Chapter 225
Chapter 225
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 225
Chapter Title: My Little Brother (3)
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My heart pounded wildly.
‘…I endured so fiercely for this day.’
A year ago, the first time he tasted the thrill of the mystery box, he was tormented by an intense temptation.
But Yuri held back and persevered.
All for this very day!
Yuri’s golden eyes gleamed as he slammed his hand down on the bar table.
Thud-!
“Come on, pull it out already! The perfectly aged 50th mystery box!”
From January 1st to December 31st of last year.
A box containing sales slips from every item sold in the special editions and limited releases.
Seeing Yuri huffing and puffing like a bull, Coco let out a sigh.
“…You’re really going all in, huh.”
In the history of the Cradle, Yuri wasn’t the first to try proxy draws.
But dragging in a first-year rookie for it? She’d bet her life this was the first time.
And the reason was crystal clear.
‘It’s because of the Elixir.’
The only one who knew the Elixir was in this 50th box.
That’s why he was striking first, before anyone else could snag it.
Coco asked with a sullen look.
“How much are you planning to draw?”
Yuri answered firmly.
“All my assets.”
“…And how much is that?”
“Roughly 200 million points? I spent about 15 million earlier, so I’ve got a solid 180 million left, right?”
The moment he heard that, a gasp escaped Coco’s lips.
“Oh my god, you’re insane…….”
200 million points.
No single cohort member could amass that in just one year.
Well, it was possible.
But only in the higher years, where quest rewards ballooned in size.
A first-year scraping together 200 million points in one year?
She’d swear it was damn near impossible.
And yet, here was the guy who’d pulled it off.
‘Incredible… what a ruthless bastard.’
As far as Coco knew, Yuri hadn’t lost top score even once over the past year.
He’d also used the special sales more diligently than anyone.
And still, only 200 million points.
“What kind of life have you been living all this time?”
How does a first-year even accumulate 200 million points in a year?
Coco desperately wanted to document this for the record.
Ignoring her shock, Yuri clamped down hard on Moochi’s shoulder.
“…My entire fortune, like my very life, I entrust to you.”
“Uh?”
“So you stake your life on it too.”
“S-Stake my life?”
He had no idea what was going on, but did this really warrant risking his neck?
Moochi blinked and tried to slip away, but Yuri’s grip on his shoulder tightened even more.
“What happens to the crystallization of my blood and sweat from the past year… it all rests in your hands.”
“W-Why me? You could just do it yourself, bro…….”
“Tsk!”
“Or the senior could……?”
At that, Yuri glanced at Coco and asked.
“How much for a second-year to draw once?”
“Five million points.”
Hearing that, Yuri turned back to Moochi.
“Got it? It’s five million if I draw, one million if you do.”
“T-That’s a big difference.”
“Yeah, so you gotta draw, right?”
“Yeah, but…….”
“Of course, it’s not just about drawing.”
“Huh? Th-Then what?”
“Do it well.”
Yuri’s low voice rumbled softly.
“Reeeally, reeaaally, reeaaally, reeaaally weeeell!”
His already deep tone dropped even lower, creating a terrifying atmosphere.
The fierce glint in his flashing eyes only amplified it.
“Unless you want to go straight from joining the Cradle to a coffin… do it right.”
Seeing the madness in Yuri’s eyes, Moochi’s face drained of color.
‘S-Scary…….’
This wasn’t the reunion with Yuri he’d dreamed of.
A reunion after skipping a year.
A time to compare their honed efforts, and such.
He’d hoped for something heartwarming……
‘Something’s seriously wrong here!’
This situation was way off from his wishes.
As Moochi’s face crumpled into a pout,
Clack-.
“Here you go.”
Coco, exhaling a puff of cigarette smoke— whoosh— placed the box marked with the number 50 on the table.
Yuri’s eyes lit up with ecstasy at the sight.
‘I knew it’d be here!’
There was only one mystery box across all the special shops for every cohort year.
Yuri had figured it had to be in Coco’s shop, and his hunch was spot on.
Plus, the fact that it was here meant……
‘We’re the first to open it!’
No one had tried drawing yet.
Which meant the Elixir was still inside.
Huff, huff—.
Yuri’s breathing grew even rougher.
“Alright, let’s start.”
He shoved the mystery box toward Moochi.
Under the intense pressure of Yuri’s gaze urging him to hurry, Moochi squeezed his eyes shut, plunged his hand into the box, and stirred it around wildly.
Yuri and even Coco watched with keen interest.
And then.
Gulp-.
Moochi swallowed dryly.
Rustle-.
The first slip of paper emerged in his hand.
Yuri snatched it and unfolded it in one motion.
Moochi cautiously asked after reading the text.
“T-Ten thousand points?! That’s good, right? Right?!”
Moochi’s expression brightened a bit.
Meanwhile, Yuri’s hand holding the paper trembled.
-Lecture Application 10,000P
Yuri smiled thinly and said.
“Yeah, it’s great.”
“G-Good…….”
“With that, the lid on your coffin just popped open. Perfect.”
“…….”
