24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 35

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Dimensional Item Specialty 24-Hour Friendly Market Episode 35

Episode 35. Floor 51 (5)

The pain of piercing solid bone exploded all the way to the top of my head.

‘Ugh, damn it……’

Lee Hae-won, age 28.

Death by arrow in the 21st century…..

[⁕ Due to the ‘Merchant’s Mark’ effect, the administrator is currently in an invincible state :)]

As if that would happen.

The arrow probably wasn’t even aimed at me.

Though I nearly stumbled backward from the force of the arrow, I managed to hold my ground without falling.

Fortunately, I didn’t drop Echo, who I was carrying.

Echo, who had clearly seen me get hit by the arrow, asked while gasping as if out of breath.

“S-sister, are you okay?”

“No, it hurts like hell. How much farther do we have to go?!”

I had tried to speak nicely in front of the kid, but I didn’t have the luxury for that.

Since I’d never been hit by an arrow in my life, this kind of intense pain was truly a first for me.

“Normally it takes 10 minutes to get there, but at this speed… if we run, it’ll take another 30 minutes.”

Echo’s voice was tinged with faint despair as she said this.

’30 minutes?’

That sounds like telling me to run until I drop dead, doesn’t it?

Aren’t you completely ruling out the possibility that I can’t run for 10 whole minutes?

While resenting little Echo, I continued running frantically.

But unfortunately, the disgusting shouting showed no signs of getting farther away.

“Filthy beasts, where do you think you’re running!”

“Impurities of the continent, die here!”

At the crude words they casually threw out, I couldn’t help but reflexively snap back.

“Don’t run your mouth just because you have a hole in your face, you son of a bitch!”

“Sister, if you get angry while running, you’ll get more out of breath…!”

She’s right.

No wonder I was getting so winded when I hadn’t even been running for 5 minutes.

Hearing Echo’s worried complaint, I shut my mouth and started running desperately.

The sounds of hoofbeats, clashing metal, and urgent shouting erupted from all directions.

While running at full speed until my thighs felt like they’d burst, I frantically worked my barely functioning brain.

‘Should I tell her to get down and run by herself?’

Echo was just too panicked to think of escaping; she wasn’t injured.

Her inability to ask to be put down was likely due to panic as well.

Since I’m basically an invincible extra, I won’t die even if it hurts, so it might be better to buy time so she can escape alone.

Just then, an arrow grazed past my ear and stuck into the ground.

“Mom, Dad, thank you…”

Echo, who was tightly hugging my neck, whispered softly.

To think someone’s final words of gratitude would be spoken in my arms – how could this be so agonizing…

‘Thank you?’

At that moment, someone’s name struck me like lightning.

I stopped right there in my tracks.

“W-why are you stopping here!”

I hurriedly put down the panicked Echo and opened my inventory.

The person I had always expressed gratitude to.

Someone whose face and personality I didn’t know, but whose name I knew for certain.

None other than Nocturne Garth!

The fresh magical permanent transport device that just came out of my inventory boasted the same majesty as when I was riding it on the 49th Floor.

“Echo, get on!”

“What is this?! You stopped instead of running away, you should at least explain…!”

“Explanation? We don’t need that!”

I grabbed Echo and sat her on the back seat.

If I hesitated, Echo getting hit by an arrow would happen in an instant.

I pulled Echo’s hands around my waist and immediately started pedaling.

The effectiveness of the magical bicycle created by the nameless genius of some dimension, Nocturne Garth, remained the same.

At the speed of cutting through the wind, the loud noises coming from behind began to rapidly fade away.

“I don’t think they can catch up at all… We’ll get there in 5 minutes, right?

“Right? I ride this often too. Which direction should we go?”

“Just go straight ahead. When you get to a tree with a yellow ribbon, turn right.”

At Echo’s weak voice coming from behind, I glanced back.

I thought she might be amazed by this magical permanent transport device, but Echo’s face was actually covered with sadness.

Moreover, the scenery visible behind her was ominous.

‘Ah…’

The village must have been overrun in an instant, as clearly visible black smoke was spreading across the blue sky.

