Chapter 280 – Part 2 – Bought Cheap and Well

‘Already promoted to E-rank?’

Seong-min immediately checked his status window.

-Combat Power: 3,011 (Not Updated)

He had exceeded 3,000 combat power, which was the promotion condition for E-rank.

It was a result made possible because the black mimic had high health.

‘To think I’d be promoted to E-rank with just basic attacks…’

3,000 combat power was only from basic attack damage.

It wasn’t Seong-min’s maximum potential.

‘If I had used skills, my combat power would have been 2-3 times higher.’

Seong-min currently had 3 skill slots.

If he filled them all with attack skills, he could become several times stronger than now.

‘Although I didn’t get any items, thanks to the black mimic I was able to properly raise my combat power.’

Thanks to being promoted to E-rank, a skill slot was added and his weapon also changed.

[Assassin’s Blood Dagger (Growth Type)]

-Category: Weapon

-Rank: E (Owner’s Rank)

-Attack Power: 160~176

-Effect: Agility +12, Additional Attack Power +80 for 10 seconds when ambushing

-Durability: Infinite

-Usage Restriction: E-rank or higher (Bound)

‘The attack power that was 60 rose to 160, and agility also increased from 5 to 12.’

That wasn’t all.

As if truly growing, the dagger’s blade had become slightly longer.

The subtle red glow had also become deeper.

‘This is top-tier even among E-rank weapons.’

It seemed to always adjust to the best options whenever he was promoted.

‘I chose the weapon well.’

Now there was one thing Seong-min had to do.

Shopping.

‘Since I’ve been promoted to E-rank, I need to change into items befitting that rank. I should also buy some skill books.’

He had E-rank equipment stolen from killing Nam Dong-il, but it wasn’t focused on agility, so he needed to get new gear.

‘By now, the fact that dungeon seals have been lifted must have spread across all continents.’

Since supply had been restored, the dealers selling hunter equipment were probably in a state of emergency.

Now he could buy equipment and skill books at cheaper prices.

[Conquest successful!]

[You will return to the original world shortly.]

Eventually, Seong-min, who had conquered the dungeon faster than anyone else, disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

The world was buzzing with talk about dungeons.

This was because the dungeon seals that had been blocked for nearly 10 years had been lifted.

That meant they would have to live under the threat of monsters again, but…

“Finally… finally the dungeons are open!”

“It was worth enduring!”

People cheered rather than despaired.

Monsters had always been a good source of items for humans.

For hunters, it was also the only opportunity to eat runes and grow.

“I’ve been F-rank for 10 years, but finally I can see the light.”

“Can I finally escape F-rank now? Can I escape from being a commoner?”

Those who were happiest about the appearance of monsters were the commoners among F-rank hunters.

These were people who had become hunters, called nobles, but hadn’t been able to shine.

On the other hand, there were also people who looked gloomy all day about the appearance of monsters.

The merchants.

It was obvious that hunter equipment prices would fall once item supply was restored.

“Sigh.”

That was why the owner of a corner hunter equipment shop was sighing.

‘Why did I have to open a hunter equipment shop among all the shops I could have chosen…’

Hunter equipment makes money.

He had started a business in a remote location after hearing only that, but there weren’t as many customers as he’d thought.

This was because the location was so bad.

‘There was a reason the rent was cheap.’

It was to the point where maybe one customer would come per day.

‘Equipment needs to sell for me to make money, but nothing sells…’

The shop that was already only attracting flies was facing disaster with prices about to fall.

‘No. Prices are already falling.’

When he investigated the surrounding market prices, they had depreciated by 10% even though only one day had passed.

‘At this rate, they’ll be cut in half within a month.’

Hunter equipment only had value when there was no supply – now hunter equipment dropped even from catching horn rabbits.

The time for the bubble to burst had arrived.

“Sigh.”

Just as he was sighing again, regretting opening the shop.

Ding-

The door opened and a customer entered.

It was the first customer since opening the shop in the morning.

