I Conquered the Tower with the EX-Class Character That I Raised - Chapter 41

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 41
Conquering Resonar isn’t something that can be accomplished with just Han Seol-ah and me alone.
Of course, we could subjugate it, but if we did, half of South Korea’s territory would become uninhabitable.
To prevent that, we need artifacts.
And not just any artifacts will do.
South Korea’s warped hunter composition.
With Han Seol-ah as the only dealer and most hunters being tanks in this insane environment, artifacts that can push their survivability to the absolute limit are essential.
And we need a lot of them.
What kind of artifacts do we need, you ask?
Whitey already sorted through everything on the way here, matching the conditions I specified.
They can’t be obtained from the legal market.
But the Black Market can procure them if we push ‘a little’ harder.
Of course, they’re absurdly expensive.
“U-um, Special One. With your current points…”
Kang Hyo-jun was sweating profusely, beads of perspiration dripping down his face.
I know. My current points won’t be enough.
But what else can I do?
I placed ten Red Elixirs on the table with a decisive thud.
“G-gasp!”
“Is this enough?”
“Huh.”
Kang Hyo-jun’s businesslike expression drained of color, transforming him into a part-timer facing an unreasonable customer demanding to speak with the manager.
“I-I see… The Black Market isn’t omnipotent. It’s impossible to procure the desired quantity immediately, right now.”
“I see.”
“Items of this magnitude must be put up for auction multiple times. But as you know, if we list these consecutively at auction…”
“The value will drop significantly.”
“Yes. So adjusting the listing schedule, putting them up for auction, and finally converting them to points would require time…”
“And?”
I leaned back in my chair, tilting slightly.
I understand.
On the surface, he’s concerned about my goods losing value, but in reality, it means the Black Market would struggle to handle such a massive transaction in a crude, immediate manner.
But.
Why should I accommodate that?
I’ve bought us time—fifteen days.
But that also means the nation’s lifespan is ‘merely’ fifteen days remaining.
If we don’t complete our preparations perfectly within this window, it’s over.
I can’t afford to be sympathetic in this critical situation, saying “Oh, the Black Market is busy, I understand, of course.”
And most crucially.
The Black Market trembled at just one Red Elixir I listed as a test, and they’re the ones who made me Numbers 1.
What does that mean?
These guys can never let me go, no matter what.
Even if they make excuses like this.
“Pardon?”
“You’ll need to handle that yourself. Well.”
“….”
Kang Hyo-jun’s face grew gaunt.
Time to dangle a carrot.
“This crimson elixir is the lowest grade of elixir I can produce.”
“…!”
Kang Hyo-jun’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.
His vacant gaze trembled rapidly, and I could see the abacus beads clicking frantically behind his eyes.
‘This old man’s reaction is absolutely delicious.’
“I promise you. Once this ‘Resonar Subjugation’ is complete, I’ll present a higher-tier elixir.”
“What kind of—”
“That’s a secret.”
I leaned back in my chair at an angle, letting my confidence radiate through my posture.
“So. Will you accept?”
“….”
Kang Hyo-jun nodded stiffly, his face rigid.
He understood now.
The difference in power between me and the Black Market.
‘Can you feel the difference in strength?’
“Let’s return to what we were discussing.”
“First… that one is difficult right now.”
Kang Hyo-jun pointed to a corner of the list with his fingertip. As I looked to see what it was, Whitey’s explanation followed.
[Soft Petal Shield. A B-rank shield artifact. It can perfectly fill the chronic weakness of South Korea’s tank line against area-of-effect magic resistance. We absolutely cannot compromise on this.]
“You can’t obtain it?”
“Well, it’s not that we can’t obtain it…”
“Then obtain it.”
Fine, whatever—just bring it. Do you want to watch South Korea fall?
I pushed forward with a concept devoid of any consideration.
[Ogre Power Gauntlet? We can compromise on this one.]
“Fine. I’ll yield on that.”
“Phew.”
[Ah, Stone Skin Potion. We need to sweep up all of these. They’ll be useful going forward.]
“Bring more.”
“I-I’ll do my best.”
“No, bring all of it!”
“Ugh… Special One?”
Kang Hyo-jun’s eyes trembled, and his throat bobbed heavily above his necktie.
By the time his complexion had turned ashen and lifeless.
[Agent, the target’s heart rate is spiking rapidly. He’s reached his limit.]
Whitey, who had been keenly monitoring Kang Hyo-jun’s condition, gave the signal.
Click.
I placed a single crimson elixir on the table.
Kang Hyo-jun’s face brightened immediately.
The subtle tremor in his eyebrows subsided, and I could clearly see his pupils regain their luster.
His mind must be in absolute turmoil.
The value of the gold he owed me.
The value of the artifacts I was demanding.
