The Wandering Merchant and the Ranker
Most Awakened kept a polite distance from the Association.
Seo Ian had an unusually, almost bizarrely, hostile relationship with them.
Hong Jehun, on the other hand, maintained an exceptionally close relationship with the Association.
When Hong Jehun posted, "I met the Rabbit," Team Leader Oh Wontaek contacted him immediately.
Unlike a certain prickly individual who lived somewhere, he picked up the phone right away, and that was how they confirmed that the "Wandering Merchant" and the "Rabbit"—who had been floating around the community like urban legends—were real.
They even learned that the two were the same person(?).
"He said even he doesn't know the conditions for meeting him. Just that he appears in the middle of things?"
Team Leader Oh Wontaek sat his most prized employee, Yoon Jinki, in front of him and began to speak in a low, measured tone.
"So, you need to gather more information on that 'Rabbit.' Find a way to utilize him as efficiently as possible."
"Yes, sir! But then, what about the Awakened Kim Uju case...?"
It was a question about how to handle him.
Breaking the record on the 2nd floor.
Even though the floor level was still low, it signified his "potential" for growth.
They needed to latch onto him tightly before other countries could subtly persuade him to defect.
"You're thinking, 'We need to latch onto him tightly before other countries can subtly persuade him to defect,' aren't you?"
"Exactly!"
Yoon Jinki nodded vigorously.
"Right. I thought so too, but public opinion shifted overnight."
"Pardon?"
"The fact that the 'Rabbit' only appears in Korea. Right now."
"What?!"
Yes. That was the big problem.
It would be nice if things happened one by one, with a bit of tact. But things always came crashing down all at once like this.
Usually, it was correct to secure a talent who might be snatched away first and then handle the information gathering.
Securing talent took less time than gathering information.
It felt like a matter of choice and concentration.
Securing talent meant targeting "one guy," so you could hit and run, while information gathering required extensive investigation, demanding more time and effort.
But that wasn't an option right now.
Even though overseas entities had been skeptical when the 2nd-ranked Seo Ian mentioned the Rabbit, once even the 1st-ranked Hong Jehun mentioned him, interest suddenly exploded.
Starting from, "Why doesn't the Wandering Merchant appear in our country's Tower?"
To, "Koreans must have poisoned our Tower to stop the Wandering Merchant from passing through."
It was a point where, if not an official explanation, at least some sharing of investigative data from the Republic of Korea was necessary.
"But still... what if another country makes the first move?"
Yoon Jinki asked worriedly.
He understood the reason for finding the Rabbit first, but anxiety was still anxiety.
"It's fine."
A faint smile spread across Team Leader Oh Wontaek's gaunt face as he continued.
"They say a very reliable ally has appeared to help us with the Awakened Kim Uju case. I think they have a personal interest in him."
"That's a relief!"
Hearing that, a soft, relieved smile appeared on Yoon Jinki's face.
The Awakened Association.
More people than you'd think perceived it as a comfortable job, and in reality, the work wasn't terribly difficult.
But the volume was the problem.
Even if the number of Awakened wasn't massive, this place managed every single Awakened in the Republic of Korea.
And they had to constantly maintain exchanges with foreign associations across the globe.
But there were too few people to do the work.
The government said they couldn't hire new staff.
They claimed the reason was that the aftermath of the global Great Depression was still dragging on.
Of course, the Association staff didn't think so.
"But who on earth is going to be our ally?"
Awakened weren't exactly on good terms with each other.
That made sense; they were mostly solo players anyway.
Whether it was receiving government support or competing to get items from enchanters, they were rivals, not partners who helped each other thrive.
And yet, one Awakened taking an interest in another?
When they weren't even a scout?
It was a point that anyone, not just Yoon Jinki, would find suspicious.
"There is someone. A guy who's always smiling, but you never know what he's thinking."
Team Leader Oh Wontaek began to think about the near future.
The appearance of a new rookie alongside the special existence of the Wandering Merchant.
The attention of the entire world would likely start to pour into Korea.
For now, they were just watching and testing the waters, but it was inevitable.
Like a time bomb that could go off at any moment.
The next day.
Tower 41st Floor, inside the Mysterious Giant's Forest.
The reason it wasn't a freezing snowy mountain despite being the 41st floor was that the master of the Tower wasn't Hong Jehun.
