Mana Windfall and the Siren's Necklace

Should we go get some gear first? The controls at the Korean tower entrance were lifted less than a week after the rumors spread about low-grade mana storage stones popping up everywhere on the first floor.

In the end, climbers' main source of income came from what they got inside the tower, so even the association couldn't keep it locked down forever.

Plus, awakeners from other countries had already started mining the mana storage stones scattered throughout the Starting Forest, which led to a ton of complaints from locals. That just made it worse.

Of course, I'd heard there were some power struggles between the Awakener Association Korean Branch and the climbers in the process, but I didn't know the details.

Beep.

I mashed the remote button to turn off the TV. Watching the news just made me sleepy.

Anyway, the summaries from my ‘misc-knowledge gallery’ buddies were way easier to understand.

Still, the tower opening was good news for me too.

The more people entering the tower, the more entrance fees I get.

Win-win: they mine mana storage stones and love it, I collect fees and love it!

Hehe, leaving those stones behind was totally the right call no matter how I look at it.

Like they say on the forums—would you rather be unemployed making 2 million a month, or work for 5 million? Everyone picks unemployed.

I thought about not mining them and just chilling, but now money's rolling in anyway. Even better!

On top of that, Im Ji-won unnie sold the mana storage stone from the Goblin King for me last time, so even more cash flowed in.

My bank account's in a total boom right now. Sure, it's just three months' worth of convenience store wages, but it's money I never could've dreamed of before.

"Kkam-dung-i, Jju-jju! Now Mommy can buy you yummy stuff!"

"Ppuu!"

"Jjuu-ing!"

Kkam-dung-i and Jju-jju were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bouncing around happily at the thought of tasty meals ahead.

'Actually, that's not even the best part.'

Honestly, even better than raking in all this cash since the tower opened was something else.

Just hop onto the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠forum and take a look.

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My name was all over these wholesome posts, and everyone was praising me.

"My heart's pounding and I can't stop grinning."

Reading every single one had me giggling "whehehe" nonstop.

Was it just weird getting this much attention I'd never had before? Or did I secretly love being the center of it all?

I didn't know, but good was good.

Best of all, more people were starting to believe I was really Eun-ha.

"And tons of DMs too."

Of course, not everything was sunshine.

Weirdos kept flooding my inbox with creepy messages. Notifications popping non-stop during my gallery time was kinda annoying.

Im Ji-won unnie told me over the phone to ignore weird DMs, and I didn't wanna deal with randos anyway, so I just blocked them.

"Anyway..."

I set my phone down for a sec and eyed my awakener license on the floor.

Thanks to the landlady unnie's help last time, I'd gotten it super easy.

With this, nothing could stop me from entering the tower. No more getting yelled at by scary uncles like before.

'I really wanna climb higher.'

If there's one thing this whole thing taught me, it's that I gotta keep climbing the tower.

If becoming the owner of Floor 1 was something people loved that much... then owning other floors and turning them into "fully cleared" status like on the news would make even more people happy.

'And I'd get way more upvotes too.'

Before, I was just worried about eating. Now with some breathing room, all these thoughts were popping up.

So after a bit of hesitation, I messaged Im Ji-won unnie.

Felt a little guilty asking for another favor when I hadn't done anything for her yet, but I knew zilch about the tower.

Better to ask someone experienced than blindly climb. And the only awakeners I knew were landlady unnie and Im Ji-won unnie.

She made over 1 bil a month, she'd said. Low-grade stones might not even scratch her itch.

I thought back to the awakeners I'd seen from afar.

They all wore custom gear—kinda weird-looking stuff fitted to them.

So I need gear too?? I'd look like a real awakener!

"Ppuuuu!"

"Jju-ing, shing!"

"H-Here...?"

The second I got out of Im Ji-won unnie's car, I couldn't close my mouth at the massive building towering in front of me.

Its gleaming full-glass facade topped with "KAA Official Gear Shop" in big letters.

"K? K-A, Kay-Ay...?"

"Huh? No, don't call it that... This is the official gear shop run by the Awakener Association. We just call it the association shop."

Im Ji-won unnie killed the engine with a casual button press and hopped out.

"We buy gear here?"

"Yup. Higher than Floor 1, monsters drop all kinds of items."

"Whaa...?"

"Awakeners with crafting skills process those materials into gear to sell. Some stuff drops ready-made from dungeons too, but let's head in."

She grabbed my hand and led me through the huge automatic doors.

Cool AC air hit us first, then a sight I couldn't have imagined from outside unfolded.

In the lobby center, a glass case displayed a massive greatsword and a sparkling staff, both human-sized.

Around it, mannequins wore all sorts of armor and shields. Walls were crammed with tiny rings and necklaces glittering like accessories.

Everything sparkled so much—it screamed expensive. Could I even afford any?

"Cool, right? Floors 1 and 2 gear is usually beginner low-grade stuff, so let's check that section first."

"Yeees."

Im Ji-won unnie explained each piece as I gawked.

Most low-grade gear had no special effects, but mid-grade and up started having unique ones.

"Anyway, you're a mage? Nah. Summoner..., yeah, probably summoner. So just some armor and a self-defense weapon should do."

I nodded at her words.

"For self-defense, a light ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shortsword you can swing easy—like this one?"

She pointed to a tiny, shiny silver shortsword in a display.

Looked kinda plain, but if unnie recommended it, it had to be good.

I hurried to the case. With 31.95 mil in the bank, low-grade stuff should be no prob. Maybe get unnie a gift after?

I checked the little price tag below.

"Huh?"

I rubbed my eyes and double-checked. The zeros didn't budge.

I pointed at each zero, counting on my finger.

"One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million...?"

I instinctively backed away.

Low-grade my butt! No special effects! Tiny knife for 45 mil? Scam!

"Like it?"

"U-Unnie. That price tag... think a zero's extra. Should be one less, right?"

"Huh? Nah, 45 mil's right. Low-grade's usually around there. They dull quick so they sell cheap."

She nodded like it was nothing.

I glanced at her face, then replied.

"J-Just wanna look around more."

"Sure. I'll explain as we go."

Cheap? No way I could afford gear right now.

I fidgeted my fingers, trailing close behind her.

Gotta bail. This ain't my scene. Come back after Floor 2 or 3 when I'm swimming in cash.

I trust Kkam-dung-i and Jju-jju anyway. They'll handle it gear or no gear, right??

"Ppu, ppu ppu!"

As I pondered excuses to escape the shop, Kkam-dung-i in my arms suddenly stretched a tentacle, pointing somewhere.

"Huh? What's up, Eun-ha."

"Th-That way... something's there."

I turned where Kkam-dung-i pointed. A display case with weird string-wrapped stones—shabby-looking gear.

Kkam-dung-i went wild with "Ppuuuu!" as I approached.

What? Does Kkam-dung-i know something?

The gear's name:

Im Ji-won unnie sighed deeply at the sight.

"Eun-ha, skip stuff like this. Price is jacked up just cuz it's a boss drop."

She said that, but I couldn't tear my eyes from the Mermaid's Necklace.

Staring at it... somehow...

Splash— splash——

I swear I heard waves crashing somewhere. The shop noise, unnie's breathing—all faded into the distance in an instant.