Chapter 158
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: Trade
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I stared at the javelins visible beyond the glass wall—more precisely, the throwing spears.
'Equivalent Exchange Trade.'
That's the name survivors of this [Challenge Task] had given it. In simple terms, it was a game where you swapped one of your items for the one over there.
This bizarre task, which only appeared in alchemy shops, was one of the most popular challenge tasks among players, easily ranking in the top ten.
[Customer using the ■■ Equivalent Exchange Device, welcome.]
'It's on par with [Ember Coat].'
The reason was that it offered low risk but high rewards. I gazed at the ten javelins laid out before me. Then, a friendly guidance broadcast began playing in my ear from somewhere.
The voice emanated from the massive mechanical device forming the glass wall. Upon closer inspection, there was a speaker attached to one side, next to a large pressable button and a wide workbench.
[From now on, the customer is granted qualification to purchase the items on the opposite side.]
Thick cables connected to the workbench snaked across the floor like veins along the wall, extending even beyond the opposite glass wall.
[No currency is used here. Only bartering of identical types of items is possible.]
Hence, Equivalent Exchange Trade.
[The trade consists of 10 stages in total. If purchase fails, the trade ends immediately, and the customer will be fined and returned to the original world.]
Since this was the fourth Rest Area, the penalty would be 10,000 times over—40,000 points, to be exact. If you lacked the funds, your life would pay the price instead.
'In other words, if you bring plenty of money, it's a no-risk challenge.'
Even if you fell short on cash and risked your life, it would automatically liquidate your possessed items to cover the cost. As long as your wealth was sufficient, it was a perfectly safe game where death was impossible.
That was the reason for its popularity.
'Of course, for those without that kind of fortune, it's a deadly game where you have to somehow clear all 10 stages.'
Let's see, what's the first item?
I used Full Appraisal on the items beyond the glass wall.
Not a bad Narrative item.
Dwarf-made dragon slayer javelins, in particular, had low durability everywhere except the tip, shattering easily. Once they hit a target, the shaft would break immediately, embedding fragments that caused continuous bleeding.
Not only that, but the pain they inflicted locked the enemy's movements, preventing free action.
It was a weapon infused with ruthless determination to kill its mortal foe, no matter what.
'It drastically reduces combat effectiveness, making it incredibly useful.'
Even after the battle ended, without recovery abilities, removing the fragments was impossible.
That made it a beloved consumable among later players, despite being single-use.
'Ten of them, huh.'
The quantity was randomly set between 1 and 20.
If multiple good items appeared, it was a huge profit, but if their value was appraised too high, trading became difficult.
Incidentally, an item's value was determined randomly, independent of its actual performance.
[If you wish to proceed with the trade, place the item on the shelf and press the button.]
I stood before the massive workbench I'd seen earlier. The idea was to place the item for exchange on top of it.
Since [Dragon Slayer Spear] was a javelin, to proceed, I'd need to place another javelin here.
But I didn't have any javelin weapons.
'What's there to worry about?'
I used the letter envelope to summon a weapon merchant to my side.
"Ebon Fang Armory. How may I assist you, customer?"
I immediately bought a javelin from the weapon shop and carefully placed it on the workbench.
Beep.
A mechanical chime rang out, and a screen appeared on one wall, displaying a graph.
A long bar connecting a red pillar and a blue one horizontally.
Percentages were shown at each end.
[96.7% - 3.3%]
'Value comparison, huh.'
In simple terms, the trade succeeded if both sides hit exactly 50%-50%, or if the item I placed on the workbench was valued higher than the one beyond the glass.
[Remaining Time: 02:39]
It gave exactly three minutes. Fail to place an item in time, and the trade ended in failure.
I bought javelins from the weapon merchant, raising the percentage past 50%. Each time I added an item to the workbench, the red gauge shrank while the blue one filled.
'Good, is that it?'
The moment it crossed 50%, I pressed the button.
A mechanical whir followed, lights flickered off, and when brightness returned, ten [Dragon Slayer Spears] sat on the workbench.
[Please take the items from the shelf. The next trade will begin once all are collected.]
I fetched some string and bundled the Dragon Slayer Spears one by one, hanging them like dried fish on a line.
Then I tied them to my waist. As long as I did this, I wouldn't leave items behind when returning to the original world later.
'I gave the party letter envelopes and money too, so they'll probably summon shop owners like me, buy what's needed for the trades, and swap successfully.'
Since I gave each only one envelope, they'd be limited to exchanging either sundries or gear, but it wasn't impossible to trade at all... They were probably enjoying it just fine.
"Alright, shall we start the next trade?"
The lights went out, and a new item popped up. Whenever something appeared beyond the glass, I bought a matching type and placed it on the workbench.
All sorts of items emerged, but thanks to bringing the shop owners, I never failed a trade.
'Trading by summoning shop owners. No one in the Selection Process could have imagined this method.'
The progress was so smooth that I briefly worried the letter envelope might hit a restriction, but upon reflection, it was needless concern.
'After all, the core of this challenge task is preparation.'
Whether materials or money, it demanded full readiness—and I'd come prepared with letter envelopes and cash.
In that sense, my thorough preparation didn't warrant any penalties.
Besides, it wasn't at the level of disrupting the Selection Process's greater flow, so no issues there.
Of course, that didn't mean there were zero crises.
"...Glasses?"
