played on his lips.
The man wasn't some run-of-the-mill black market dealer.
He was Park Si-hoo, leader of the nationwide powerhouse Shadow Guild and one of Korea's top five S-rank hunters.
The black market "Black" was just one of his secret channels to monopolize rare goods and maintain intel dominance.
That's why a heavyweight like him showed up personally at 2 AM in a quiet provincial park to meet a kid.
'A hunter who can supply that quantity of deep-layer mana stones—and steadily? You could scour the world and count them on one hand.'
He tapped the Hero-grade greatsword in the back seat. A heavy thud reverberated through his fingers.
"For now, build steady trust through trades. Can't let a whale like that slip away."
Park Si-hoo's eyes gleamed in the dark. He was already plotting grand schemes in his head.
"Gotta lure her into our guild nice and slow. If talent like that goes to another major guild—especially those Dawn Guild bastards—it'll be a headache."
His sharp instincts screamed.
That mysterious little girl he'd just met would be the eye of the biggest storm to upend the hunter world.
The man sank into the plush seat, humming happily.
He'd sleep like a baby tonight.