Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Hassan and the Underground Market
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I could never forget the ordeals of my first month in this other world.
Swoosh.
It felt like I'd suddenly fallen through an open manhole cover.
When I came to, all I could see around me was a pitch-black, unfamiliar underground corridor.
Only now do I know it was one of Pluto's labyrinths, but back then, I thought it was just a 21st-century sewer.
I'd fallen into an open manhole while some construction was going on. That was the vibe—man, talk about rotten luck.
Of course, the moment I saw those massive spiders and walking skeletons come alive, I realized it wasn't.
Anyway, all I could do back then was run.
I fled this way and that until I got caught by Deathros's human hunters who were exploring the labyrinth, and they turned me into a gladiator slave.
"Heh heh heh, what's this? A Samaritan! Another damn Samaritan! Our luck's through the roof!"
Deathros Arena.
That place was pure hell on earth.
They fed you one meal a day and made you fight all sorts of beasts and monsters every single day.
I spent about a month there.
But that one month became one of the darkest, most horrific chapters of my life to date.
So, eventually, taking advantage of various incidents, I set the arena ablaze. Lit it up and ran.
But even in this world, arson is a major crime, so I got caught in the end.
Verdict: Death by hanging or enslavement.
They threw me into a punishment where I had to choose one of two gruesome fates.
Two options, but death was death either way, they said. At least in their eyes, I was a savage barbarian who'd burn down where he lived.
And no one wanted to enslave a savage like that except perverts who enjoyed torturing and tormenting.
"Looks like no one's lining up to be your master. Per kingdom law, execution!"
And as they dragged me to the gallows, that's when I met Elfriede.
"You set fire to where you lived? That's hilarious."
Looking back now, maybe she felt some twisted empathy with me, since she'd torched the World Tree and fled herself.
Of course, that's probably just my delusion. If so, she wouldn't have whipped me half to death. Or maybe she just needed a sturdy sandbag that wouldn't go down no matter how hard she hit.
Everyone harbors that subconscious urge to whip someone, after all.
Anyway, that's my past in the briefest terms.
"So, Hassan's a convicted arsonist?"
Luna's brows furrowed as she listened to my story at the table, the duel wrapped up.
My explanation was so abbreviated, she must've had parts that didn't click.
"Yeah. But the record's probably wiped. I joined the cultist purge."
Malco, sitting beside her, chimed in.
"That elf—quite the beauty. Slavery under a stunner like that? Jealous, brother. Did anything naughty happen while you—"
"M-Malco, shut it!"
"Guh!"
Luna swung her fist hard into Malco's gut, sending him crumpling over the table, speechless.
Paranoya tossed in a few words, ignoring the scene.
"Setting fires on the surface... As expected of Lord Hassan...! You aimed to create an inferno of carnage...! So cool...!"
This girl's screws seem looser every time I see her. She was most normal when apprenticed to the cultists, hanging with the stompers.
In a world full of nymph hate, maybe she couldn't keep her sanity? Kinda sad, thinking about it. Mental illness is a beast here or on Earth.
No, that's not the point right now.
I'd glossed over plenty intentionally, but I'd given the rough outline of my past to my comrades.
Felt kinda refreshing yet embarrassing and awkward.
What did Luna think of my tale?
Peeking at her face, she looked flushed, like she had a ton to say but couldn't, fumbling awkwardly.
Then her lips parted slightly.
"Hassan, you lied to me."
"...No, it wasn't a lie. I just never mentioned it. You never asked."
"No, you said you'd never had a girlfriend."
"True. I haven't. No lie."
"But you knew a pretty elf like that. Not fair!"
Luna ended up snapping, unsure how to handle that I'd been close to Elfriede.
Honestly, I hadn't seen that reaction coming, so I was pretty flustered too.
"Not my girlfriend. Nothing happened between us."
"...Really?"
"I swear."
"Hmm...."
Luna reluctantly shut her mouth, seeming to accept it. But her face still looked pouty, suspicion lingering.
Luna's got more possessiveness and jealousy than I thought. If she found out about me and Hippolyte...
Part of me was morbidly curious—and terrified. But a rack of mystery meat might fix it quick.
Who knows.
As I mulled over my tangled thoughts, Malco lifted his head from the table, recovered.
"Anyway, dueling strong adventurers and thieves' guild hunters? Heh, you've leveled up, brother. Full silver tier treatment now, right?"
"You think?"
Sure, it felt like riding in the back of Hippolyte's bus. But competing with a silver-tier adventuring team for the same prize?
Damn, Hassan the arena rat had grown this much?
Like it or not, I'd been steadily climbing too.
How fun was it watching Elfriede fly from my punch, all flustered? Bet she never dreamed I'd hit level 19.
Maybe this thieves' guild purge is a prime chance to screw over Elfriede and her rotten girl posse?
That thought fired me up.
Nail it, and I'd rack up massive contributions. Rewards to match, no doubt.
Maybe the golden-bearded dwarf count of Sodomora would go, "Name your wish."
