[The First Ranker]

‘Harvesting’ is a skill where success or failure is determined the moment it ends.

If you succeed, the item pops straight into your inventory!

If you fail, it crumbles into dust and evaporates.

‘I’m using a crossbow, so I’m not sure if harvesting will even apply, but a perfect opportunity to test it just appeared. Why hesitate?’

-Swish! Swish!

With my resolve hardened, I pulled the trigger of the crossbow without a second thought.

The Rapid Fire skill took effect, and two arrows, one trailing the other, streaked toward the corner of the mine where the massive cluster of light was located.

-Thud! Thud!

"Kuaaaaaa!!!"

"Ugh...!"

"What the?!"

I gasped in surprise at the heavy, thunderous roar that suddenly erupted, and Hwang Gyubeom let out a shout of astonishment as well.

The mine began to collapse in an instant.

‘Oh, crap. Was that the boss?!’

The realization hit me in a split second—even faster than my life flashing before my eyes.

"Why are you just standing there like a fool?!"

Hwang Gyubeom raised his voice and hoisted me onto his shoulder.

And then.

"Uraaaaaa!!!"

He started running for his life.

Massive chunks of rock came crashing down from all sides, rumbling like thunder.

Sometimes he dodged, sometimes he blocked, and sometimes he smashed through them.

How much time had passed? We managed to escape the mine safely.

"Careful now!"

"Thank you for saving me!"

As expected of a father with a daughter, his movements as he set down a fully grown man were incredibly gentle.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, thanks to you!"

Aside from feeling a bit nauseous, I was fine. What wasn't fine was my vision.

Dust was still swirling, obscuring everything. Just as my vision blurred, a single sentence appeared clearly before my eyes.

The two crossbow bolts I fired. And the concentrated corrosive stomach acid coated on them. It seemed that instead of the harvesting I wanted, I had shaved off 30% of the boss monster's health.

‘That was unexpected.’

"Uhh!! Wandering Merchaaaant!!"

Following that, a lion’s roar, far louder and more magnificent than Seo Ian’s, erupted from the front.

Was he angry because I woke up the boss monster? Because of what I had done, I couldn't bring myself to say, "Don't shout! You'll startle it!"

I just rolled my eyes secretly to gauge Hwang Gyubeom’s reaction.

‘Did I... do well?’

A bright, sunny smile, almost identical to the one I saw in his family photo, was plastered on his face.

Grinning widely, he added,

"So that 'melting' you mentioned was the boss monster's health?! That’s absolutely brilliant!"

He provided the answer to my question.

-Ding!

With the sound I was hearing for the second time, I was transported to a room that was blue in every direction.

And what appeared before my eyes was...

"Meow?"

"Rackcho, have you been well?"

"Of course, meow."

I bowed my head to look at Rackcho. The blue-striped Ragdoll cat tail was swaying back and forth. It was truly cute, no matter how many times I saw it. It was almost hazardous to my heart.

I wanted to pet it, but I knew I shouldn't. There were massive penalties for laying a hand on a real 'Tower Merchant' without permission.

"Anyway, take your reward, meow."

The [18th Floor Reward Basket] appeared before me. I touched it with my fingertip.

Flash!

This time, I kept my eyes narrowed. This flash was surprisingly blinding.

Wait, 20% contribution and only 1,000 T.C?!

When I was with Seo Ian, 5% contribution got me 10,000 T.C.

But what is this? 20% for 1,000 T.C?!

"Hey, Rackcho. Isn't 1,000 T.C for 20% a bit too low...?"

Surprised by the unexpected reward, I asked.

"Compare the 40th floor to the 18th floor, meow. The floor count is more than double, and the difficulty difference is even greater than that. Even so, this is a decent amount, meow!"

Since Rackcho couldn't lie, I had to accept it.

"But Rackcho, can I know what effect earned me this contribution this time?"

"Wait a moment, meow."

Rackcho, mouth shut tight, stared intently into the air. Then, looking back up at me, it began to speak.

"Awakened Kim Uju, this contribution was earned through the 'Auxiliary Damage' effect, meow."

"Auxiliary Damage?"

"You fired your crossbow and reduced the boss monster's health, didn't you? That’s what applied, meow!"

"What about the encouragement effect?"

I asked because I remembered giving Mr. Hwang Gyubeom a hamburger.