A special item that gauged an opponent's strength relative to my combat power using rainbow colors.
Distinguished by red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigo-violet, red meant more dangerous, violet safer.
In the Selection Process, rife with constant perils, it was an extremely useful tool.
'Hmm, glasses, huh.'
I racked my brain for glasses-type items and summoned the relevant merchant.
"A time when runes live and breathe—welcome. This is Runegear Workshop. How may I help?"
A [Magic Engineering Merchant], a special shop that wouldn't appear until later Trials overflowed with [Ancient Ruins].
Though its wares were far inferior to those in Trial regions, it sold plenty of novel gadgets—including the closest things to glasses.
[Magic Engineering Binoculars: Automatically zooms in on the target you're viewing.]
Of course, the value gap was huge, so I had to buy 20 binoculars to barely complete the trade.
After that, no real crises arose.
I snagged handy items like this, but plenty of junk dropped too.
Worn leather shoes, lowest-grade potions, and the like—trash that barely fetched a few coins even sold at shops.
A few pieces of gear made up for losses, but everything after the [Dragon Slayer Spears] was standard fare.
'Still, I'm feeling pretty relaxed.'
Whatever came up, I could handle it, leaving my mind at ease. Probably no one else was enjoying this as casually as me.
Everyone else fretted over what might appear, praying fervently to the gods.
'Rich or poor, they have to scramble to value and place the same type of item within three minutes.'
And it wasn't just one or two types—dozens, hundreds.
That's why most participants stuffed their backpacks with every conceivable item, hell-bent on hitting the jackpot.
Those without money hauled massive loads on their bodies, while golden lords with wealth dangled dozens of sub-space pouches.
'They memorize exactly where every item goes to avoid mistakes and even run practice drills for days.'
No precedent existed for someone entering bare-handed with just a single backpack like me.
[Costume Random Box]
"Oh, even a costume this time?"
Let's see—to trade that, I need a random box...
Luckily, the shop sold them.
Bought a [Weapon Random Box] for 2,000 points and traded; it went through smoothly.
Surprisingly, the ratio was [0.01% - 99.9%].
Meaning the shop's 2,000-point random box vastly outvalued the [Costume Random Box]—practically worthless at near 0 points.
Value formation was utterly arbitrary like this, so judging based on price assumptions was a bad idea.
Screw up, and you'd take massive losses on trash.
Of course, meaningless worry for me, hell-bent on the final stage.
'But way better items than expected?'
Word was, even clearing all 10 stages usually netted maybe two at best... I'd already snagged three.
And every one was top-tier value.
'No way Luck stat affects this too?'
I had suspicions but no solid proof. Shaking off stray thoughts, I focused on the glass wall.
Now for the finale.
The last one was guaranteed valuable, so every player pushed for stage 10 no matter what.
'It's like the first nine stages exist solely as trials to claim the tenth.'
I steadied my breath as lights kindled for the final debut.
And finally, the ultimate item emerged.
Quantity: seven total.
But the item itself was intriguing.
"Eg...gs...?"
I blinked in confusion and used Full Appraisal. My eyes went wide.
'That thing?!'
'Crazy, a real spirit egg?'
Even I, more perfectly prepared than anyone who'd known about this [Challenge Task], hadn't anticipated a spirit egg.
I hurriedly bought 100 eggs from a food merchant and piled them up.
[99.9% - 0.01%]
Not even a twitch. Added 200 more, but 0.01% didn't budge.
'Spirit egg, of all things.'
Eggs were generally rare in the Selection Process.
Even monster eggs were hard to come by, and I'd never seen a spirit egg once.
'Stealing one would make you public enemy number one.'
Spirits traversed the unique Spirit Realm, enabling instant dimensional travel.
Summoners could call them anytime.
In short, become a target, and you'd be hunted until the Selection Process ended—or you died.
That's why even with the letter envelope, I couldn't summon one.
But a risk-free spirit egg?
This was an opportunity.
'The problem is sourcing eggs of equal value.'
Its value was so immense, eggs didn't cut it. Doubtful even tens of thousands would suffice.
'Maybe a few million would scrape by...'
Unfortunately, I lacked that capital. Barely 40,000-something left.
'Summoning monster eggs one by one with envelopes would take too many.'
Plus, only one envelope remained. I'd distributed to the party; the rest were used up.
'What now? Can't let this golden chance slip.'
Seven spirit eggs, no less.
Full ownership, zero penalties.
[Remaining Time: 01:31]
Time dwindled as I agonized. Urgency clouded solutions.
How the hell could I acquire that?
'Hm?'
Then, a flash of inspiration.
I immediately used the letter envelope. It sliced through the air and vanished, soon returning with something in its mouth.
Pfhaah—
Spat out with water: a woman.
Short bob haircut, thick lips and upturned nose evoking a foreigner.
Striking features, intensely attractive yet familiar; her massively swollen belly, conversely, felt alien.
"St-stop... s-spare me... huuugh...."
Plop...
Innope, dragged to the ocean depths by kekels on the third Trial's [Island of Sacrifices], trembled with her belly bloated like a full-term pregnancy.
Her pussy drooled saliva profusely, while finger-thick tadpole-like eggs teetered at her anus, threatening to emerge.
"Innope, long time no see. How was your study abroad?"
Instead of replying, Innope bore down on her lower belly.
Milk squirted instantly from her nipples as, with a plop, one egg rolled out.