24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 44

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

24-Hour Friendly Market Specializing in Dimensional Items Episode 44

Episode 44. The Arrow That Left the Bowstring (3)

[⁕ You cannot activate the Merchant’s Mark skill while participating in a scenario.]

“So, find me a way to make it work…”

I pressed my forehead against the bars and muttered desperately.

[⁕ Impossible. You cannot activate the Merchant’s Mark skill while participating in a scenario.]

I tried exactly 27 times, but Sam-i’s answer remained the same.

The cold AI, lacking flexibility or mercy, couldn’t empathize with my situation at all.

Could this be a dream?

But my forehead, which I’d just properly banged, was throbbing painfully.

“Wow, is it really true that I got mixed up with the Seven Major Guild Alliance…?”

When I voiced my situation out loud, a hollow laugh escaped me.

If I were overpowered, I could at least try to fight somehow, but without the Merchant’s Mark, I was just a weak E-rank Hunter nobody.

And such a person had entered the 51st floor scenario with South Korea’s elite raid team.

The thrilling encounter with rankers that I had so thoroughly, completely, and unconditionally tried to avoid was finally about to happen.

It was such an absurd fact that no one would believe it.

As I stupidly kept banging my forehead against the bars, I realized another fact and despaired.

“Wow, the Quest failed too?”

The title job Quest that said I just needed to not interfere with scenarios was also a complete failure.

Even if I claimed ‘I’ll just sit back and do nothing!’ here, the Tower of Babel wouldn’t be generous enough to let it slide.

The very fact that I became a scenario participant meant I had already interfered.

“Wow, I’m really screwed.”

I felt like I’d been swearing too much lately and tried to cut back.

But given the situation, my dark side kept finding gaps to slip through.

‘Sam-i, what happens if I fail the title job Quest?’

[⁕ Penalties will be imposed upon title job Quest failure.]

‘What kind of penalties?’

[⁕ Penalties include skill deactivation, skill rank demotion, stat deactivation, and for Market Managers, gold deactivation is included.]

I despaired once again at the harsh reality delivered so matter-of-factly.

The thought of not being able to use gold made my breath catch.

Not only was I originally a person corrupted by capitalism, but I had lived struggling with money for such a long time.

The reason I’d been tirelessly solving Quests lately, feeling like life was finally livable, was all because I no longer had to worry about money.

‘But that’s all thanks to the gold I earned through the market.’

But.

To block me from using that gold…

“This is really serious, really.”

I slowly slid down while gripping the bars and fell to my knees.

The bumpy, uneven stone floor hurting my knees was nothing compared to my mental anguish.

‘I suddenly feel like throwing up.’

I didn’t know exactly why, but I even felt an inexplicable nausea.

Then I heard Clara’s worried voice from beyond the bars across from me.

“Um, Lee Hae, are you alright?”

“No…”

I barely suppressed the urge to lie down and scream, then raised my head.

The swan beastkin leaning against the bars, gazing at me intently.

That delicate face that had been suffering in tremendous sadness just moments ago now looked like a comrade who had walked into hellfire with me.

“Is something wrong? You were muttering something to yourself…”

“It’s nothing much. I just encountered a disaster.”

“A disaster?!”

Clara, who expressed intense emotion on my behalf, widened her eyes and pressed her body close to the bars.

Then, with a face that showed complete confusion, she carefully asked.

“Is it a bigger disaster than being trapped in here?”

“Yes, my world collapsed. It turned into a burning hell in an instant.”

“Hell? But under Oerisa’s blessing, hell has already disappeared, so how could such a thing…”

The innocent swan beastkin took my metaphor seriously and was horrified, so I actually achieved enlightenment and waved my hands dismissively.

I was doomed anyway.

I was confident that Clara, who seemed naturally kind, would listen to my complaints.

Even if she didn’t understand what scenarios were, she seemed like she’d nod and empathize with my words.

I opened my mouth with a tearful expression.

“Well, there’s something like that. It’s very common in this industry-“

[Awakener Lee Hae-won – Open Market Manager(EX)

> New Notification

– Title job Quest will be updated.]

If the notification window hadn’t popped up while I was speaking, I would have poured out my grievances to Clara.