At that, the tail that had been swishing energetically slowed down noticeably.

"It’s a repeat run, so why would an encouragement effect apply, meow?"

The cat’s eyes turned toward me, looking at me as if I were something incredibly pathetic.

Wait, can cats even make that kind of look?

It felt strangely insulting, yet alien.

"You entered because you knew you could clear it, so having the mindset that you 'can' clear it is a contradiction, meow."

"...But Rackcho, you seem to speak in shorter sentences when you're asking a question?"

"That’s my charm, meow. Anyway, are you going to buy something, meow?"

Rackcho changed the subject.

"Can you show me the sales list?"

A 5x5 sales window appeared before my eyes.

"That ring from before is gone?"

"Are you talking about the Ring of Instant Death Prevention, meow? The sales items change every time, meow."

"Oh... is there ever a case where the same item appears twice in a row?"

"There is absolutely no case where they appear consecutively, meow."

"I see."

If someone asks me later why there are duplicate items, I should just answer that it’s because I’m a Wandering Merchant, without panicking.

Anyway, there were only two items this time as well.

First, a 1-star Greatsword.

"...Rackcho. Is there ever a case where a skill is created when you hold a weapon?"

I asked, thinking of what happened earlier.

"In most cases, the skill is created first, and then it is applied to any weapon the person finds easy to handle, meow. Occasionally, a skill is created upon holding a weapon, but that only applies to special cases like Enchanters, meow!"

Saying that, Rackcho approached me, tail swaying.

"And Awakened Kim Uju, you are one of those cases, meow!"

‘This little guy! You knew?!’

Anyway, should I buy the greatsword?

The deliberation didn't last long. I hate slow things. And just a moment ago, Awakened Hwang Gyubeom was a greatsword user, and his hunting speed was very slow.

So, I passed on the greatsword without even asking the price.

Second, an inventory-attachable wireless power bank.

But there’s no detailed description?

"Rackcho. What is the second one?"

"That’s a new product, meow. It has the function of charging what Awakened call a smartphone, meow. Since it’s inventory-attachable, it doesn't take up any extra slots, and it draws energy from inside the Tower, so there’s no need to charge it separately, meow."

Hearing that much, it sounded decent.

"How much is this?"

"It’s 1,000 T.C for the new product ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠launch discount, meow! The normal price is 5,000 T.C, meow!"

"That’s expensive..."

"Meow!?"

I earned 3 T.C from selling bread today. The corrosive stomach acid made through harvesting synthesis was vaporized. 1,000 T.C from the Tower contribution reward.

It took a long time, but my total profit was 1,003 T.C.

I felt like I was losing money.

"But Rackcho recommends buying this, meow."

"Why?"

"As you go to higher floors, there are sections that take a long time, meow."

"Would it take more than a day or something?"

"Wouldn't that be obvious, meow!"

Just a moment ago, I was startled because it felt like Rackcho suddenly switched to informal speech. Even though I knew it was its habit.

Still, well... if it’s an item recommended by a Tower Merchant.

"Then I’ll just buy the second one."

"Thank you as always, meow!"

"Oh, but Rackcho."

"What is it, meow?"

"The pickaxe I bought before. How much do you sell it to other people for?"

The Association Enchanter, Park Siwoo, said that you could purchase it from a Tower Merchant at a rare chance for a 'low price' of 10,000 T.C.

But I bought it for 5,000 T.C yesterday.

Did Rackcho misquote the price to me?

Or was it like a beginner’s discount?

It was just simple curiosity. And if Rackcho had misquoted the price, and it was causing Rackcho harm, it would be the right thing to do to earn and pay the proper amount.

"I sell it to other Awakened for 10,000 T.C, meow!"

"But I bought it for 5,000 T.C back then? Did you misquote the price?"

I asked, feeling secretly nervous. However, Rackcho just smiled brightly as if it were nothing.

"In the 'Intruded Tower', a 50% discount applies, meow. Oh, of course, the inventory-attachable wireless power bank you just bought is already discounted by more than 50%, so no further discounts are possible, meow!"

Hearing that, joy welled up from within me. But on the other hand, I was puzzled, so I asked again.

"Intruded Tower? Then that means it’s a discount that only applies to me in the world, so why is that?"

