Chapter 16
The spellbook is thin.
It contains nothing but spell descriptions and authentication certificates.
Unlike wizards in stories, there's no need to study or memorize spells—you can use them immediately after purchase.
"That'll be 7.82 million won total. I'll knock off 200,000 won if you pay cash," the shopkeeper said.
Big Bo's eyes widened.
"7...7.82 million won?"
"Yes, 7.82 million won. Every shop in this area charges the same. None of the spells you're buying are on sale either."
Big Bo's pupils trembled violently.
He remembered Ja-geon's warning:
'Big Bo, absolutely don't go over 6 million. If you exceed that, you're dead.'
Gathering his courage, Big Bo spoke up:
"Th-that's too expensive. 7.82 million won..."
"Sir, we're not running a charity here. I went through the trouble of fetching these from the warehouse..."
"Isn't there any way to make it cheaper?" Big Bo pleaded desperately.
The shopkeeper frowned slightly.
"Try another store then. They'll all charge the same—probably more even."
"I-I'll die if I can't get this under 6 million. Literally get beaten to death..."
Big Bo suddenly choked up.
The thought of going home to a beating filled him with misery.
'How did my life come to this... It's my house, my money...'
It was the shopkeeper who looked flustered now.
A grown man sniffling in his store? What a sight that would be.
"sob Can't you sell it cheaper?" Big Bo asked, snot running down his face.
He tried desperately to hold back tears but misery overflowed.
"Tch."
The shopkeeper suddenly softened.
Though his customer was a grown man, something maternal stirred in him.
Tears welled up in buttonhole-sized eyes and rolled down chubby cheeks.
"Sorry for being a bother," Big Bo said, bowing his head and turning to leave.
The shopkeeper stopped him.
"Wait a minute. Who's going to beat you? Are you being threatened?"
"My raid partner. Said I absolutely had to buy it under 6 million."
"And he'll kill you if you don't? That guy? There's something wrong there! Cut ties immediately! Why work with someone like that?" The shopkeeper got angry as if it were his own problem.
"But if he goes down, so do I. We're in the same boat..."
The shopkeeper clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"Just pay 5.5 million for now. Pay the remaining 2 million when you can. Should be easy for a raider, no?"
Extending credit to raiders isn't done—it's common sense.
Raiders could die any day in their line of work.
The shopkeeper said this knowing he might never see that money.
'Poor bastard,' he thought, looking at Big Bo.
Big Bo barely composed himself.
"I'll definitely pay you back," he said with a bow before leaving.
The shopkeeper sighed as he watched Big Bo go.
Not long after Big Bo left, two men entered.
Clang
"Welcome," the shopkeeper said as more customers came in.
He smiled at the newcomers who casually picked out some spellbooks before asking:
"What spells did that fat guy just buy?"
"Just some support magic series—stat-boosting buffs mostly."
"I see."
They bought the books without haggling and left.
Outside, one made a call:
"Yeah, boss. They bought stat-boost spells. Their strategy's pretty obvious now."
They grinned slyly.
They were members of the Black Tiger Raid Team.
They'd been tailing and monitoring Ja-geon and Big Bo.
'See you in the dungeon, bastards.'
They couldn't touch them outside.
Attacking now would immediately expose it as the Black Tiger Team's doing.
There was no fooling the Paragon Holy Knights in such situations.
This powerful military order maintained raider society's peace.
Even guilds feared these "police" of the raider world.
●
Dungeons and raiders created massive economic markets.
Dungeon loot sold for fortunes to collectors and tycoons.
Beginner raiders casually spent hundreds or thousands.
It's why Baekje City became a raider economic zone.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of hammering filled Iron Gate Street—an area dense with smithies and weapon shops.
Some Awakened ones made livings through commerce rather than dungeons.
Enchanters, blacksmiths, healers—all profited from their specialties.
'Same as it ever was,' Ja-geon thought, smoking.
He'd started as a raider at qrowptl too.
Old memories blurred as he browsed weapons.
He had about 8 million won spare.
'8 million won won't even come close to buying proper crafted weapons.'
Equipment from renowned smiths easily cost thousands—often tens of millions.
No wonder – the material costs alone are astronomical.
"Pathetic. Squirming over money like this."
Jagun shoved his hands in his pockets and walked with a slouch.
He'd noticed the men tailing him for a while now.
Black Tiger bastards? This is annoying.
Jagun turned into an alleyway.
He wove through the maze-like backstreets.
Should be around here.
He dredged up old memories.
Jagun hadn’t been strong from the beginning.
There was a time he’d crawled through low-level dungeons too.
That period had just been much shorter for him than others.
Back when he knew nothing, he’d actually grown stronger faster than now.
Creeeak.
Jagun opened a hidden door in the deepest alley and entered.
The men who’d lost him wandered confused through the alleys.
"Who might you be?"
The smithy was filled with heat.
Jagun blinked slowly.
A white-haired old man stood there, his muscular frame belying his age nearing hwan-gap (60th birthday).
"Old man, make me a sword."
Jagun plopped into a chair without ceremony.
The old man frowned.
"No manners at all. But since you found your way here, I suppose I must."
"I’ve only got 8 million won (~$6,000), but I came trusting Old Man Wang’s reputation."
"‘Just’ 8 million won? Tch."
Wang spat on the floor.
His name was Wang Cheolgi – a back-alley blacksmith known only to those in the know. His shop’s location wasn’t publicly listed; you needed connections to find it.
"Custom order. Don’t care if it’s fragile. Needs to be sharp, light, and strong."
"You raid low-level dungeons, right? A blade like that would break after one run. Could you even recoup 8 mil from one dungeon? Terrible cost performance for an order like this."
"Not for dungeons."
Old Man Wang paused his hammering. He knew exactly what ‘not for dungeons’ implied – this was a weapon meant for killing people.
"Bold words. To say such things to my face…"
Wang studied the young customer. They’d never met, yet the boy acted like he knew him well.
"What does purpose matter? A sword just needs to cut well and kill clean. I’ll leave my address – send it here when done."
Jagun indifferently placed 8 million won in cash on the table.
Thud.
Business concluded, he left.
Old Man Wang recalled another rude customer from long ago – already dead now.
Bokryong Shin Jagun… The speech patterns are identical. Is this attitude fashionable now? There’ve been several youths like him since Jagun died.
Back home, Jagun searched online for his next dungeon target.
Low-level dungeons weren’t worth fighting over – they spawned frequently but offered meager profits. Not worth the conflict.
But A-rank and above changed everything.
High rewards but rare spawns made A and S-rank dungeons fiercely competitive.
Real infighting starts at A-rank. Whatever happens inside a dungeon stays there.
That’s why raiders still cared somewhat about reputation – you never knew when you’d get stabbed in the back.
"Those damn bastards."
Jagun muttered while lighting a cigarette.
He knew betrayal well.
Worst possible scenario – debuffed in the boss room that day I brought all Seven Dragons! They’d been hiding their claws, waiting for that one chance to rebel. Learned well from me.
Normally, Jagun could’ve taken all Seven Dragons at once.
They might never have beaten him otherwise.
But they waited patiently for their single opportunity.
It wasn’t that Jagun got careless – they simply executed perfectly.
Lost all my Bokryongchilbyeong too…
His seven prized weapons.
Each valuable enough to live comfortably for life.
Jagun had monopolized loot from Triple S-rank bosses.
Sharing only useless items with guildmates like tossing scraps to dogs.
Would’ve never cleared Triple S without me anyway…
Jagun’s pupils burned with intensity.
Long-buried hatred reignited.