I don't know how the person actually climbing the Tower feels, but of all the Towers I've entered so far, this place felt the most pleasant.
Having finished a fair amount of gathering and synthesis while I was in, I went to find Seo Ian.
"Hello. I'm the Rabbit. A Wandering Merchant."
I said, delivering my habitual greeting as always.
Then.
"No... Rabbit...!"
As soon as Seo Ian saw me, her eyes flashed fiercely behind her helmet, and she called out to me in a voice that trembled slightly as she gritted her teeth.
Wait, you were the one who was so desperate to see me that I came in here?!
Did something happen today? Why does she look so upset?
"Yes?"
But she wouldn't lay a hand on me, an NPC(?), right?
I asked back confidently.
"You went to Hong Jehun yesterday, didn't you?"
It was true that I had gone.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because that person was there."
Actually, I had been lured in by her saying she wanted to see me, but there was no need to tell the truth.
It wasn't like I wanted to reveal that I was active on the community.
"Do you even know how much I wanted to see you?"
I do know.
Seo Ian had also posted on the community looking for me.
But isn't it a bit weird for an NPC to act like they know?
"Our desperate hearts must have connected, which is why we're meeting now! Let's just let bygones be bygones since everything turned out well!"
Isn't it enough that I came?
I asked with the nuance of "what's the problem?" and activated the skill Hawk's Eye.
Hawk's Eye
Right. I know that too. It's plain as day.
"Rabbit. Even so, I wanted to see you first, and I wanted to see you more, so you should have come to me first... What does that make me if you just run off to Hong Jehun because you like him?"
What kind of twisted logic is that!
Seo Ian began to complain bitterly.
Still, I was curious about what it made her.
"What does it make you?"
"Very angry."
"Ah..."
I asked for nothing and lost out. Anyway, I wondered what the problem was if I arrived, but it seemed her dissatisfaction was that I didn't come to her first.
But it didn't matter.
Because right now, my inventory contained items more than enough to soothe Seo Ian's mood.
Let's see how much angrier she can get.
"Anyway, I have a 'Bronze Hammer.' Want to buy it?"
'Bronze Hammer.'
A souvenir the enchanter Park Siwoo, whom I met at the Association, had pressed into my hand, saying it was to commemorate our first trade.
I had checked the Awakened community briefly before intruding into the Tower. Seo Ian was currently struggling because she didn't have a 'Bronze Hammer.'
Perhaps I hit the bullseye. As soon as she heard the word "hammer," I saw her gaze soften compared to before.
"How do you always carry around exactly what I need right now?"
She tilted her head.
"To survive as a Wandering Merchant, you need at least that much intuition."
I made up a vague excuse.
"It's not what you had left over after selling to Hong Jehun, is it?"
The eyes inside the helmet narrowed into slits.
'Wow. This person really holds a grudge, doesn't she? Or does she have some kind of vendetta against Hong Jehun?'
But that was something I couldn't say out loud.
"How could that be? The items I show change every time, don't they?"
Actually, I don't know either. I just decided that's how Wandering Merchants are. Starting today, that is.
"Really?"
Seo Ian's eyes, which had been in a straight line, turned slightly triangular.
The reason her eyes were triangular rather than round was because her features were sharp.
Anyway, that was a positive signal.
I blinked my eyes twice quickly.
"If you really don't believe me, ask Awakened Hong Jehun. Whether I called for a Bronze Hammer or not."
I gambled on that. Then.
"Why would I need to ask? I always trust our Rabbit!"
Seo Ian's tone turned sweet.
"Anyway, 2,000 Ticks for one Bronze Hammer."
The cost price was 1,000 Ticks.
I had searched the Awakened community to find out before coming in.
At first, I was horrified when I saw it.
What kind of person is that enchanter to just hand over a 1,000-Tick item as a first-meeting souvenir? I thought.
Anyway, I quoted Seo Ian exactly double the cost price.
As I said before, home delivery fees are always expensive.
"Give it to me."
As expected of our Seo Ian! The epitome of a cool transaction!
Without needing any haggling, she immediately shouted, "Give it to me."
"Thank you, as always."
I mean, for the contribution points.
The corners of my mouth curled up inside the mask!
Ticks are just a bonus.
"Ugh, damn it! I never thought I'd be using a Bronze Hammer at this level."
Seo Ian grumbled as she received the Bronze Hammer.
Suddenly, a change occurred in her.