“Hey, you thick-headed idiot! Didn’t I say each draw costs me a million? And you pull a measly 10k one and ask if it’s good? Fuck—!”
“Eek!”
Moochi tucked his head like a turtle, cradling it with both hands.
Yuri glared and hammered it home.
“Do it right, damn it! Got it?!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Next!”
“N-Next!”
Frozen stiff, Moochi reached into the box again.
Another folded slip came out.
Seeing it, Yuri shouted.
“Follow my lead and unfold it. Come on something good, ya!”
“C-Come on something good, ya!”
Moochi unfolded it with crisp motions.
-Lecture Application 10,000P
“…….”
Having seen the forbidden words, Moochi quietly refolded the paper.
But Yuri wasn’t one to miss the meaning.
He smiled and said.
“…Next.”
Moochi’s face paled at the low rumble.
‘S-Scary…….’
Yuri’s mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren’t.
Just a cold shadow hiding a blue-tinged killing intent.
Seeing it, Moochi prayed.
‘P-Please, something good!’
He might actually get murdered at this rate.
He had to pull something big to make up for it.
‘Please!’
Desperately wishing, he drew and unfolded the next one.
“Ah!”
Moochi’s face lit up.
-Low-Grade Mana Enhancement Potion 2,500,000P
“An expensive one!”
A whopping 2.5 million points.
Enough to cover the losses so far and leave 470k profit.
But Yuri’s stony expression didn’t soften.
“Moochi.”
“Yeah?”
“We’ve only done three. About 180 left… you wanna kill me drawing like this today?”
“N-No…….”
“Then hurry the hell up!”
“…Yes, sir.”
Moochi, deflated, reached in again, picking up the pace.
You could tell what he drew from his expression alone.
“Ow!”
“…….”
“Ow…….”
“…….”
“Uwaaaah!”
“…….”
“Uh…….”
If it topped a million points, his face beamed.
Below that, he’d sulk and eye Yuri nervously.
After about 25 draws.
Yuri checked what Moochi had pulled.
‘Roughly 20 million points worth…….’
Spent 25 million, recovered 20 million.
Catastrophic losses.
Even that was thanks to a mid-draw 10-million-point high-grade potion; otherwise, it’d be worse.
But more than the money, what tensed Yuri was the growing pile of slips.
‘155 left out of 180. Can we really pull the Elixir in there?’
Out of thousands of slips, could 155 tries snag it?
Or would they just burn points for nothing?
He’d reduced the slips, but while he saved up again, some asshole might snag the Elixir.
Yuri worried endlessly.
Seeing his hardened face, Moochi paled too.
‘Th-This is bad!’
Already down 5 million by his rough math.
He might really end up in a coffin.
Moochi prayed fervently.
‘Heavens, heavens! Give us something good! Like that 10-million one!’
Remembering Yuri’s faint smile at the 10-mil pull.
He prayed harder, reaching in.
“Please… please give us something good, ya!”
Eyes squeezed shut, pouring all his worldly hope into the draw.
Rustle-.
Moochi peeked at the unfolded slip.
“Ah…….”
His ballooned hopes deflated instantly.
“Uu…….”
His eyebrows drooped pitifully.
Anyone could see he was crushed.
Assuming another lecture slip, Yuri sighed and held out his hand.
“Hand it over and draw the next.”
“Yes…….”
“Tch! Get your shit together!”
“Yes, sir!”
Straightening his slumped shoulders, Moochi handed over the paper with an excuse.
“I-It’s still 300k points!”
“Wow, blowing 700k got you all excited…….”
Thinking it was just a high-grade wound potion or something minor, Yuri took the paper casually— then froze mid-motion.
Meanwhile, Moochi, gauging his reaction, yelled.
“I-I’ll do better!”
But Yuri’s face stayed rigid.
After staring at the paper in his hand for a long moment, a quiet voice leaked out.
“Don’t…….”
“Huh?”
“Don’t… try harder.”
“What?”
Moochi tilted his head, and Yuri’s hand shook holding the paper.
Soon, a booming voice erupted.
“No need to try harder! You’ve done your job perfectly!”
“Huh?”
“Fuuuuck yeeeeah!”
Joyful profanity echoed through the room.
Coco, watching, dropped her cigarette— clatter.
‘No way?!’
The mystery box held nearly 4,000 slips.
Only one was what Yuri wanted.
And he’d pulled it in just 26 tries?
“That possible? Really?”
As Coco muttered in disbelief,
Yuri slammed the paper down in front of her— thud!
“That impossible feat… this adorable little guy pulled it off!”
Slamming it like a table pound, Yuri latched onto Moochi’s back.
“Ako ako, you adorable little guy!”
“Ehehe!”
“You cutie pie!”
“Hehehe!”
Yuri scratched his chin gently from behind, melting Moochi’s face into a goofy grin.
Meanwhile, Coco examined the discarded paper.
-Goll Clan Secret Technique 300,000P
A mere 300k points.
Low enough to disappoint Moochi, expecting over a million.
But more valuable than anything else in that mystery box.
Seeing it right there, Coco sighed in disbelief.
“Duran, you damn Duran… what the hell are you gonna do with this?”