Well, she was in the middle of a battlefield and barely escaped after failing to prevent her home from being destroyed.

This wouldn’t be the time to marvel at a bicycle.

I asked carefully.

“Are you okay?”

“…Of course.”

Echo answered with a faint smile.

I didn’t bother pointing out that it was a lie.

* * *

Following Echo’s signal of tapping my shoulder as if telling me to stop, I came to a halt in the middle of a dense forest.

Everywhere I looked there were only trees and bushes with no apparent hiding places, but Echo walked ahead confidently without panic.

“This place is safe from humans.”

Doesn’t it seem like there are neither humans nor beastkin here?

Having all sorts of thoughts, I followed behind Echo for about 5 minutes.

From somewhere, the sound of murmuring began to be heard.

“This is our village.”

“Couldn’t we have just ridden straight here?”

“If we came rushing that fast, we might have been hit by arrows.”

Right, that’s smart.

If this was the last stronghold, there would be strict guards protecting it, so stopping at the outskirts was a wise decision.

I put the magical bicycle aka Nokgacheon into my inventory and entered through the bushes.

And shortly after, I couldn’t help but admire the scenery that unfolded before my eyes.

“Wow…”

Echo’s words about it being safe weren’t empty after all.

My mouth fell open at the fantastic scenery.

Houses built on top of giant trees, and bridges connected between the trunks.

So many beastkin were coming and going through the village that it really felt like entering a fantasy world.

A few passing beastkin glanced over, but since Echo seemed to be a beastkin under someone’s protection, no one bothered to approach and pick a fight.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

“Where is this place?”

“Um… the real home, ‘Kona.'”

“So earlier was fake Kona?”

“We call that place the fence. What was it… electric base? Something like that.”

“…Are you talking about an outpost? A war front?”

Echo nodded with an “oops” expression on her face.

Even if there’s a war going on, how could a kid who looked barely 10 years old have gone to an outpost?

Echo seemed to know very well how dangerous what she had done was.

“Why did you go to such a dangerous place anyway?”

Before Echo could make any excuses to my question.

“Echo!”

At the voice that rang out like thunder, I was startled and turned around.

I saw someone approaching, making the ground thump with each step.

A massive build that seemed well over 190 centimeters tall, with a bushy beard from temples to jaw.

Plus fierce eyes – a face you’d believe if told he was a local bandit.

His bright red eyes gleamed fiercely, and his muscles, which suited his rough appearance well, were almost comparable to Alessandro’s.

…And the rabbit ears attached above were quite impressive.

The rabbit beastkin who approached with an angry face grabbed Echo’s small cat ears and roared.

“Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you? Where the hell did you go!”

“Ow! That hurts!”

“It’s supposed to hurt, you brat!”

“Uncle Onak, I’m sorry! I, I went to see the trees at the fence.”

Pinching ears mercilessly with fingers like hot dogs – it looks painful just watching.

I felt like I was getting scolded along with her even though I did nothing wrong, so I kept my mouth shut.

“I told you not to go play there! Do you know how dangerous the fence is?”

“But…! This sister helped me!”

Strictly speaking, Echo had saved me when I was frozen in the battle situation.

‘But when an opportunity to act like a benefactor comes, I can’t just ignore it.’

Only then did the rabbit macho named Onak glance at me.

Sharp eyes that made it hard to believe he was a rabbit looked me up and down.

“…A human?”

What I felt from those words was familiar hostility.

‘Here we go again, again.’

I swallowed a sigh and bowed my head as politely as possible.

“Hello, I’m a wandering merchant named Lee Hae. Echo looked like she was in danger.”

“This sister rode a super fast cart and brought me here!”

That wasn’t a cart but my bicycle, which I had named ‘Nocturne Garth Genius.’

Since it wasn’t the right atmosphere to correct her, I kept quiet and smiled like a kind stranger.

“…A human saving someone, what will I hear next.”

The rabbit’s exclamation was unique.

Though the hostility toward me didn’t seem to have disappeared yet, Onak obediently relaxed the intensity in his eyes.