But that was no longer necessary.

[Title Job Quest (7)

Clear the scenario without revealing your identity to the participants.

Reward: ???]

I blinked slowly.

For a moment, I had the illusion that time had slowed down.

“It’s common, and then what?”

Clara asked gently, but I just stared at the Quest window.

The content of the title job Quest had changed.

This was a situation with no precedent mentioned in Babel Wiki or the media.

This was like… a rope that wasn’t rotten but made you wonder whether it would break or hold.

Still, just seeing another path was hopeful for me.

Of course, aside from that, there was still nothing hopeful about anything else.

‘Right, what’s the point of despairing?’

It was enough motivation to dust off my butt and get up, deciding to do something instead of wasting time complaining.

It’s not like my front-row seat in hell situation would change anyway.

I dusted off my knees and stood up.

My life philosophy that had somehow sustained my existence through thick and thin, if not enviably, then at least persistently.

‘If you do things one by one, you can do anything.’

If I try and it really doesn’t work, I can despair again then.

I carefully examined the bars blocking my way.

“Lee Hae, what are you doing all of a sudden while we were talking?”

“I’m trying to get out for now.”

“…Get out, you say?”

Clara looked at me with a strange expression as if asking what kind of nonsense I was spouting.

“This is a prison, and you said you’re getting out?”

“Yes, I have something urgent I need to do right now.”

I spread my hands to measure the distance between the bars.

Damn narrow.

“Um… you are thin, but the space between the bars doesn’t seem that wide.”

Clara, who I thought was only gentle, made a pointed remark in a soft tone, and I shrugged my shoulders.

“Doesn’t look like it’ll work.”

“Of course not…”

“Hmm.”

I crossed my arms and pondered.

“Okay, then I’ll try another method.”

Clara shook her head at my inability to give up.

She probably thinks I’m someone whose mind wanders.

Well, whatever.

Even if I didn’t have Merchant’s Mark, was trapped, lonely, sad, and isolated.

[> Available Items for Purchase

– Iron Dagger 38,200G]

I had the overpowered ability to buy items from any dimension right away.

When I pulled out the sword I had just purchased from my inventory, Clara’s eyes widened as she pressed against the bars.

“Th-that sword, where did it suddenly come from? They should have taken all your weapons when you came in…”

“I keep it in my pocket.”

Clara’s expression, which had maintained a melancholy atmosphere, twisted mercilessly.

Regardless, I gave her a sly smile and lifted the fairly heavy sword.

“Clara, shall I show you something amazing?”

“No, it’s scary…”

I paid no attention and put strength in my legs to support my entire body.

I tensed my abdomen, using my shoulders instead of my arms, once above my head and once more in front of my ankles.

Then I gritted my teeth and swung the sword with all my might.

Swish-

There was no sharp metallic sound of metal clashing against metal.

Instead, the sound that echoed through the prison was a very smooth cutting noise, like slicing through tofu.

The bars, split by just two swings of the sword, fell forward with a heavy sound.

The thick bars that had blocked my path were now useless iron rods scattered on the floor.

I drove the sword into the ground with a thud and looked up at Clara.

Clara could only blink and stare at me without any reaction.

I smiled brightly and spread both arms to proudly present my work.

“Ta-da. Escape magic!”

[Iron Dagger (B)

A peculiar sword with selective cutting properties made by Seok Gong-myeong, the third disciple of the Blue Cloud Sword Sect. Though made from superior iron, an unexpected property emerged due to a mistake during crafting, classifying it as defective.

It boasts invincible cutting power against iron materials, but has the fatal flaw of being unable to cut organic matter or soft materials.

There are microscopic cracks on the blade, making it appear precarious as if it might break at any moment, but it’s actually very sturdy.

/Hidden Ability/ Generates sword resonance when cutting high-grade iron weapons or armor.]

Exactly three seconds later, Clara exclaimed in shock.

“Are you insane?!”

* * *

At that moment, at a midpoint between Casabl and Kona.

A strange tension hung in the air at the temporarily established base camp of the raid team.

“Chae Geun-dam dropped out of the raid team?”

Seo Jae-hyuk looked at Ahn Yeon-seo with a serious expression.

