“What?”
“Does the fragment just look like a pebble to you?”
“No way. It definitely holds immense value! So I should give a fair price…”
“That’s not a fair price.”
Over 10 billion in money and a lot of experience points. And trading the Demon King’s fragment for information about raccoons?
If someone didn’t know the value of the fragment, they might have traded it right away, but for me, it offers no merit at all.
First off, money is off the table since I already have plenty.
I have more than enough ways to make money, including Elbrite, and I’m not particularly interested in hoarding excessive wealth.
So far, I’ve been satisfied with just having enough money to get by.
“Money doesn’t hold much meaning. What about experience points?”
There was a time when I craved experience, but I’ve already hit level 121 and moved to the New Continent.
There’s no particular goal for leveling up, and even if there were, the experience points are overflowing in the New Continent, so there’s really no need to get them here.
As I said this, Immensus glared at me with a fierce expression.
“…Then what about the raccoon’s information? Isn’t that necessary?”
“It is necessary.”
The raccoons manage this world.
There are hardly any places untouched by Raccoon’s Hand, and since there’s a dimension related to raccoons in the New Continent, information is essential.
“But…”
“…”
“The value on your side is just too great for a fair exchange.”
Not just any upper demon, nor a top-tier demon.
It’s the ‘Demon King.’
Fragments of the frozen soul, the splinters of the Demon King Tempere who endures the frost.
It’s merely a crystal with no will or powers, but precisely because of that, it’s more useful.
It means I can use the tremendous power of the Demon King without restrictions.
Right now, Sre holds a substance that can penetrate anything in this world.
If it can’t be penetrated, it’s probably something connected to the Demon King or the Eight Seats.
“Besides, you probably don’t know, but Sre and the fragment are one and the same. Asking for the fragment is like asking for Sre.”
“Like that dragon brat…”
“Far better than a demon brat.”
“…!”
BAM!!
When Immensus slammed his fist on the table, it shattered instantly.
“You arrogant celestial!”
“I’m not a celestial.”
“Shut up! Do you think I’m amused at being trapped in such a pitiful body?! I was once close to reaching the upper rank! You insignificant…”
A massive magical energy swirled around Immensus.
This is the Spiritual World.
It doesn’t seem like a lie that he almost reached the upper tier, as a remarkable amount of energy is palpable.
For Celestials and Demons to reach the upper tier means mocking mortals. It implies he has become a ‘God of Gods.’
It means even the mighty Pharaoh and Kraken couldn’t lay a finger on him.
WHOOSH!
“…?!?!”
But then, what.
But what.
As a massive pillar of light descends from above my head, the magic that had roughly spread throughout this place vanishes in an instant.
At the same time, four wings unfold behind me, and a dizzying sense of omnipotence wraps around my body.
Not only that, but a dimension beyond opens up, and countless mythical artifacts condensed in holiness…
“……”
“Umm.”
This is definitely too much.
Maybe it’s been a while since I’ve encountered a true ‘upper’ existence, so I pulled out something a bit excessive.
I gracefully folded my wings and retracted the holiness flowing through my body before closing the dimensional door.
Only then did the guy seem to catch his breath, leaning back in his chair and exhaling deeply.
“…You.”
“Want to try more?”
“What’s your identity? Are you also an imprisoned being?”
“I’m human.”
“…Looking like that?”
“What’s wrong with looking like this as a human?”
I think I’m plenty human.
“……”
“Let’s finish what we were talking about earlier. I can’t hand over the fragment. Even if it benefits me, I have no intention of giving it away.”
The opponent is a demon race.
Though he’s currently lost in rank and power, trapped in this rabbit’s body, there’s no way I’m giving a piece of the Demon King to a demon.
‘It’s not like I know how it could be used.’
Of course, with Immensus’s abilities, he wouldn’t dare use a piece of the Demon King, but what if something happens and that piece gains ‘will’?
Then Deoen would be finished.
I don’t know how strong the system and raccoons are, but if things go wrong, a disaster where the whole dimension freezes could occur.
The power of extreme cold can freeze not just souls but even ‘time.’
“…Since you’re also an imprisoned being, if it comes down to it, you won’t be able to use that power.”
“Isn’t that true for you too?”
“I’m the Master of the Altar. Since I’ve received permission from the ‘Manager’, I can use some of my original abilities as the altar’s master.”
“It would be troublesome if you were discovered, right?”
Immensus falls silent.
Amply scattered coins and the situation where I’m half-kidnapped.
He seems to be wary of the raccoons discovering his ‘negativity.’
“You said your name was Cheongsu? You must be quite high-ranking among the raccoons.”
“That guy isn’t someone just anyone can meet…”
“Even with this?”
I lifted one holy seal.
It’s the reward I received from the raccoon on the ancient island—a ticket to the raccoons’ treasure vault that can only be used once.
‘Golden Seal of the Dawn.’
Immensus’s eyes widened in shock.
