Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: [Abyss Miner] Serves You Right
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The spot in front of [Orc's Belly Skin] was deserted.
A sign reading "Closed Today" hung all by itself in front of the firmly shut door.
"Ah, fuck. Why'd they have to close today of all days?"
I'd spent the whole day mining, hoping to treat myself to some roast suckling pig. But the world decided to screw me over.
The anticipation that had me salivating turned to bitter disappointment in an instant.
"No helping it."
I was starving, and heading somewhere far sounded like a pain.
I turned on my heel and looked for any nearby joint with its lights on.
A rickety wooden sign caught my eye.
In crumbling letters, it read [Miner's Haven], and below that hung another weathered sign.
[Moonlight Tavern]
'Fancy name for a dump.'
I plopped down at a random table and skimmed the menu.
"Skewer platter and a beer. The most expensive ones you've got."
Today, I deserved a lavish dinner for myself.
This was money I'd risked my life for yesterday and today. A little splurging was fine, right?
After ordering, I zoned out for a bit when a familiar-looking blond head popped into the corner of my vision.
Even in those grimy rags, he couldn't hide his handsome features.
'Even his nape looks good.'
It was Kyle, the original protagonist.
He sat alone at a dim corner table, tearing into a chunk of stale bread.
Next to it was a bowl of watery soup so thin you couldn't spot a single solid bit.
"......"
He looked pathetic.
No way he had any cash after flailing around all day without picking up mining tricks.
Watching him ration out the cheapest menu item was almost pitiful.
'He could go whine to Luna and at least score a meal.'
Of course, with that protagonist pride, no chance he'd stoop that low.
I stared right at him and took a swig of my beer.
"Kaaah."
He might look like a bum now, but I knew better.
This guy bounces back fast.
Protagonist perks were insane.
In a few days, he'd master the ropes, skyrocket in growth, rank up as a miner in no time.
Two weeks tops, and he'd hit the second floor. A month from now, he might even surpass me.
'Gotta pull ahead before that.'
I dazedly watched Kyle spoon up his thin soup when a scene from the original story flashed in my mind.
The part early in volume 2 where Kyle snags his first big opportunity.
'Third floor, right?'
On the third underground level of the Abyss Mine, there's a collapsed tunnel.
Squeeze through a crack in the rocks at the end, and you'll find a dead end with a [Spirit Flower] blooming there.
A spirit medicine that awakens your magic sense and forcibly opens your mana circuits.
Mana in its purest form, basically.
That's when Kyle started handling magic for real.
His growth curve exploded after that.
"......"
A sly grin crept across my lips.
'No reason to let that punk have it.'
I already had my Magic stat unlocked.
But without knowing how to use it, I was just twiddling my thumbs like it was decoration.
What if I ate that flower?
With [Steel Body] and [Earth's Blessing] already stacked, plus free rein over magic?
"I'd be unstoppable."
This world was survival of the fittest anyway.
Finders keepers, and might makes right.
No obligation to hand it over just 'cause he's the protagonist.
Better to snatch it while I can.
'Take out the variant slime on the first floor corner first, then straight to the third.'
That cocky purple-crystal lurker under the violet gem in the first-floor nook.
Squash it, then head down to the third-floor abandoned shaft and gobble the [Spirit Flower].
Kyle was still days away from reaching that spot.
Beat him to it and chow down.
Snagging an opportunity was fun enough, but knowing it was meant for that leechy side-character wannabe? Chef's kiss.
A few other goodies down the line I could grab later, but it sucked I couldn't nab them yet.
"Food's up."
Right on cue, my skewer platter arrived.
Looked fucking delicious.
"Dig in."
The meat was tough, but chewing it was pure bliss.
Kyle was still soaking his hard bread in water to soften it up.
'Stuff your face while you can. Gonna get hungrier soon.'
I snickered inwardly, admiring his back.
Back at the Golden Pickaxe Inn, I beelined for the bathroom.
Hot water gushed out, filling the tub.
"Ughhh, heaven."
Money was the best.
Night-and-day difference from shivering on a plank in the slums.
Sinking into the steaming bath melted away the day's fatigue.
[Steel Body] kept physical exhaustion at bay, but mental wear? Unavoidable.
The warm water washed it clean.
"Charm stat won't budge any more?"
Checking the mirror, my skin looked a tad smoother.
No system ping, though.
'Yeah, no way bathing alone boosts charm.'
Wonder if there were skincare regimens or beauty items around.
Scrubbed down, shampooed, then flopped spread-eagle on the bed.
The plush mattress hugging my back? To die for.
"Fuuu."
Staring at the ceiling, I closed my eyes.
Before sleep, I gave focusing my mind a test run.
[Magic: 11.7]
It'd ticked up a bit from the Siren Spider today.
Numbers didn't lie—magic was in there somewhere.
'Come on, move. Hiyah.'
I zeroed in on my lower abdomen, the dantian spot.
Circulating qi like in wuxia, sensing the mana core like in fantasy tales.