"I cannot tell you that, meow. Isn't it better to have good things, meow? Or are you saying you'd rather pay the full price, meow?"

"...That’s not it."

It was a bit suspicious that Rackcho was dodging the question, but what did it matter? It was giving me a discount for no reason.

I had already found out that the discount wasn't a lie because I had heard the market price of the Tower pickaxe at the Association shop earlier.

‘My trait, the more I dig into it, the more of a gem it really is?’

I felt like I finally understood why the system had classified it as EX-Grade.

Meanwhile, at that time.

The first mention of the Wandering Merchant was made in the Korean Awakened community. At that time, Uju was talking to Rackcho inside the Tower.

And Seo Ian was...

"This f***ing, isn't this talking about the rabbit? This bastard, he went to meet someone else as soon as he broke up with me?"

She was lying on the sofa, staring at her phone with a deeply furrowed brow.

Soon, she couldn't hold back and began to move her fingertips rapidly, as if she were going to smash her phone.

"Ah, annoying!!"

Seo Ian suddenly went into a frenzy and grabbed her hair. Her neatly tied ponytail was disheveled, but she didn't care much.

Just then, a comment was posted.

└[Anonymous12] What is a rabbit?

└[Seo Ian] Someone I like the most. Something you’ll never see in your life.

└[Im Jihun] Isn't that a nickname for a girlfriend?

└[Anonymous12] Then did you get dumped?

└[Seo Ian] Why would I have a girlfriend?

└[Anonymous12] Then do you have a boyfriend?

└[Im Jihun] She won't have a boyfriend either.

└[Anonymous12] Well, with that personality, it makes sense she wouldn't.

"These crazy bastards, what are they misunderstanding and talking about among themselves? I’m already in a bad mood because I couldn't see the rabbit today, you sons of..."

Every word she spat out was turned into text and uploaded as a comment on the community.

And that day, she was banned from posting and commenting on the Awakened community for 24 hours.

"Team Leader! It seems like not just 'Tower Merchant', but 'Wandering Merchant' is also appearing!"

"Isn't that just an Awakened who repeats the 18th-floor run posting it as a joke? Still, you never know, so investigate all domestic and international Awakened communities."

"Yes, sir!"

Who uses the Awakened community the most? Awakened? No. It’s the 'non-awakened office staff' of the Awakened Association. Since they couldn't climb the Tower themselves, they needed indirect experiences—meaning, the experiences of other Awakened—in overwhelming numbers. That was the only way they could gather information and solve problems.

"Team Leader! Awakened Seo Ian posted again!"

"What is she complaining about this time?"

"She’s suddenly looking for a 'rabbit'?"

"Rabbit? What’s that again?"

Seo Ian, a ranker also known as the spirit of the Awakened community. 90% of the posts she made were complaints, dissatisfaction, deceit, and arrogance. The other 10% were about finding items. But suddenly, she was looking for someone?

"I don't know either!"

"Find out properly!"

At the moment the Association began to take a slight interest in the 'Wandering Merchant' and the 'rabbit', the rabbit in question, the Wandering Merchant, couldn't read those posts. It wasn't because he was an NPC; it was simply because he was in a state of having 'entered' the Tower.

Tower 1st Floor. Forest Rabbit’s Forest.

As expected of the tutorial floor, it was too easy. The monsters were so weak that I could catch them with my bare hands without a weapon. But instead of my bare hands, I fired my crossbow.

Perhaps because my concentration dropped as the number ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of targets increased, my accuracy lowered as time passed, so I wanted to calibrate it a bit.

‘That aside, the rapid fire is a bit disappointing.’

The skill Rapid Fire. When you fire a weapon, a clone follows and fires another shot. The disappointing part was that it flew toward the same spot like a bunker buster. I thought it would be much better if I could fire the second shot immediately. Wouldn't that be more fitting for the skill name Rapid Fire?

-Ding!

I caught the boss monster, the 'Rabbit with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Bulging Eyes', but this time, I wasn't transported to the blue room. Instead, Rackcho appeared where I was.

"Are you finally running your own Tower, meow?"

"It just happened. Anyway, you’re cute even outside the blue room, aren't you?"

As I smiled contentedly, Rackcho twisted its tail.

"Even if you say that, I can't raise the discount rate, meow."