The raccoon who gave this wasn’t that impressive, but at least it should be enough to inform him about the situation.
“…What do you want?”
“As I said earlier, I can’t give you the fragment.”
Instead.
“Instead?”
“Let’s trade for something else.”
I don’t need money or experience points, but ‘information’ is necessary.
Take care of Yena too while you’re at it.
80th floor!
Finally climbed the notoriously difficult and exhausting 80th floor!
Yena flopped down at the entrance of the 80th floor rest area and giggled.
When she had failed the gacha, she was filled with anger and despair.
Even though she claimed it was all a scam, it was really her own fault for recklessly pulling the lever.
Despite it not being a gacha game, she was so entranced that she went all in, and by the time things went south, she had already lost 900 million.
So since she had already lost, she tried to drag things out for the broadcast…
“No way, that was really a scam?”
After uncovering the true nature of the scam, she immediately complained, and with clenched teeth, she climbed the 80th floor when the Master told her to.
It took a staggering 8 hours to reach the 80th floor.
Compared to the long journey, it felt extremely quick, partly due to Yena’s anger, but mainly because of the ‘buff’ she gained from spending nearly 900 million.
With hundreds of buffs stacked, Yena was in a significantly powered-up state.
“Come out! Boss come out!”
“I’m here.”
“Boss… huh.”
And there above flopped Yena was Lily.
Lily had already arrived early and was resting.
Beside her was a pure white hatchling rolling around with Leo, whom she knew well—Sre the dragon.
“I’m a bit late, right…?”
“You didn’t keep us waiting much longer than expected. It was entertaining.”
Holding Lily’s hand, Yena was finally able to take a proper look around.
Inside the beautifully decorated rest area, numerous rabbits were waiting, and in the center stood a table made of gold.
On the table was a golden box.
And facing directly across from that box…
Splash.
“Welcome. Challenger.”
“…Master of the Altar?”
A black-furred rabbit was savoring some wine.
It certainly looked like a rabbit but was definitely not just a rabbit.
What is this situation?
“What’s going on?”
“They said they had something to give you. Me and Lord Leo have already received it. Give it a try.”
“?”
Yena tilted her head, sitting down at the chair in front of the table.
The rabbit, unusually, bowed its head.
“I owe you an apology. Due to my ‘unintentional’ mistake, you’ve suffered considerable loss.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve pondered this for a long time. Ever since I became the Master of the Altar, I wanted to escape this place, and I needed the value of the Outsider.”
Clink!
A small golden key was placed on the table.
Yena looked at Lily, wondering what it was, but Lily just silently watched the two.
Creak! As Yena suspiciously turned the key, an immense treasure chest filled with gold coins revealed its splendor.
The box, filled with an enormous amount of gold coins, revealed itself.
A box enchanted with space magic.
The number of gold coins inside the box is…
“60,000 gold coins.”
“Are you kidding me?!”
“That’s nearly 1.3 billion by Outsider standards, right? Since I’ve given you more than what you lost, it can’t be that bad…”
“Thank you!!”
Yena quickly grabbed the box.
1.3 billion!
She was just about to be super gloomy over losing 900 million, but now she made up 400 million, right?
Yena kept bowing her head, thanking everyone when suddenly she had this thought.
“…”
But still, how can they suddenly give me 1.3 billion?
Did the scam get discovered?
Of course, it’s true that scamming is wrong, but originally, Deoen doesn’t impose penalties when something happens in-game.
Penalties only happen for purely out-of-game issues between users.
Deoen, pursuing autonomy, had a principle of user neglect, so giving such a reward felt a bit strange.
“…Lady Lily? Is this correct?”
“Maybe? It was a scam, intended or not.”
“Did you receive money too, Lady Lily?”
“I didn’t take any.”
“? What about Lord Leo?”
“I didn’t take any either.”
“…? Then why am I…?”
“Receiving money is freedom.”
Clink.
The rabbit tilted the wine glass with a bitter smile.
A genuinely regretful expression.
“However, all buffs and growth effects that were mistakenly given will be collected. Even the experience points granted to you.”
“…Huh?”
“Doesn’t that seem like something you’d be satisfied with?”
“Um…”
Receiving 1.3 billion. But losing experience and buffs, and unable to venture to the New Continent.
But refusing the 1.3 billion? That’s a bit odd.
“…Just give me the normal experience without the 1.3 billion.”
“Such a thing cannot exist. It was an inherently ‘abnormal’ coin. I can’t hand over a confirmed problematic coin.”
“…It’s absurd.”
This isn’t what I hoped for when I climbed to the 80th floor!
“It’s absurd. Absurd. Absurd.”
“Well then, this must be the end. Climb the tower well. When you reach the top, there will be good results. So…”
“Just give me the experience, meow!”
“Then make your choice.”
“Huh?”
Ta-gak.
Another key is placed on the table.
“Will you not take the money and climb the tower to gain ‘complete’ experience?”
Or will you just take the money?
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