#2. The Value of Points
The value of points. How much is a million points worth? That's all my interest was fixed on.
Even at a 1:1 rate with Korean won, it'd be a million won. A flask picked up from an elementary school science lab worth a million won? Even that much would've been insane.
Where? Where could I check? There had to be a place.
"Oh, right."
There was a tab called Point Exchange in the community menu. Logically, if points existed, there should be a function to withdraw as cash or spend them.
With trembling fingers, I tapped the tab.
[Warning: As this is a place frequented by multidimensional users, recharging or exchanging points with this dimension's currency is impossible. Points can only be exchanged for items.]
"......What?"
Cashing out to cash impossible? But the trailing phrase caught my eye. Only possible with items.
The system was this intricate—its reward system couldn't be sloppy. This place only acquired points through items. So conversely, didn't that mean points could only be exchanged for items?
Then a submenu caught my eye.
[Point Shop]
"That's right! Had to have this!"
I clicked it as if entranced.
Current Rank: F (Sprout)
Low rank limits purchasable items.
I'd expected a flashy item list, but only one slot was active. But that one made me doubt my eyes.
"What is this? Mana stones?"
A mineral serving as the source of magic power across all dimensions. The most basic form of currency.
Price: 1,000 Points
Mana stones. The most reliable, fastest item to cash in at the hunter market.
I quickly tapped the calculator in my head. Korean hunter market rates: one F-rank mana stone about 100,000 won. 1,000 points per stone. Simple math: a million points buys 1,000 F-rank mana stones.
1,000 × 100,000 won = ?
"One... hundred million?"
My jaw dropped. 100 million won. Big money I'd never touched in my life. And just a few finger taps to make it reality.
"What!? Insane! This is a total jackpot!?"
A cheer burst out involuntarily. But joy was fleeting; I scrolled for other items. Higher-grade mana stones appeared.
Prices jumped exponentially by rank. Efficiency-wise, 1,000 F-ranks was best. But I hesitated.
'Wait. Can I dump 1,000 mana stones at once?'
Impossible. F-rank production hunter like me, never near a gate, suddenly flooding the market? Hunter Association and tax agents would raid instantly. Unknown origin, illegal mining, smuggling—prime suspect material.
'Even small sales need to dodge suspicion.'
Most realistic with a million points: small batch of high-grades. Prices vary by mana content, but standards: F 100k, E 300k, D 1M, C 5M, B ~20M won.
'Million points gets... about 3 B-rank stones.'
3 × 20M = 60M won. Halving my 100M potential hurt. But 3 B-ranks? Plausible as "lucky find" or "grandpa's keepsake."
"Good, system's figured out."
Now sell something. To that forest elder's million-point pre-bid? No way.
I checked the system. Grinned.
[2 or more buyers want this item.]
[Proceed with auction?]
"Of course!"
...Auction?
1. Blind Auction (Highest Bid Wins)
2. Seller-Observed Live Auction (Chat Enabled)
I pondered, picked 2. Not just max price. Needed info on these Multidimensional Secondhand Market folks—who, why my junk. Flask wasn't vital anyway.
Soon, system alert.
[Participants: 5]
Chat opened; nicknames poured in. Wild fantasy-novel names.
Weird nicknames from fantasy novels, all for my flask.
Fiery from the start. I cleared my throat, typed.
— All Info Disclosure
— Partial Info Disclosure
Clicked partial. Sub-options:
— Item Performance Disclosure
— Origin Disclosure
...
Super granular. Picked performance.
[Item performance info revealed.]
Chat silenced briefly.
More detailed than expected. Replied casually, pro-like.
No need for "school lab trash."
Spit flying through screen. Didn't know price—let bids fly.
Chat quieted. Not pure points—add goods. Desperate one first.
Dragon Heart? Real dragon? Breath hitched. S-rank scent.
Others folded.
Settled. Dragon Heart crushed them. That potent.
Suppressed trembling smirk, typed.
"Mana stones. A few."
A-rank: 100M+ each. My level? Robbery invite.
"No, B-rank fine. Five?"
Junk? 20M junk. Dimensional tycoons.
[Items sent to inventory.]
System had new Inventory tab. Clicked item: heavy leather pouch and red-liquid vial dropped into hand.
"Whoa, fuck...? Dimensional pouch? Just gave it?"
Trembling, opened pouch. Five blue-glowing B-rank mana stones. 100M won.
"Insane... Real?"
From fuming over 10k repair fee to 100M instant. Real prize separate.
Grabbed sloshing red vial.
Red liquid sloshes.
Effect:Forcibly opens/expands body's blocked mana circuits.
Side Effect:Extreme pain possible.
Mana Circuit Activator.... Combat hunters' dream talent. Years grinding for mana path glimpse—this forced it.
Beyond money. Ticket to craved strength.
'With this...'Gulp—throat bobbed. Tempted to chug, but side effect nagged. Unprep agony death? Dumb.
'Store first. Research, then drink.'Cautiously stowed activator. Then—
"Rank up?"
Curious, reopened Point Shop. Formerly barren list refreshed. New items: Froze solid.
"No... You can buy these here??"