Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Broker (1)
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> Anon: But how good is handing out +10 Magic Power?
> Beetle: Extremely. Stats rise randomly between 1 and 10 every time you climb a floor.
Which stat goes up is random too.
> > Magic is Firepower: Classes have bonuses, but bad luck turns some into strength mages.
> Anon: Oh, yeah, that's super good then.
I finally got it.
Having all stats rise evenly was an insane bonus.
To get a stat like +10 Magic Power, you had to beat two rounds of probability draws.
First, the odds of Magic Power being selected out of all the stats.
Second, the odds of the stat increase being +10.
"This every floor?"
That's when I finally understood why rankers were obsessed with first place.
With bonuses like this on the line, no wonder becoming ranking number one was a state secret.
I moved on to the next topic.
The most urgent issue for me right now. Money.
[Title: Need to sell mana stones, anyone know a contact?]
Author: Anon
They gave double mana stones because of the bonus.
Heard you need a broker to sell these?
Any brokers you know?
> Pikachu: Huh? Can't you just sell to the Association?
> Anon: I'm unregistered.
> Fridge: Oh, right.... Never used a broker myself, so no idea.
Now they seemed to get my situation.
Of course. A- and S-Ranks like them wouldn't be hawking mana stones themselves.
The Association probably handled it for them, or they had dedicated staff.
Expecting them to understand an unregistered hunter's struggles was asking too much.
> Magic is Firepower: Guess you'll have to find a broker then.
There are guys who specialize in unregistered hunters.
> Beetle: Be careful. Most of them are scammers. They all claim to have a hunter or two on payroll.
> Pikachu: They're just C- or D-Rank losers who can't even solo. Barely deserve the name hunter.
Our invincible newbie could wipe them easy.
"Dangerous, huh...."
Beetle's comment made me glance in the mirror for a second.
Long black hair, youthful face, slender build.
A physique that screamed middle schooler no matter how you sliced it.
He was right.
Showing up like this to meet a broker? I'd be prime bait.
> Beetle: If anything goes wrong, tell me right away. I'll sort it out.
> Pikachu: Quit pretending to be sweet in front of the newbie, Beetle. It's pathetic.
I'd keep Beetle's words in mind.
But I probably wouldn't need his help.
Either way, I needed cash now. I had no choice but to head to the Hunter Gallery.
Searching keywords like 'mana stone' and 'buying' brought up a flood of posts.
[(Credit/Safe/Fast) ◆Gold Rush◆ Highest prices for mana stones/junk items/gear.]
[@ManaStoneBuyer@ Seoul/Gyeonggi full area 24hr house calls. Telegram: @SSalDAPaM23]
Most were blatant ads.
"They don't do armbands anymore.... Why so many ad posts?"
I clicked my tongue and picked the most legit-looking buyer post, dropping a comment.
> Mana stones pp.
> > Telegram @SSalDaPam23
A reply came in one second.
Telegram link.
The messenger that had become a hotbed for crime, Telegram.
Perfect for shady deals since it guaranteed total anonymity and auto-deleted chat logs.
I followed the link into the chat and stated my business.
[Selling mana stones, hit you up for that.]
[How much?]
[400g]
[400g? Sorry, we don't handle that small an amount.]
[We only trade in kg units.]
The response was firm.
I spat a short curse. Small amount?
[Fine, guess I'll clear a few more floors then. Whatever.]
I closed Telegram without a second thought.
Conclusion: more Tower grinding.
The next day, I resumed Tower runs right away.
Entering floor 3, new types appeared this time, like goblin throwers.
Goblins all the same.
With Golden - Skill, they weren't a threat at all.
"Sand Bog."
I opened a massive sand bog right off the bat and sliced off hands mid-throw.
While they flailed in the bog, I formed sand bullets from the floor and massacred them.
The throwers tried ranged attacks, but stuck in the bog, their aim sucked.
The goblins' stones cut through empty air pathetically.
Cleared way too easily.
[Tower Floor 3 (EXTREME) cleared. Congratulations!]
[First Clear Bonus applied!]
[Ranking #1 Bonus applied!]
[All Stats +10]
[Mana Stone 400g]
Floor 4 was the same.
This time, goblin warriors with axes and spears showed up.
Some even wore crude armor.
Useless in the sand bog.
I slotted bullets precisely into gaps in their flailing armor.