A soft purring sound mixed in at the end of its sentence. Since Rackcho seemed to be in a good mood, that was enough.

"First, take your reward, meow!"

"Ugh! What kind of crappy reward is this!"

An exclamation burst out at the surprisingly low reward. 100% contribution but only 100 T.C? Even if it is the 1st floor, this is below imagination, isn't it?

I didn't even harvest or synthesize today. This meant I had cleared the Tower quickly on purpose because the shorter the time until the clear, the higher the reward. But 100 T.C?! Is this a joke?

"Still, it appeared very well, meow! The 1st floor is a tutorial floor, so the ranking isn't recorded, but at this rate, you can definitely get your name in the rankings on the 2nd floor, meow!"

It was trying to comfort me, at least.

"Rackcho, you have a kind heart, don't you?"

"Hehe, don't say things you don't mean, meow~."

Its tail didn't lie.

"Anyway, look at the items first, meow!"

A sales window appeared before my eyes. For some reason, there were 7 items.

"They’re all weapons?"

"It’s most profitable for a Tower Merchant to bring weapons on the 1st floor, meow."

There were 7 weapons. Longsword, knife, bow, crossbow, pistol, gauntlet, and wand. It seemed like it brought one of every type.

"How much?"

If they were a bit cheap, I wanted to buy one of each. Even if I didn't use them myself. Because of my trait, a skill appears when I hold a weapon. I thought it wouldn't be bad to mix and use them if it came to that.

"Weapons sold on the 1st floor are all fixed at 500 T.C, meow."

"Is that the 50% discounted price?"

"Awakened Kim Uju, you have 'entered' rather than 'intruded', so the 50% discount doesn't apply, meow. Rackcho is sorry about everything, meow!"

Its ears and tail drooped. How did it know I was weak to things like that!

"You don't need to apologize. But..."

I earned 100 T.C, but the fixed price for a weapon was 500 T.C. It meant I had to run the 1st floor 5 times to buy one weapon and go up to the 2nd floor. That’s why people were saying '1st floor is 5 runs!'

100 T.C today. 3 T.C left from buying the power bank yesterday. I currently have a total of 103 T.C.

"Not today, I'll buy it next time."

"Understood, meow!"

"Oh, but Rackcho. Are weapons only available on the 1st floor?"

"The 1st floor is a floor where you must somehow obtain a weapon to use from the 2nd floor, meow! If you're on the 2nd floor or higher, you can purchase even better weapons, meow!"

"For now, I understand. Thank you."

"What’s all that for~ Meow meow!"

Back in the room, I fell into thought. I have a crossbow anyway. I’ve gotten used to it in the meantime. It’s a rental, but I can just buy it if it comes to that. Besides, I might be able to purchase better weapons from Rackcho by climbing higher floors.

1st floor is 5 runs?

Therefore, that doesn't apply to me.

The next day.

From early morning, there was an announcement that hit all of South Korea.

The Korean Awakened who woke up to the alarm hitting their eardrums from the crack of dawn couldn't go back to sleep. For reference, the Tower’s time record is only registered for the first clear. It means only the time record for catching the Tower boss for the first time is registered. People could infer a person’s approximate grade by looking at that.

As such, the appearance of a new 1st place meant the birth of a new rookie! Isn't it something to welcome with open arms!

However, only one person, Seo Ian, couldn't just welcome it.

"Ah, f***. Kim Uju, that guy, must have gotten a good trait?"

She was uncomfortable with the current situation. Seo Ian had walked a royal road of success since the beginning of her awakening due to her trait. And she had set records befitting that. But there was someone who had surpassed her by breaking that record, and his name was 'Kim Uju'!

If it were someone else, she would have welcomed it with open arms, but the problem was that his name was 'Kim Uju'.

‘Hey, I’ll bet my hand on it if Kim Uju even passes the 25th floor.’

What she said to Park Siwoo hovered in her mind. At that moment.

-Vrrr!

Her phone vibrated. She turned her head slightly to check the screen.

[Sender] : Park Siwoo

-Awakened Seo Ian. Is your hand alright^^?

"Damn it...!"

She suddenly felt like her hand was aching, so she started shaking her wrist for no reason. Then, a question suddenly crossed her mind.

‘...Did Kim Uju meet the rabbit too?!’

It was a plausible story.