Seo Ian's trademark, the silver armor that covered her entire body and flashed with light.
It suddenly turned into light and vanished.
As the helmet disappeared, her jet-black ponytail fluttered in the cool breeze.
In the place where the armor had been, a white oversized t-shirt and black three-striped sweatpants flapped refreshingly.
Her eyes were directed toward the air, as if she were looking at her inventory, and then she held the Bronze Hammer up to the air.
'I guess she doesn't have enough space in her inventory? Usually, you'd put it in your inventory and use items easily by dragging them.'
As if to answer that my assumption was correct, the Bronze Hammer vanished from her hand before long.
Following that.
Pop!
She returned to her original silver armor attire.
"But don't you usually carry hammers around? I heard that from other Awakened."
They carry them around even if they have to make space in their inventory somehow.
Tower entry is limited to once a day.
Awakened wouldn't be unaware that giving up halfway due to lack of durability is a massive loss.
"Well, that's true for Golden Hammers, but not for Bronze Hammers, right?"
Are the two different?
"Why?"
When I tilted my head slightly, she tilted her head in the opposite direction, as if imitating me.
"Weapons inevitably lose durability, but armor doesn't lose durability if you don't get hit, right?"
Hearing that, I realized that 'Golden Hammers' were used for weapons, and 'Bronze Hammers' were used for armor.
And even the fact that armor durability doesn't wear down if you don't get hit.
It seemed it was because I hadn't read the guidebook for Awakened community newbies thoroughly.
But that's too long to read all of it...
"Anyway, do you have anything else to sell?"
Seo Ian pulled me out of my thoughts.
"For now, I have a 5-minute Boss Damage +20% Potion, and today I also have a 5-minute All-Stat +5 Potion..."
Both were obtained through gathering and synthesis here.
According to Rackcho, craftable items made from materials found on that floor are meant to be used usefully on that floor.
But a Boss Damage Increase Potion and an All-Stat Increase Potion.
Does the fact that two types come out mean the boss is strong?
I thought about that for a moment.
And as if my assumption was correct, Seo Ian's eyes began to sparkle at the mention of the items.
Could this lead to higher contribution points...?
"Give me everything you have! Don't hide a single thing, really, everything!!"
Seo Ian shouted passionately, clenching both fists.
As expected of a ranker, she didn't even ask for the price.
But.
"Do you really want everything I have?"
When I asked, she put her hand to her chin as if pondering for a moment.
Then, after scanning the air, she said,
"Well, is there more? It shouldn't be too many types..."
She suddenly added a condition.
Well. I don't need to see it to know it's because of her inventory space.
You don't need to worry about that. It's only one more thing anyway.
"Um... I also have a 10-minute Invisibility Potion. You can also cancel it whenever you want by saying 'Release'."
This was also among the items I possessed.
The gathering area that sparkled with colorful lights.
I could make it by collecting 10 traces of the rainbow spirit that came out from digging there.
'But why is invisibility needed inside the Tower? You'd have to clear all the mobs to make the boss mob appear, anyway.'
It felt like a bonus item.
It wasn't very useful, but it was like a white elephant that was fun to have.
So I hesitated to mention it.
The opponent is Seo Ian.
If it were someone else, they might cleanly refuse, saying, "I don't need that," but with her, I felt like she would raise her voice and curse.
Even though we've grown a bit closer(?) today, she curses less, and compared to usual, she seems to speak more softly, but still.
"No, Rabbit! Why are you telling me that now!!"
A sudden outburst.
Startled! My timid heart tried to jump out.
Even if I had guessed that Seo Ian would raise her voice, being surprised is being surprised.
It's the same principle as your heart pounding when a ghost suddenly pops out, even if you know horror games or movies aren't real.
It's bad for the heart.
"Oh, you scared me!"
I complained to her first.
"Sorry. Give me that too. But how many of those do you have?"
Seo Ian asked.
"One. I have one of everything."
Silence followed my answer.
Seo Ian, who seemed to be deep in thought, put her hand to her chin again, then lowered her hand and continued.
"Then, by any chance, can you get me one more of each by tomorrow?"
She's openly saying she "needs" something like that.
A good condition for raising contribution points.
Since there was no reason to refuse, I nodded.
"It's possible if you place an order. Instead, you have to meet me on the 41st floor tomorrow too."
"Then I'll place an order."