"Grrrrr......"
Strained till my face turned red—
"Ah, fuck."
All I got was a fart.
Stinky as hell, zero magic.
"Goddamn it, for real."
In the story, Kyle awakened and instantly boosted his body with magic, fired off slashes, cast spells like a pro.
Why couldn't I use mine?
"Talentless hacks like me should just drop dead."
Unfair world.
Talent gap was bad enough; at least let me hog the opportunities.
[Spirit Flower] was my only hope.
Chug that, and I'd fake wizardry easy.
Or body enhancement at worst.
'Hang tight, Spirit Flower.'
Tomorrow was gonna be busy.
The next morning, I woke refreshed.
[Earth's Blessing] kept my condition peak.
Grabbed a quick breakfast and headed to the guild.
Needed to offload yesterday's second-floor loot and tags.
Meant to do it right after the mine, but got sidetracked saving Hans and Lisa.
Ding-a-ling—
Early morning, so the guild was quiet.
Luna, leaning on the counter yawning, spotted me and went wide-eyed.
Her hair was down today, golden waves cascading over her shoulders, her collarbone peeking through—stunning.
'Eye candy first thing.'
"You're up early?"
Luna asked with sleepy eyes.
"Got stuff to handle."
I dumped the jangling metal tags from my pouch onto the counter.
Rusty, bloodstained identification tags.
Harvested from the miners' corpses cocooned in the second-floor spider nest yesterday.
"These......"
Luna picked them up one by one, her face darkening.
"From the folks strung up in the spider nest on the second floor. Couldn't haul the bodies, but figured their families deserved these at least."
Of course, I pocketed their coin purses along the way.
That was just practical.
Bringing the tags was bonus.
"......You're more sentimental than I thought. Figured you were all about the cash."
"I am about the cash. Guild pays recovery bounty for these, right?"
"Ha, what a guy. Can't even be honest."
She chuckled and sorted the tags.
"True. We pay a modest bounty for confirmed-dead miners' tags. Still, thanks. Means a lot to the families."
"Whatever. Just pay up."
Luna handed over a coin pouch from the drawer.
Not a fortune, but enough for breakfast.
"Heard you're already rampaging through the second floor? Word's spreading. Monster newbie."
"Grapevine moves fast."
"Watch yourself. Too much spotlight breeds envy. And...... don't end up like that."
Don't die.
"No worries. I ain't dying."
"Talk's cheap."
Luna chuckled again.
Her morning smile purified my soul.
Even if it was just professional courtesy, not real affection.
"Take care."
"You too."
I waved and left the guild.
Next stop: the market district.
Time to sell the monster parts from the second floor.
[Iron-Shell Crab Claw Muscle], [Acid Sac], [Spider Silk Gland], [Bear Bile].
'Skipping the Siren's Illusion Sac.'
Too valuable to sell.
Prime aphrodisiac ingredient.
Tucked it safe in my inn room drawer for later.
Into the general store. The shopkeeper sat yawning at the counter.
"How much for all this?"
Thud, thud. Monster bits covered the counter.
"Prime condition. Total...... 4,500 Lumina."
"5,500."
"Aw, customer! That's too—"
"No deal? Plenty of buyers anyway."
I pretended to scoop them back.
"Ah, okay! 5,000! Sold, sold!"
Payback for no haggling on potions.
Pocketed the fat pouch and stepped out, bumping into someone at the door.
"Huh? Lee Jun?"
Familiar voice.
Erika, the original heroine.
"Oh, Erika."
"Fancy meeting you here! Gear maintenance?"
"Kinda. Just unloading junk."
"Junk?"
Her eyes flicked between my empty sack and the bustling shop interior.
The owner was still sorting the parts I'd just sold.
"Those...... second-floor monster drops? You went that deep already? Wow......"
"No biggie. Just poked around."
I shrugged nonchalantly.
Erika's eyes sparkled.
Admiration for her lifesaver.
"You're amazing. I can barely handle bats...... You're on another level."
"Keep at it, and you'll get there soon."
Not empty words—she would.
Heroine talent.
She soloed the eighth floor in the story.
Some mystery katana she'd picked up somewhere.
"Haha, hope so."
Erika shyly tucked hair behind her ear, smiling.
Adorably cute.
Remembered her clinging to me, sobbing while fleeing kobolds.
Got a good grope of her ass and waist through her clothes.
'Fuck......'
Thinking about it got me hard again.
Soft even over fabric—what about bare skin?
"Lee Jun? Everything okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Just...... you look extra pretty today."
"W-what?! Oh, uh...... Don't tease."
Her face flushed apple-red as she bowed her head.
Shy at the compliment, but don't get ideas.
Affinity still at 25—acquaintance level.
She's just bashful like that.
"No joke. Anyway, stay safe. Don't push it."
"You too, Lee Jun!"
Erika scurried off.
'Gonna fuck her someday.'
I licked my lips, like a cheetah eyeing a snack.
Time to snag that opportunity.