The value of the crimson elixir I’d additionally placed on the table.
The value assigned to an entity capable of supplying such things.
Did I have more crimson elixirs? If so, how many?
What else might I possess beyond that?
‘Tee-hee.’
If I’d had to haggle directly over these items myself, it would have been exhausting.
[Agent, why don’t we add this as well?]
‘Is that acceptable?’
I tapped my fingers thoughtfully, and Whitey continued.
[Still manageable. I can see he’s holding something back.]
‘In that case.’
Heh heh.
Thanks to Whitey’s perfect data backup, I was squeezing Kang Hyo-jun dry with remarkable ease.
“…A gaming monitor?”
“It’s very important.”
While I was at it, I might as well satisfy some of my own desires.
If I was going to do this, I should match it with a chair set.
“Gaming drinks? Ten boxes?”
[We could push for more.]
I struck through the line.
“…One hundred boxes?”
“Important items, you understand.”
After the fierce negotiation between Kang Hyo-jun and Whitey concluded.
A catalog emerged, smudged with fountain pen ink and stained with Kang Hyo-jun’s tears and sweat.
I slid it across the table toward him.
“Please prepare these.”
“….”
“Send them to the Hunter Association by tomorrow.”
“Pardon?”
Kang Hyo-jun’s eyes trembled slightly.
“Use this one personally.”
I slid a bottle of crimson elixir across the table toward Kang Hyo-jun.
Kang Hyo-jun stared at the elixir with hollow eyes, as if he hadn’t slept in days, his gaze utterly vacant.
His expression was that of someone whose very soul had been wrung dry.
[A perfect transaction.]
Leaving the thoroughly defeated merchant behind, I headed home with a light heart.
“I’ve used up everything I’d prepared.”
The now-empty bag felt strangely hollow.
I’d need to make a few more bottles of crimson elixir when I got home.
‘Heh heh.’
Now that only I knew this formula.
My wealth was essentially infinite.
* * *
Kang Hyo-jun was utterly deflated.
—Everything from here to that end, all of it.
When he first heard those words.
Kang Hyo-jun doubted his own ears.
A mad transaction where hundreds of billions—perhaps even trillions—of points evaporated in an instant.
Yet the man before him had merely shifted uncomfortably in the premium seat, as if it didn’t suit him at all, adjusted his posture, and now wore only a slight frown.
‘How… could anyone focus on mere chair discomfort in the face of such an astronomical sum?’
The end of a person seemed invisible.
He felt an abyss of unfathomable depth.
“Sigh.”
After exhaling once to clear his mind, Kang Hyo-jun moved with urgency.
‘There’s no time to meet Special One’s requirements.’
He had clearly set the deadline as ‘one day.’
What he’d requested were artifacts to increase the survivability of all the tanks.
Shields. Armor. Helmets and other defensive gear. Consumables that could boost survival…
There were no artifacts for enhancing offensive power.
‘The fact that he excluded the Ogre Power Gauntlet makes it certain.’
An artifact that granted strength comparable to an ogre.
An artifact for offense rather than defense.
Special One had firmly excluded such artifacts.
‘Probably… preparations for an imminent boss appearance.’
He’d appeared like a comet, and despite spurning vast sums, sought to use the Black Market’s distribution network.
A seamless attitude born from having a clear plan.
‘…I could afford to give a slight discount.’
These were items meant to save hunters.
Besides, he was a fellow South Korean citizen.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve met a hunter I genuinely liked.’
Kang Hyo-jun descended into the underground.
A pitch-black Gate that seemed to ripple with shadows.
Before it, Kang Hyo-jun tapped the portal lightly.
[What’s your business?]
“Market. Kang Hyo-jun, Seoul branch director. It’s a significant matter. I’m requesting a direct transaction.”
[Confirmed]
The text vanished, and in its place, a keyboard materialized for typing.
The keyboard shimmered with an ominous blood-red hue.
This was ‘direct transaction.’
Not an intermediary who mechanically handled transactions like an AI, but the sole means to communicate directly with the Dimensional Merchant, the master of the Black Market.
[Hyo-jun. It’s been a while.]
A golden message printed across the portal.
[A significant matter, you say? Let me take a look.]
Kang Hyo-jun wrapped his fingers meticulously with mana.
If I made even a single mistake and touched the blood-red keyboard with a finger not infused with mana—
That finger would instantly become merchandise and be transferred through the portal.
In other words, my finger would be severed.
Tap. Tap.
Kang Hyo-jun carefully typed out the entire list that Phantom had written down, ensuring no such misfortune would occur.
“That’s all.”
[Calculating.]
Kang Hyo-jun waited briefly.
[Transaction possible.]
“How much?”
Beep—
An astronomical sum of points displayed before the portal.
“…That’s quite steep.”
The portal, silent for a moment, sent new text.