I'd say, "Let me open a health clinic."
Ten customers a day, cure one debuff each—100 karma per pop.
One level a day. Month later, level 40? Heroes start at 40, right? Gold tier's no dream then.
Oh shit.
Motivation surging.
Haven't felt this urge to seize something big in ages. Can't let it slip.
* * *
Sodomora's center is packed with guild halls, temples, government offices, you name it. No clue on urban planning, so can't explain in detail.
But it's got all the spots you'd expect in a city core.
And beneath that vital city heart, ancient sewer systems from way back, apparently.
Fitting a metropolis rivaling the capital, Sodomora's sewers are well-built, with real effort put in.
"But for the last decade or so, thieves have squatted in those underground waterways."
Malco's words explained why Sodomora felt so filthy and rundown. Tax-dodging crooks occupying public facilities, screwing everyone over.
So I asked.
"Wait, why not evict them? No one's done anything?"
"Hmm."
Malco let out a small groan at my question.
He glanced around the central street, then whispered low enough for just our group.
"No use. Rumors say someone from the thieves' guild's on Sodomora's high council."
Central gov cozying up with thieves?
Malco pointed at the buildings and surrounding walls in the central district.
I was half-expecting nonsense when—
"See those walls? Notice how short they are compared to other cities?"
His question made me rethink the walls. Yeah, Sodomora's were low.
Barely chest-high on me—fine for zoning, worthless for security.
"What's that got to do—"
"Law change to make thieving easier. In Sodomora, no wall except the city ones can exceed human height."
"What the hell kinda law is that?"
Reminded me of Sicilian mafia deep in politics. Like that fun old flick, The Godfather.
Yeah, organizations with tentacles everywhere are tumors—hard to cut out.
Hence bringing in outsiders unlinked to the guild.
Technically, that makes me one too.
I, the black wasteland Samaritan—no, 21st-century Earth savage.
"Gonna crush those thief bastards."
With that gung-ho spirit, we headed into the thieves' turf under the central district. Called "Mercury Street" down there.
Thieves, merchants, bards, con artists—the sleazy lot worship Mercury, so the underground got his name.
I braced for a grimy hellhole.
But the massive entrance in one city corner looked like stairs to an underground station—huge, well-made.
Descending, the depths gleamed bright and opulent, nothing like a dungeon.
Towering ceilings on sturdy pillars.
Crowds milling about below.
Glowing stones for lights everywhere.
Less thieves' den, more bustling underground mall.
Merchants hawking wares, bards singing—it screamed subterranean arcade.
"Hassan, look! They're selling wildlings! Not just any—huge ones! Blue too! Hnggg!"
Luna smacked my arm, pointing wildly.
What the fuss? In a weird tank, fist-sized bluish slime blobs writhed.
Gloop.
Gloop.
Nothing like beasts I knew. Monster-wise, slimes?
Luna once dug up tree roots hunting these. Yeah, that's them.
Full-grown blue wildling? 2 gold underground coins each.
Damn, pricey. Lay golden eggs or what?
Why 2 gold a pop? Luna bolted to a short old-timer.
"Welcome."
Shopkeep was a harfling, dead ringer for that old philosopher Plato guy.
"Shit, wildlings—!"
"Oh, you know your stuff. Rare finds like these."
"Gimme wildlings!"
"How many."
"All here! Three!"
"Heh, smart lass. Can't get 'em anywhere else underground."
Luna blew 6 of her 7 underground gold on the gooey freaks.
Free money or not, flexing that hard in one go?
Lottery winners blow cash fast—witnessing it live.
My sense of money's warping; feels like luxury brain damage.
Is this the same Luna who cheered over wheel bugs at 20 coppers each?
Plastered in slimes, she threw her hands up, yelling bright.
"Got wildlings! This heaven? Am I dreaming?"
Bought, not caught.
Anyway, had to ask Luna what the deal was.
"What's with dropping 2 gold each on those?"
"Delish! Good for the body! This vibrant blue, this size—once in years!"
Then she slurped one off her chest raw.
Gloop... gloo...
The 2-gold goo vanished into her mouth, tiny belly, with a pathetic squeak.
I nearly blacked out. Eating one alive? Brutal...
"Wanna try one, Hassan? Amazing if it suits you! Was gonna hog 'em, but for your health."
She even offered me one. I took it on reflex.
Palm feel? Like a water balloon. Cool for summer cuddles.
Gloo.
Seemed to nuzzle my hand—fond of me? Cuter than expected.
But chowing down raw? Took guts. I'd eaten weird shit, but this was new.
"Eat it quick!"
Urged by Luna, I pressed lips to its squishy, moist body and slurped like her.
Taste? Weirdly grape jelly. Pudding-ish, edible.
Weirder: text popped up.
Ding-.
『Consumed the Milk of the Sky Queen.』
『Karma +100.』
『Current Karma Value: +179.』
What... the actual fuck.
For real?
Eyes off the text, I eyed the slimes on Luna.
[Author's Note]
Omitted as per instructions for immersive story focus.