His usually emotionless, dry voice rarely contained a hint of confusion.

Seo Jae-hyuk had put a lot of effort into selecting the raid team for Floor 51.

First, Ahn Yeon-seo, who was Seo Jae-hyuk’s secretary and strategist who calculated all strategies.

From Aegis: close-combat dealer Lee Tae-seong, mage Go Min-han, and supporter Kim Ba-ri.

Not only that, but he had carefully selected personnel from other guilds.

Jung Min-gu from Take-in, who was unpleasant in terms of personality but reliable in close combat.

From Shinrok: guild leader and S-rank healer Han Ro-mi and alchemist Oh Yeong-gun.

And even Wolpae’s guild leader Chae Geun-dam and vice guild leader Lee Min-jeong.

A total of 10 members, truly South Korea’s most elite.

But to think there would be a vacancy before even starting the scenario.

He hadn’t even anticipated such a situation could occur.

“…How could this happen?”

Seo Jae-hyuk muttered as if chewing his words.

Just as Ahn Yeon-seo was fiddling with her tablet and about to speak.

“How would your secretary know that, Seo Jae-hyuk?”

Jung Min-gu came over with sarcasm and started a fight.

Whatever was bothering him so much, Jung Min-gu stood with one leg cocked, leaning against a pillar and sneering.

“If you want to ask, you should ask Chae Geun-dam’s lackey. Is there anyone else here to ask besides her?”

The person Jung Min-gu pointed to with his chin was Wolpae’s vice guild leader Lee Min-jeong.

When attention suddenly focused on her, Lee Min-jeong seemed flustered and adjusted her horn-rimmed glasses.

But Jung Min-gu wasn’t the delicate type to care whether Lee Min-jeong was flustered or not.

“Did he tuck his tail and run away? Was the raid team too much pressure?”

“It’s not like that…”

“I knew it, that coward bastard.”

His tone seemed desperate to tear down Wolpae somehow.

Combined with the heavy aura characteristic of S-rank hunters, Lee Min-jeong had to endure Jung Min-gu’s gaze without being able to make any excuses.

As if pleased with Lee Min-jeong’s intimidated state, Jung Min-gu was holding back laughter.

It was practically proving that he had serious personality problems.

“How do you plan to take responsibility for this situation? Wolpae is just a poor merchant group anyway.”

“Take responsibility for what?”

Breaking the atmosphere, Seo Jae-hyuk casually asked, and Jung Min-gu shrugged exaggeratedly.

“You made me waste my precious time, didn’t you?”

Seo Jae-hyuk turned his head as if it wasn’t worth listening to.

Ahn Yeon-seo also ignored Jung Min-gu’s words and spoke up.

“We don’t have time for this. The scenario has already started.”

“So what. What do you want me to do about it?”

Jung Min-gu asked menacingly, but Ahn Yeon-seo remained calm.

Having served the number 1 ranked S-rank hunter, Ahn Yeon-seo’s nerves were as steady as the underground parking garage of Aegis Guild.

“From Floor 51 onwards, you can’t withdraw midway. The scenario starting means all 10 spots are filled.”

“…What the fuck?! So we have to start without one person? You should have said something earlier!”

“Everyone except Guild Leader Jung Min-gu knew about it.”

Ahn Yeon-seo, who ignored Jung Min-gu’s irritation as naturally as breathing, asked Seo Jae-hyuk.

“What should we do?”

Though it was called an alliance between guilds, Seo Jae-hyuk was the actual leader of this raid team.

Seo Jae-hyuk, who had been quietly standing, opened his mouth.

“We proceed as planned.”

“Damn it, how are we supposed to clear a scenario that even Aegis gave up on with just nine people instead of ten?”

Jung Min-gu grumbled, completely forgetting how he had mercilessly ignored that one person just a minute ago.

Seo Jae-hyuk ignored Jung Min-gu’s words and added.

“And we find whoever butted into this scenario without permission.”

His tone had become dry again, as if he had calmed his agitation.

However, Seo Jae-hyuk’s brow was furrowed with an ominous intensity.

At the same time, Hae-won was casting an escape spell, slicing through the prison bars that held Clara captive like they were tofu—something he had no way of knowing about.

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