Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Sepiro
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Demon merchants were beings who exchanged items of value.
But approach them without a second thought, and you'd regret it big time.
'Demon merchants are all con artists.'
They weren't some street vendor slapping prices on goods laid out for sale.
They vaguely explained that they judged 'value' and made trades possible, but even the same item could shift in worth depending on the opponent and circumstances.
That made them con artists, plain and simple.
Some demon merchants even orchestrated the situations themselves, herding humans right into traps.
Thugs who snatched bodies and lives for pennies.
Demon merchants were monsters committing murder under the guise of deals.
Make a fair trade with the likes of them?
Unless you'd taken a bullet to the head, it was an insane idea.
Park Chan-woo knew that better than most.
'I've rolled around the Abyss for a solid twenty years. Never once seen a demon merchant with a shred of conscience.'
No initial deals ever went down smoothly.
Demon merchants always schemed to gain the upper hand before striking a bargain.
If they sensed a loss or disadvantage, they'd vanish without a second thought.
That said, ways existed to force an even exchange.
Overpower them with strength, exploit a weakness, or dangle something irresistible to lure them in.
Of course, the surest method was something else entirely.
'You can bankrupt a demon merchant too.'
Bankruptcy.
Demons of the Abyss weren't easy to kill.
How could a puny human hunt beings born and bred in that hellhole?
Yet even frail humans could slay demons under certain conditions.
Through bankruptcy or broken oaths.
Especially if you knew their name and triggered bankruptcy—they couldn't escape death.
That's why demons begged for mercy right before ruin under the name of a 'trade.'
Please spare me.
Anything but bankruptcy. They'd offer up their guts or gallbladders!
"H-How did this...?"
Dagon's eyes trembled nonstop, trapped in his own snare.
It was only natural—an unimaginable name had just dropped.
"Didn't I say from the start it was pricey intel?"
Park Chan-woo clicked his tongue softly.
Everything was his setup.
He'd predicted Dagon's every move.
'He figured I'd heard the rules from another demon merchant.'
Demon merchants popping up across the dungeon.
Dagon must've assumed he'd traded with one and learned the 'merchant rules.'
Exchanging info with a demon merchant would've come with a 'no disclosure' clause. Dagon planned to trick him into naming that merchant, invoke penalties, then demand payment to waive them.
The contract details in demon tongue—humans couldn't read them easily.
Dagon was dead certain he'd bite.
...Too bad for Dagon, Park Chan-woo knew the rules better than anyone.
"No human could possibly know that name..."
Dagon still denied reality.
But denial didn't erase the truth.
The floating message before his eyes and the contract in demon script rising beside it screamed reality.
Grind!
Dagon gnashed his teeth.
"How... how do you know that name you're not supposed to utter?"
...A name not to be uttered.
Demons often referred to 'Dragon God Sepiro' that way.
They loathed him like an arch-enemy.
Long ago, Sepiro had slain one of the 'Great Ten Lords.'
Rumor had it that's why they became the 'Great Nine Lords'—an unbelievable tale.
'Sepiro. I didn't believe it until I saw the bastard's true form myself.'
Park Chan-woo hadn't bought it either.
They stood at the pinnacle among the Abyss's lords.
Even the Twelve Sovereigns feared the 'Great Nine Lords.'
Only after witnessing Sepiro's true form—that transcendent dragon—did it click.
Sepiro had reduced the 'Great Ten Lords' to 'Nine.'
And just as demons despised Sepiro, he despised them right back.
Decisively, he'd once distributed the 'Demon Dictionary.'
It was end-of-the-world stuff back then, but it taught him plenty about demon merchants.
Not wrong to say Sepiro spilled the merchant rules.
'Man... just Sepiro's name alone is worth a fortune.'
A measly name racked up 20,000,000 in debt.
Because it belonged to a being whose name you weren't supposed to speak?
Who knew if that jacked up the premium, but even hidden creators probably weren't worth this much.
Park Chan-woo gathered his thoughts and spoke.
"Figure out how I know Sepiro on your own."
"......"
Dagon calmed his excitement.
This wasn't some ordinary human.
Earth hadn't connected with other realms yet.
Normal folks wouldn't even know the 'Twelve Races' existed.
Yet he did.
The Dragon Race's overlord. That despair-inducing entity's name!
This was graver than humans pacting with high creators' avatars.
'A human close enough to Sepiro for direct rule-sharing...'
Absurd.
Unrealistic.
Tell other demons, and he'd get flak.
'Did he pact with Sepiro? As the Dragon Race's sovereign, crossing worlds for a contract isn't impossible.'
The thought flickered.
...No clue.
Everything was uncertain.
Climb higher ranks to reach the top brass, maybe, but right now? No way.
One thing was clear: this human was toying with him.
He'd approached knowing and calculating everything.
'A demon worse than demons.'
Too late for regrets.
The baited one was Dagon himself.
Park Chan-woo spoke leisurely then.
Time to collect on 20 million in value.
"Dagon, time to pay up."
"......"
"Or go bankrupt like this?"
Bankruptcy meant death for Dagon.
Since Park Chan-woo knew his name.
Dagon forced his mouth open.
"......What do you want from me?"
"World Tree Fruit."
"That's... beyond my rank's allowance."
"Then bankrupt."
