Exchange (2)
At present, several climbers have entered the 50th floor of the Tower.
Normally, when climbers were clearing a floor, they did not welcome encountering one another. Because of that, when they saw other climbers, they often avoided them instead.
However, there was one exception. A place commonly called a “meeting spot” there, they did not avoid each other.
On floors above the 50th, every floor had at least one such meeting spot. These places had been created by the climbers themselves for convenience.
There were many situations where they needed to meet or communicate with other climbers for various reasons, so they designated suitable locations on each floor and established these meeting spots.
On the 50th floor, the meeting spot was an open area near a rocky hill located roughly at the center.
Since something like an online community did not exist, Seon Yul and Cheon Li Yu came to this meeting spot for the sake of a trade.
“It’s pretty deserted.”
Although it was called a meeting spot, there weren’t any climbers actually waiting here for someone.
From the start, these meeting spots on each floor were not created for climbers to gather and socialize.
The way climbers used meeting spots was very simple.
And that very method was the reason this place had been chosen as a meeting spot.
“Is this it?”
Seon Yul spoke while looking at a large rock in front of him.
“Yeah, I think so. I can see a few messages.”
Cheon Li Yu nodded as she spoke, and the two of them were looking at the same place.
What they were looking at was a large, flat rock on the side of the rocky hill.
And on that rock were writings of all kinds, messages left behind by climbers.
This was exactly how the meeting spot was used.
In this way, climbers left messages at specific locations as if posting on an online community.
Other climbers would read them and respond, allowing communication to happen.
In a way, it was an extremely frustrating method of communication, but since online communication was impossible in the first place, this was the most convenient and reliable method available.
“The writings on this rock disappear after 72 hours. If you think of it like online, it’s like automatic deletion.”
Because the absolute law applied to each floor—automatic restoration—also applied here, any writing that climbers carved or wrote would only last for exactly 48 hours.
That was why, even though this rock had been used like a bulletin board for a long time, it remained clean.
“Then we just write something here and wait, right?”
“Probably?”
After hearing Cheon Li Yu, Seon Yul pulled out a thick name pen from his Absolute Space (tattoo), which he always maintained.
Other climbers typically engraved letters into the rock with their fingers or used magical abilities to write, showing off their skills… but Seon Yul had no such intention from the start.
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
He simply wrote what he wanted on the rock with the thick marker.
Compared to the writings left by other climbers, his stood out… but Seon Yul didn’t care at all.
[Looking to exchange the Key of the Frostbound Ice Dragon for the Key of the Shadow Dark Dragon. If interested, please leave a message.]
“That should be enough, right?”
“Yeah. That should be plenty. Now we just wait for a reply.”
“Hm… then while we wait, let’s keep searching for the Shadow Dark Dragon. If no one wants to trade, we’ll have no choice but to hunt it ourselves.”
Seon Yul had no intention of relying on just one method. While looking for someone to trade keys with, he was also planning to hunt the Shadow Dark Dragon himself.
Approaching the problem from two completely different directions, Seon Yul intended to solve it as quickly as possible… no matter which method worked.
***
Other climbers, after leaving a message at the meeting spot, had to repeatedly return to check whether a reply had been left.
But Seon Yul and Cheon Li Yu didn’t need to do that.
No matter where they were, Cheon Li Yu could simply “look” using her Divine Eye.
So until a reply came offering a trade, the two of them continued roaming all over the 50th floor, searching for the Shadow Dark Dragon.
They assumed it would be hiding within shadows, so they focused on places where shadows were deepest and most concentrated, carefully inspecting those areas.
However, even after nearly two full days of searching and thoroughly examining several suspicious locations, they could not find the Shadow Dark Dragon.
Then, on the second day, a long-awaited reply finally appeared on their message at the meeting spot.
[Looking to exchange the Key of the Frostbound Ice Dragon for the Key of the Shadow Dark Dragon. If interested, please leave a message.]
└ I would like to trade. Let’s meet here tomorrow at noon, Tower time, and complete the exchange.
“Oh, someone replied, they want to trade!”
Cheon Li Yu spoke immediately after seeing the reply.
“Really? When?”
“They said tomorrow.”
“Hm… then we’ll need to prepare.”
“Prepare what?”
“Just… preparations for a ‘just in case’? Anyway, got it.”
It was good news that someone wanted to trade. But Seon Yul wasn’t simply happy about it.
The thought of “what if” was always present in his mind, so he began making preparations for that possibility.
***
The next day, at noon.
The time written in the reply had finally come.
Seon Yul arrived at the meeting spot in advance. Just in case, Cheon Li Yu was waiting inside Absolute Space.
With her Divine Eye activated, she observed the surroundings through an entrance to Absolute Space that Seon Yul had opened beforehand above the rocky hill.