The merchant’s gloomy face brightened.

But that was only for a moment.

“W-welcome… sir.”

The merchant’s voice diminished the moment he saw the customer’s appearance.

‘He’s obviously a commoner, isn’t he?’

Looking at his shabby clothing, he was a commoner without money.

It was natural for the merchant’s gaze to turn unfavorable.

A commoner wouldn’t have money to buy even one piece of hunter equipment.

‘The first customer is a commoner. I really have terrible luck.’

Occasionally, customers who were both hunters and commoners would visit the shop.

But 100% of the time, they would just look around and leave.

Or they would run away after hearing the prices.

‘They don’t have money but want to look at items? Really.’

In the merchant’s eyes, commoners were no different from stray cats lurking around a fish market.

So the customer touching and examining items looked annoying.

‘What’s he looking at so much when he’s not even going to buy anything?’

Watching the customer looking around E-rank equipment made him inexplicably angry.

But he couldn’t kick him out since he had no customers at all.

‘You never know. Maybe he’ll buy even one cheap item worth 2 million won.’

If he asked for a discount, he was prepared to give some discount.

But seeing him keep staring only at E-rank equipment, it seemed like this time too he wouldn’t be able to sell any items.

Then, as if finished looking around, the customer approached.

“Do you also sell skill books?”

‘Ha, you want to look at skill books too?’

Those words rose to his throat, but thinking the customer might buy even a cheap skill, he held back and pointed to a corner with his finger.

“Go over there.”

Watching the customer move to the skill book corner, he was keeping a close eye to make sure nothing was stolen when suddenly the customer came back with 3 skill books in hand.

“I’d like to buy these 3 skill books and those 7 E-rank equipment pieces over there.”

“Wh-what?”

The merchant was flustered by the unexpected words.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“No, I heard you, but you want to buy that many?”

“Is it not allowed to buy a lot? Should I go somewhere else?”

“N-no, that’s not it…”

The merchant answered with a bewildered face then came to his senses.

“Could you tell me which E-rank equipment you want to buy?”

When the customer pointed to the equipment with his finger, the merchant put them in a cart one by one.

With a somewhat distrustful expression.

‘Is he really going to buy all this?’

He’d have to calculate to know for sure, but it definitely wasn’t an amount a commoner could afford.

The merchant who had placed the items at the counter and was calculating said:

“3 skill books and 7 E-rank equipment pieces come to a total of 70 million won, customer.”

Still with a distrustful expression.

But that was only for a moment.

Thunk- Thunk-

As the customer placed bundles of money on the counter, the merchant’s eyes grew wider each time.

Thunk-

“14 bundles of 100 fifty-thousand won bills. That’s 70 million won, right?”

“That’s right! That’s right!”

The merchant nodded enthusiastically.

Now his gaze had completely changed 180 degrees.

Like he was looking at a VIP customer.

‘Wasn’t he a commoner?’

To have such a large sum as 70 million won in cash.

It would be absolutely impossible for a commoner.

The merchant looked at the customer carefully.

But he couldn’t recognize his face because he was wearing a hat and mask.

‘Commoner or whatever, what does it matter? As long as he has money! Anyway, I’m sorry for being suspicious, customer!’

The merchant who apologized internally smiled and began managing his expression.

There hadn’t been a customer who bought this much equipment recently.

But Seong-min, the customer, had absolutely no intention of buying at 70 million won.

“Are there customers who buy as much as me?”

“No. I’ve never seen anyone buy as much as you, customer. Haha!”

“That’s why I’m asking – isn’t there a discount?”

“Ah, for a discount, I could specially give you about 10%…”

“50%.”

“Excuse me?”

The merchant doubted his ears at the ridiculous number.

“What did you say?”

“Give me half off.”

“Oh come on, what kind of joke…”

“I’m not joking.”

“…”

“Anyway, won’t it be cut in half in about a month? It’ll fall even more when item supply is properly restored.”

‘He knows the market trends accurately!’