"W-Wait! On second thought, it might work. Twenty million's value makes for a solid deal."
Sepiro's name was worth 20 million.
Considering a high-grade elixir cost 500,000, it was ridiculous.
Dagon couldn't pay up, so he'd swap for 'World Tree Fruit' instead.
Valuing it equal to 20 million.
Shuuuaang-!
Soon, 'World Tree Fruit' appeared above Dagon's palm.
Ignore the self-glow, and it looked just like an apple.
"What do you say? Accept, and it's yours right now."
Dagon tempted him.
But Park Chan-woo scoffed at the offer. Times changed, situations shifted, but some values stayed eternal.
No matter how potent the World Tree Fruit, it didn't justify 20 million.
"Ten million."
Half that, maybe.
Honestly, half was generous.
Dagon had to sell high to dodge bankruptcy.
Slash that 20 million as much as possible to scrape by.
Accounting for that, Park Chan-woo offered 10 million.
The real haggling with a merchant had begun.
With Park Chan-woo holding total dominance.
"Fifteen million. Can't go lower. Gotta eat too, you know."
"Thought demons didn't eat."
"......Minimum rank needed to merchant."
"Rare rank, right?"
"Yes."
Dagon's rank drop was inevitable.
Just teetering between bankruptcy or bare survival.
'This human bastard knows everything.'
His energy drained away.
Even knowing merchant upkeep conditions meant he knew all.
Lying would backfire.
Dagon squeezed his eyes shut.
"Straight talk: my existence tallies at 15 million. With your 20 million debt, they'll overcollect 5 million extra. I need that margin from our deal to survive."
Park Chan-woo pondered Dagon's words.
Bankrupt him now, or spare and exploit later?
'Killing a demon merchant nets one coin, tops.'
Debtor vanishes in bankruptcy—no proper settlement.
If Dagon bailed and embraced oblivion, one coin was it.
Park Chan-woo murmured low.
"Factoring minimum upkeep, leave 6 million value."
"Exactly. No margin, no deal. Better to vanish."
Resolute face. Push harder, and he'd choose death.
'Dagon. Pretty capable merchant.'
In the future, Park Chan-woo had dealt with many demon merchants.
Dagon stacked up well.
First off, hauling 'World Tree Fruit' despite rank limits showed skill.
Demon merchants specialized in goods, ranks dictating items.
Fetching non-specialty, higher-rank stuff needed 'Demon Merchant Guild' approval.
'Summoned World Tree Fruit instantly. Got backing in the guild?'
Possible.
Pulling items sans approval meant high position or high-up patrons.
And that was it?
Even bankruptcy looming, no demon merchant ever bared their value so honestly.
Weighing it all, Dagon was too valuable to waste.
"Trade World Tree Fruit at 10 million—what's left?"
"......Nothing."
"Nine million."
"Loss then..."
"Eight million."
"Damn it. Seven million! That's the fruit's worth!"
Dagon yelled in exasperation.
Park Chan-woo chuckled.
Had to respect that instinct to squeeze profit even here.
Dagon hurriedly explained.
"You know this, but can't sell below value. No-profit deals forbidden—low margins hit rank reviews. Scrape 10%, and review fails anyway. Can't hold minimum."
Demon merchants skimmed at least 1.5x on deals.
10% margin?
Merchant shame.
Park Chan-woo probed.
"Exclusive contract?"
"......Deal only with me, ongoing?"
"Yeah."
"Hm. Exclusive needs 2 million value minimum per 30 days. Ratios allow leeway then."
Dagon looked conflicted.
Exclusive bound both sides.
Dagon only with Park Chan-woo, and vice versa.
"But can you handle? You're no normie, but 2 million ain't easy. Still, no below 30% margin."
"Five million at 20%."
"......?"
"Minimum 5 million value per month. You keep 20%."
"Fail, and 10x enforces..."
Five million times ten: 50 million.
Can't pay? Body dissolves to dust.
But if met... 20% yielded 1 million.
Enough for rank hold. No need for other humans.
'More than enough—overflows. Steady 1 million per 30 days could promote even.'
If consistent.
Dagon spoke half-doubting.
"What makes me trust you for a pact?"
"Need tangible proof, huh."
"Duh. Exclusive locks me from other humans too."
Suspicious glare.
Park Chan-woo pulled a hefty chunk from his inventory.
At once.
"Gasp...!"
No choice but genuine shock.
Prior surprises were kid stuff.
'Insane. All coins?!'
The chunk: all coins.
Not one or two—dozens.
Exactly 21 coins sat on Park Chan-woo's palm.
"Proof enough?"
"...M-More than enough. Overflowing."
For a split second, greed lit Dagon's eyes.
To demons, coins held incalculable worth.
Who wouldn't crave them?
"W-Wait."
Suddenly, Dagon shuddered violently.
Another bombshell realization.
"T-Twenty-one coins? H-How many creators have you bankrupted already?"
Beyond shock—fear mixed in.
Creators: Abyss lords.
Humans bankrupting them? Near impossible.
Especially mere days into the Abyss...
'...What if he's not human.'
Then Dagon reached a conclusion.
Gulp!
Dagon swallowed hard, body convulsing wildly.
One-in-a-million shot.
But the only possibility explaining it all.
'N-No way... Sepiro himself?'