‘Five people in front.’
Through telepathy, Cheon Li Yu relayed information about those approaching.
‘They all look like beastkin… There are five. I don’t see any other climbers nearby.’
‘Keep watching the surroundings, just in case.’
The “what if” Seon Yul had in mind was, of course, the possibility that the trading party would turn into raiders.
In fact, this was a highly plausible scenario, so Seon Yul had thoroughly prepared for it.
Thud.
The five climbers Cheon Li Yu mentioned appeared before Seon Yul. After arriving at the meeting spot, they looked around briefly before slowly speaking.
“Are you the one looking to exchange the Frostbound Ice Dragon key for the Shadow Dark Dragon key?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Seon Yul nodded lightly as he answered.
“But… are your other teammates not here?”
The one who appeared to be their leader, a tiger-like beastkin, asked with a slightly puzzled expression.
“I came alone due to circumstances.”
Seon Yul did not say that he had no teammates.
“That’s unusual. Ah! Well, exchanges and trades between Irregulars tend to be… sensitive matters, so I hope you understand.”
The tiger beastkin spoke as if concerned about any unpleasant incidents.
“I understand. But as you’ve already checked, there are no hidden teammates.”
“That does seem to be the case.”
It appeared the five had been thoroughly scouting the area as they approached. One of them, resembling a wild dog, had been sniffing intensely, seemingly completing a scent-based search.
“Well then, it seems neither of us likes dragging things out… shall we finish the exchange quickly?”
Seon Yul saw no need to prolong the conversation.
“Let’s show the items first.”
The tiger beastkin wanted confirmation, and so did Seon Yul.
Seon Yul took out the Frostbound Ice Dragon key he had prepared and showed it.
Naturally, the tiger beastkin also took out a similarly shaped key dyed in an ink-black color.
At a glance, they were clearly the Frostbound Ice Dragon key and the Shadow Dark Dragon key.
“The items look legitimate.”
The tiger beastkin nodded.
“Then the exchange–”
But just as Seon Yul was about to discuss how to proceed…
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
The tiger beastkin put the black key back into his clothes and began emitting a completely different aura.
And it wasn’t just him.
The other four beastkin also began releasing sharp killing intent toward Seon Yul.
“Wow… this is a bit…”
Seon Yul frowned.
“Well, this is everyday life for Irregulars, isn’t it? How about handing over that Frostbound Ice Dragon key? If you throw it over, we might spare your life…”
The tiger beastkin spoke as if granting mercy.
But of course, Seon Yul did not throw the key.
Instead, he put it back away.
Then he immediately switched his own “gear” to combat mode and spoke.
“Yeah. This is everyday life.”
The moment he finished speaking, Seon Yul snapped his fingers.
Snap.
At that instant, Cheon Li Yu, who had been watching everything from above the rocky hill, fired a railgun shot at the five beastkin without a moment’s hesitation.
Piiiiing! KWA-A-A-A-A-A-BOOM!
In less than the blink of an eye, the railgun shell landed among them, and naturally, they couldn’t properly respond.
And that wasn’t all Seon Yul had prepared.
After delivering the initial strike, he immediately opened two entrances to Absolute Space on either side of him.
Tzzt.
Through those entrances, he unleashed another Gatling gun hell.
Whirrrrr—DUDUDUDUDU—BRRRRRRRRR.
Some had already died from the first strike, while others barely survived—but as armor-piercing rounds poured out indiscriminately, true hell was recreated.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
What the five beastkin had planned.
What preparations had they made for looting or robbery?
Seon Yul didn’t know. Nor did he need to.
What mattered was their attitude.
If they had simply completed the trade peacefully, this wouldn’t have happened.
But the moment they showed their fangs, Seon Yul immediately punished them.
If a stick is best for a dog that bares its teeth, then overwhelming firepower is best for a trading party that bares theirs.
From the front, thousands of armor-piercing rounds from Gatling guns.
From above, shells were continuously fired by Cheon Li Yu.
After pouring concentrated firepower for about ten minutes, Seon Yul judged that the enemy had been completely silenced and stopped the attack.
Fwoooosh.
What was revealed was a hellish scene.
The five beastkin had been torn apart without being able to do anything.
They likely had abilities worth boasting about, but they had chosen the wrong opponent.
Especially against Seon Yul, who had fully prepared in advance, they revealed their fangs far too easily.
So this result was inevitable.
“Clear.”
Seon Yul calmly nodded and muttered as he slowly walked toward where the five had stood… now nothing more than unrecognizable remains.
He was going to retrieve the Shadow Dark Dragon key, an event item that should still be intact.
In the end, instead of a trade, he obtained the key through plunder…
But this fell entirely under self-defense.
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