[Dissatisfied? :)]
“Give me a discount.”
[No.]
“Then make it half price.”
[…Are you insane?]
“In exchange, I’ll give you this.”
Kang Hyo-jun withdrew a crimson elixir from his pocket.
Hundreds of billions in points? I couldn’t pay that.
But this venture was worth investing my share into.
I’d planned for this from the beginning.
[Intriguing.]
“Have it appraised.”
Kang Hyo-jun pushed the elixir through the portal and held his breath.
Market was always that arrogant merchant—no matter what treasure a nation brought, he’d dismiss it with a cold “Hmm, is that all?” without hesitation.
[···.]
The portal fell silent for a moment.
[Very interesting.]
Then it released an intense reaction.
“Is that so?”
[Who made it? Numbers 1 this time?]
“Yes.”
[Hmm. Hmm.]
‘This much?’
[‘On Earth’ something this close to ‘■■’ is appearing as ‘■’···]
“Market?”
Market continued muttering to itself for quite some time afterward.
Most of the muttering was analysis results of the crimson elixir, but most of it appeared as strangely corrupted characters, making the content impossible to discern.
[It’s not perfect… but it has potential. Enough. Yes. Then. It’s enough. If you nurture it properly, this… has the potential to approach the raw materials that ‘bastard’ creates.]
‘That bastard?’
[If I could just replace that son of a bitch, then… how dare he sell me goblin shit?]
‘Goblin shit?’
Like a switch flipping.
Market poured out intense hatred toward this entity called ‘that bastard.’
‘Who the hell is that bastard anyway?’
After pouring out hatred for a while longer, Market suddenly fell silent, as if someone had startled and dropped their keyboard.
[….]
“….”
A cold silence flowed between them, with the blinking cursor in the middle.
lol
Market, as if embarrassed, typed a single word and then deleted all the accumulated messages.
[Forget about it]
“….”
[Understood?]
“Understood.”
Blink. Blink.
The cursor conveying Market’s intent moved not at all, merely blinking.
‘….’
For some reason, Kang Hyo-jun could picture Market’s state.
On a community forum, having suddenly escalated in the comments and poured out crude insults at someone,
then getting blocked by an administrator—that’s exactly what this ‘moment of clarity’ felt like.
Face burning red, cradled in both hands.
Waiting for the heat of embarrassment to cool.
I let out a deep sigh, burying my head in my hands.
When someone reaches that state, comfort only scratches the wound deeper.
Kang Hyo-jun waited in silence.
[I’ll give you a discount]
“….”
Kang Hyo-jun carefully chose his words so as not to scratch Market’s fragile pride.
“I’m not sure why you’re offering a discount, but…”
‘I forgot. Or rather, was there ever anything to begin with? Nothing happened at all.’
The outburst from moments ago was as if it had never occurred.
With the seasoned and shameless consideration of a merchant, Kang Hyo-jun replied politely in a gentle tone.
“I gratefully accept.”
[:)]
Market chuckled.
It seemed quite pleased by Kang Hyo-jun’s quick-witted handling of the situation, which had preserved its dignity.
I’ll prepare it right away haha
“Thank you.”
Thud thud thud!
Crash!
The Gate yawned wide open, and precious artifacts came cascading out in torrents.
Kang Hyo-jun rented numerous dimensional pouches from Market and called all his staff to sort through the artifacts.
“Phew.”
As I wiped back my sweat-drenched hair and turned to leave.
[Hyo-jun.]
Market called out to me.
“Yes.”
[I want to meet Special One.]
“….”
Hmm.
I calculated in my head.
Right after offering a generous discount, subtly slipping in a separate request. A shameless merchant’s tactic.
Basic business sense, they say…
‘But Market, you can’t do that between colleagues.’
“That won’t be possible.”
I bowed.
Then I quickly pushed the keyboard into the portal.
The transaction was over.
‘If you want to meet Special One, you’ll need to propose a new deal.’
I’m a merchant.
The Black Market is where merchants like me gather.
And naturally, its leader—Market—is no exception.
[Spit.]
“It won’t matter either way.”
Kang Hyo-jun let out a soft chuckle and stepped outside.
I climbed the stairs with my weary body, taking one deep breath as I went.
The person I was about to deal with was a different breed of exhausting—nothing like the battle of wills I’d just finished.
[Beep—]
The call connected before the dial tone could ring twice.
“Min Ji-hee, Vice President.”
[What do you need?]
“I need your help with something.”
[A new Numbers member appearing? Red Elixir? Or some criminal who smashed an auction and fled? Which is it?]
“….”
‘I knew she’d know everything.’
[And why should I?]
‘….’
As expected. Suffocatingly difficult.
I glanced at the name displayed in my call history.
‘What an infuriatingly capable woman.’

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