[Tower Floor 4 (EXTREME) cleared. Congratulations!]
[First Clear Bonus applied!]
[Ranking #1 Bonus applied!]
[All Stats +10]
[Mana Stone 400g]
Over two days, clearing up to floor 4, I had exactly 1.2kg of mana stones in my pocket.
Weight was sufficient now.
"5th floor has the boss, right?"
Gallery info said floor 5 was guarded by a boss monster called goblin shaman.
Even for me, I wanted to prep properly for my first boss fight.
I left the Tower for now and messaged the broker again.
[Gathered 1kg mana stones. Buy now?]
[1kg? Perfect. Tomorrow 2pm.]
Deal was set.
***
Meanwhile, at that moment, Virginia, USA. Pentagon underground bunker.
The world's most secure site, but useless against one man.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Demigod, the strongest existing S-Rank Hunter, slammed the desk and roared.
One more desk shattered under him today.
The agents at the monitors flinched.
With his temper, their heads might be next.
"My #1 record's been stolen for days now, and you still can't find who?!"
"S-Sorry. The target scrubbed their traces deliberately...."
"Save the excuses! And what's this initial? How do you even read it? Two circles? Who're they mocking?"
One agent spoke up cautiously.
"We're... calling it 'Double-O' for now."
"Double-O?"
"Yes. Probably a Japanese hunter.
Speculation it's that dual-wield swordsman Japan's government has been secretly training...."
Demigod scoffed.
"Japanese? No way.
They wouldn't dare something this bold.
They're just monkeys chasing our tails!"
"But..."
"Find them. Now! Use any means to uncover who this 'Double-O' is!
If no report by tomorrow morning...
I'll dump every one of you in the middle of the Pacific.
Get your shit together, you worms."
Leaving a killing-intent-laced threat, Demigod stormed out of the bunker.
'Water rocket loser got stomped 3x worse 'cause he sucks, now bitching at us....'
The staff swallowed curses inwardly as they cleaned up the smashed desks and computers.
***
Ahead of my broker meet, I gathered intel thoroughly.
Hunter Gallery had occasional scam victim posts about brokers.
Most common tricks: faking weight or knocking down price claiming low purity.
Worst cases, straight-up robbing the stones by force.
Plus, look at me.
I screamed kid, or errand boy middle schooler at best.
No one would peg me for a hunter.
Even a broker with no crime in mind would get ideas seeing me.
So I prepared thoroughly.
For any contingency.
Meeting spot was a quiet officetel.
I sent a Telegram message, instant reply.
[Almost there.]
[Come to 1302.]
I rang the bell for the room the broker gave.
Creak-
Moments later, the steel door opened, revealing a rough-looking guy.
Broad shoulders, arms thick with tattoos.
No one normal.
He looked shocked the second he saw me.
"What the, a kid?"
He couldn't hide his surprise.
His brain was probably spinning.
An unregistered hunter selling mana stones turning out to be a middle school kid.
He pulled out a compromise with common sense.
"Who sent you? Your dad's the hunter?"
He probed while subtly intimidating me.
But I wasn't some real middle schooler, no reason to fear this.
I stood cocky on purpose, hands jammed in pockets as I replied.
All about seizing initiative.
Can't let a first impression make him dismiss me as a kid.
"Talking short to a customer from the jump?"
"...What?"
"I'm the hunter. Fuck, got a problem?"
My casual speech and curse stunned the broker speechless for a sec.
He soon burst into hollow laughter.
"Hahaha. I've seen it all."
"So, buying or not?"
"Don't know where you got the balls, but you ain't scary at all, so cut it."
What? This elementary schooler treatment?
Should I just sweep him away? Could gut him silent in a heartbeat.
As I geared up to show him what-for,
He paused thoughtful, then stepped aside.
"...Come in for now."
Click-
The moment I entered, the door lock engaged behind me with an ominous chime.
Broker gestured to the sofa, then made a call somewhere.
"Yeah, it's me. Yeah.... Nah, just a kid. Yeah. Total nutjob. ...Area clear? Good."
From the snippets leaking, he was checking if I had a gang or cops nearby.
Figured it was some kind of trap.
No gang to appear, obviously.
After multiple checks, the broker sighed in relief and hung up.
And during that, I'd made one preparation.
'Sand Bog.'
My left hand dissolved into flowing sand.
I hid a small sand pit under the carpet and bided my time.