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
—————

Dimensional Item Specialty 24-Hour Friendly Market Episode 44

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

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

“That’s why I’m asking you to find a way to make it work…”

I pressed my forehead against the bars and muttered in despair.

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

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

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

Could this be a dream?

But my forehead, which I had just properly banged, was throbbing with pain.

“Wow, did I really get mixed up with the Seven 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 tried so thoroughly, completely, and unconditionally 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 is a failure too?”

The title job Quest, which would have been fine if I just didn’t interfere with the scenario, 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 had become a participant in the scenario meant I had already interfered.

“Wow, I’m really screwed.”

I had been trying to cut back on swearing lately because I felt like I was doing it too much.

But given the situation, my dark self kept slipping through the cracks and emerging.

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

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

‘What kind of penalties?’

[⁕ Penalties include skill deactivation, skill rank demotion, stat deactivation, and in the case of 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 in my throat.

While it was partly because I was originally a person corrupted by capitalism, I had lived for a very long time struggling with money.

The reason I had been feeling like life was worth living lately and had been tirelessly solving Quests was all because I no longer had to worry about money.

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

However.

To block me from using that gold…

“I’m really in big trouble, really.”

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

The throbbing pain in my knees from the rough, uneven stone floor was nothing compared to my mental anguish.

‘I suddenly feel like I might throw 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 quietly.

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 has collapsed. It turned into a burning hell in an instant.”

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

The innocent swan beastkin took my metaphor seriously and was horrified, which actually made me feel enlightened, and I waved my hands dismissively.

I was doomed anyway.

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

Even if she didn’t understand what a scenario was, she would probably 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)

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

But that was no longer necessary.

[Title Job Quest (7)

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 quietly 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 felt like… a rope that wasn’t rotten but was questionable whether it would break or hold up had been lowered down.

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, thinking I should do something instead of spending time complaining.

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

I dusted off my knees and stood up.

While I couldn’t say it was enviable, my life philosophy of sustaining life somehow, thinly and long.

‘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 after suddenly stopping in the middle of talking?”

“I’m trying to get out first.”

“…Get out, you say?”

Clara looked at me with a strange expression as if asking what nonsense I was talking about.

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

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

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

Way too narrow.

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

Clara, who I thought was only gentle, made a subtly cutting remark, and I shrugged my shoulders.

“It doesn’t look like it’ll work.”

“Of course not…”

“Hmm.”

I crossed my arms and pondered.

“Okay, then let’s 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 without Merchant’s Mark, trapped, lonely, sad, and isolated.

[> Available Items for Purchase

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

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

“Wh-where did that sword suddenly come from? They should have confiscated all 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 whole body.

I tensed my core, using my shoulders instead of arms, once above my head and once 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 steel clashing against steel.

Instead, the sound that filled the prison was a cutting noise, slicing as smoothly as cutting tofu.

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

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

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

Clara could only blink at me, unable to react at all.

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

“Ta-da. Escape magic!”

[Iron-Cutting Sword (B)

Exactly three seconds later, Clara cried out in shock.

“Are you insane?!”

* * *

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

A strange tension hung over 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 was rarely tinged with confusion.

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

First, Ahn Yeon-seo, 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.

Jeong Min-gu from Take-in, whose personality was detestable but whose close-combat skills were reliable.

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

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

Ten members total—truly South Korea’s most elite members.

But to think there would be a gap 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?”

Jeong Min-gu came at them with sarcasm and provocation.

Whatever was bothering him so much, Jeong Min-gu leaned against a pillar with one leg cocked, sneering.

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

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

Suddenly becoming the center of attention, Lee Min-jeong seemed flustered as she adjusted her horn-rimmed glasses.

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

“Did he run away with his tail between his legs? 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.

With the heavy aura typical of S-rank hunters added to it, Lee Min-jeong had to endure Jeong Min-gu’s gaze without being able to make any excuses.

As if pleased with Lee Min-jeong’s intimidated state, Jeong 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 Jeong Min-gu shrugged exaggeratedly.

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

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

Ahn Yeon-seo also ignored Jeong 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?”

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

Having served the rank 1 S-rank hunter, Ahn Yeon-seo’s nerves were as steady as if they were placed in Aegis Guild’s underground parking garage.

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

“…What the fuck?! So we have to start with one person missing? You should have said this earlier!”

“Everyone except Guild Leader Jeong Min-gu already knows this.”

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

“What should we do?”

Although it was called an inter-guild alliance, Seo Jae-hyuk was the actual leader of this raid team.

Seo Jae-hyuk, who had been quiet, spoke up.

“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?”

Jeong 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 interfered in 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, who was casting an escape spell by slicing through the prison bars holding Clara like tofu, had no way of knowing this.

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