Thinking this was no easy customer, the merchant already felt his head throbbing.

“Even so, half price is…”

“Will you be able to get even half price later? The shop location doesn’t look good either.”

“…”

“You’ll definitely face difficulties not being able to clear inventory, and you’ll regret it then, won’t you?”

“Ugh…”

Listening to it, it made sense.

Prices would fall day by day, and selling the shop’s items while beating other competing dealers in this remote area would be a distant task.

But still, half price seemed too much.

“8-80%.”

“55%.”

“70%…”

“60%.”

“A-alright. I’ll sell at 60%.”

After bargaining, he avoided half price.

He thought it was fortunate, but the merchant didn’t know.

That Seong-min had originally planned to buy at 60%.

‘Buying 70 million won worth for 42 million won. I bought it cheap.’

He had deliberately chosen a failing shop in the outskirts for this reason.

To buy items cheaper.

‘I’m helping clear inventory in advance.’

The merchant would probably acknowledge it too.

That to sell the remaining inventory, he’d have no choice but to lower prices like this.

Seong-min, who had taken back some of the money bundles he’d put up, put the completed transaction items into his inventory.

“Th-thank you for the transaction. Please come again.”

“Take care.”

Seong-min left the shop with a smile on his lips.

He had bought cheap and well as planned.

* * *

After finishing shopping and going home, Seong-min frowned.

‘This semi-basement never gets comfortable.’

From the 430 million won he had, he spent about 40 million won buying items, so he had roughly 390 million won left.

It was more than enough money to escape the semi-basement, but he couldn’t buy a house right away.

‘If I did that, the country would suspect the source of the money.’

What money would a commoner have to move?

‘Buying a house would be too conspicuous.’

If he was going to spend money, he had to do it inconspicuously.

He had covered his face when buying hunter equipment for the same reason.

In case problems arose later.

‘I have a lot of money, but I can’t even spend it properly.’

Seong-min sighed internally and first hid the money in the house.

His mother and younger sister had gone to work and weren’t home.

‘I won’t need to use it for a while anyway.’

Escaping the semi-basement was a matter of time anyway.

When rankings were updated in a week and it was revealed he was E-rank, Seong-min could escape commoner status.

‘The same goes for my family.’

If even one person’s status rose, all family members would be recognized as higher status.

That’s what it meant to have a hunter in the family.

An opportunity for the whole family to rise in status together.

But until yesterday, that had been nothing but a vain dream.

In a world without monsters, awakening had no merit.

‘But from today it’s different.’

Now that monsters had appeared, a path to success had opened for F-rank hunters too.

The age of hunters had arrived again.

The time when hunters were recognized as nobles.

That’s why when the whole family gathered in the evening, Seong-min could say what the original owner couldn’t.

“Um, A-yeon. Mother.”

“What? Oppa? Why are you suddenly setting the mood?”

“Why? Do you have something to say?”

“Please just endure a little longer. Now it’s the end of hardship and the beginning of happiness.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Come to think of it, Mom, the TV was going crazy today saying dungeons opened.”

“Ah, the restaurant customers were talking about that too. Saying the path to success opened for hunters.”

“I think that’s what oppa is talking about. Oppa is also a hunter after all.”

Seong-min nodded.

“That’s right. In just one week, I’ll help you escape commoner status. Escaping the semi-basement is natural.”

“Really?”

“Seong-min. To do that, don’t you have to enter dungeons and catch monsters?”

“That’s right.”

“I’m against it. It’s too dangerous. There’s no need to do such dangerous work because of us.”

“It’s partly because of family, but it’s also because I want to. I can’t live as a commoner forever.”

“I’m happy enough now. Money isn’t important. Health comes first. Do you understand?”

Seong-min knew too.

Despite appearances, he had actually lived longer than her.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Despite how it looks, it’s not that dangerous. Anyway, I’ll make you live in luxury, so just endure a little longer…”

That’s when it happened.

Thump thump thump-

Someone knocked on the front door.