“Thank you. To save Echo in times like these.”

“We have to help each other and survive. I was angry at humans too.”

“Right, sister was really pissed-“

I quickly covered Echo’s mouth.

However, those words seemed appropriate for gaining Onak’s favor.

“I am Onak, a rabbit tribe warrior.”

Seeing him give a fierce smile while revealing his name, he seemed to have decided to view me favorably.

Forgetting that her ear had been grabbed, Echo proudly added.

“Uncle Onak is the strongest warrior in the village.”

“A rabbit tribe warrior…”

“Is that strange?”

“No! Rabbits are strong!”

Looking at leg muscles that could probably kick me all the way outside the Tower of Babel, I hurriedly answered.

At the flattery that came out naturally like flowing water, Onak smiled proudly.

“That’s right. Do you know why rabbits are strong?”

A rough face that didn’t match the rabbit species at all.

With the current war against humans, I couldn’t even guess what mindset Onak was asking with.

I carefully shook my head.

Onak lightly stomped the ground with his large foot, then added in a voice that couldn’t be more serious.

“Because we have guts and guns.”

“Ah, guts… guns…”

Should I laugh or not in this heavy atmosphere?

I wondered if it was a joke for a moment, but the rabbit beastkin named Onak’s expression seemed sincere.

“It’s my ancestor’s teaching.”

‘They teach this? The rabbit tribe is doomed.’

“Ah, anyway, that’s cool. Rabbits are the best.”

“Who knew humans could be this smart.”

Onak’s smile became even more frightening.

Honestly, I was happy since this was only the second beastkin to show me favor, but I was quite scared of this rabbit beastkin.

Actually, his build was intimidating, but his red eyes were even scarier.

‘I should take Echo home.’

Since Onak was a bit scary, I’d use taking her home as an excuse to meet Echo’s parents and get information about Floor 51.

I only knew they were at war with humans, but had no idea what the atmosphere was like on the human side. I needed to figure out as much as possible here.

‘Pretty systematic for just going out for a stroll.’

I asked politely.

“Um, then may I take Echo home? Where are Echo’s parents?”

At my words, Onak’s expression hardened.

Onak looked around briefly, then pointed Echo toward a stall.

It seemed he was going to have a conversation Echo shouldn’t hear.

Only after seeing Echo obediently head toward the stall did Onak speak.

“Echo’s parents were consumed by the Black Mist. She lost her entire family.”

“What did you say?”

Then her saying thanks to her parents before riding the Green River, saying she’d see them soon – was that a death notice?

Realizing the meaning of Echo’s words, I stared at Onak with a hardened expression.

Onak let out a deep sigh and continued.

“It took less than 30 minutes for the Black Mist to devour an entire village. Echo fortunately escaped, but she saw her parents die before her eyes. The cat tribe was completely wiped out.”

“…”

“The land is dying too. When consumed by the Black Mist, even the earth becomes contaminated. I heard it’s the same in human territory. That’s why we’re fighting to claim Prorovel, the land of god. If god hasn’t abandoned us, he’ll protect at least that land.”

“The Black Mist is killing all life… and you believe it’ll be fine just because it’s god’s land?”

“We have to. Otherwise, there’s no hope, is there?”

Onak answered with a humorless face.

Even when I heard it from the young Echo, it felt heavy, but hearing it from the grown Onak felt even heavier.

Beings fighting solely to not give up hope, without any guarantee that god would protect that land.

I realized how desperate and depressing this world was.

Onak sighed deeply and muttered.

“When the Tower appeared, we thought it was god’s will, but since then the entire continent has been dying.”

Wait a minute.

I think a word just came up that I couldn’t let slide.

“A tower?”

“That’s right, a tower. If you’re human, haven’t you seen it? I heard a tower was built in human territory.”

This is unsettling.

I furrowed my brow and reflexively asked back.

“……Wait a minute. That tower, does it happen to have a name?”

At my question, Onak shrugged as if wondering why I was so surprised.

And after pondering for a while, Onak pulled out a word from his memory.

“Babel…… or something like that.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————