17. Arcana Online

17. Arcana Online17. Arcana Online

A quest notification window appeared for all players of Arcana Online.

It was a golden window they had never seen before, not the usual blue one.

[Main scenario quest conditions have been met.]

[CHAPTER 1: Protect the World Tree.]

[Time remaining until invasion begins: 719 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds]

This was shocking news for users who had been playing without knowing there was a main scenario quest.

This news was posted on numerous community sites and achieved first place in real-time search rankings.

There were players who moved quickly in response to this.

The World Tree was located in the forest where the Forest Clan resided.

The Forest Clan, or rather, the elves, each possessed strength greater than high-ranking players, so if you offended them, you could die from an arrow as soon as you entered the forest.

Above all, fighting elves in the forest is insane.

How could you possibly defeat elves flying through the treetops like flying squirrels?

To participate smoothly in the main scenario, you need to build friendships with the Forest Clan in advance.

However, elves are famous for being unfriendly.

When numerous players visited, half were chased away, and those who resisted died.

The many players who found it absurd to be chased away for such a trivial matter were completely unaware of the Forest Clan's circumstances.

They didn't know that now that the noise problem had been solved and they were finally able to sleep comfortably, they couldn't sleep properly because of the numerous players visiting day and night.

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Since it only opens at night, I headed to the black market instead of returning to the hotel.

The ticket in my hand.

«Black Market Ticket»

You need a ticket to enter the black market.

The entrance to the black market changes location every day, but the location is marked on the back of the ticket.

When I arrived at the marked location, two large men were guarding the door.

"Please present your ticket."

"Here it is."

They checked the ticket and opened the door.

As I entered, an amazing sight unfolded before my eyes.

Numerous stalls were doing business, and in front of them, various races were buying or looking at goods.

Humans, elves, beast-kin, dwarves, and all sorts of races were gathered and visible.

When I stared intently at a dwarf I was seeing for the first time, he noticed my gaze and looked at me.

"What business does a little miss have staring at an old man?"

"I'm sorry! It's my first time seeing a dwarf. Your muscles are impressive."

"Hahaha! You've got a good eye, little miss! If you come to our shop later, I'll throw in some extra service!"

I watched the back of the laughing dwarf as he left, then moved my feet to look at the stalls.

As I looked around various stalls, they're even selling magic stones?

«??? Magic Stone»

A magic stone of unknown rank.

It's a magic stone, but the rank isn't shown.

"Miss. Pick one. If you're lucky, you might get a top-rank magic stone."

"Is it random?"

"That's right! Only 50,000 gold per try!"

The price of a lowest-rank magic stone is 1,000 gold each.

The price of a low-rank magic stone is 100,000 gold each.

The lowest-rank is just a pretty stone, useless for anything.

When I gave Yong-yong a lowest-rank magic stone, it spat it out.

Recently, it's become picky and doesn't even eat low-rank ones well, but should I try a few rounds for fun?

Who knows? Maybe I'll get a medium-rank or higher. Searᴄh the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Kyuung."

"You're saying not to do it?"

"Kyuuung!"

"With my luck, it's cheaper to just buy them outright!?"

I took out 50,000 gold from my inventory.

"Mister, one round please."

"Kyuung!?"

"They say to choose carefully."

I chose one from among the many magic stones, and the small magic stone changed to the size of a bowling ball as information was displayed.

«Top-Rank Magic Stone»

A magic stone used in researching top-rank magic.

"Wh-what...?"

"Wh-what!? Why is that in there!?"

"Kyuuung!?"

All three of us were so surprised we couldn't close our mouths.

No, wait a minute. Mister, what do you mean by that?

The rules of the black market.

Once an item is bought or sold, it can't be taken back.

If you break this rule, a fixer from the underworld will visit you in the middle of the night.

I greeted the stall owner who was looking at me with an expression of tears of blood, and as I moved away, I heard the sound of something being struck down behind me.

I didn't hear anything.

"Kyuuung?"

"Oh? What did our Yong-yong say earlier? That it's cheaper to buy outright?"

"Kyuuung."

"Right? You were wrong, weren't you? So I won't give it to you."

"Kyuuung!"

"It was a joke, are you getting angry?"

As I looked at the sulking Yong-yong, its reactions were too funny.

The pleasure of teasing Yong-yong is considerable, isn't it?

The street was crowded, so when I said I'd give it to him at the hotel, it finally smiled brightly, and it's so cute!

More importantly, does it know how much this costs when it eats it?

A low-rank magic stone is 100,000.

A medium-rank magic stone is 1,000,000.

A high-rank magic stone is 10,000,000.

For top-rank, the price is whatever you name.

"Does our Yong-yong know how much this costs? It's incredibly expensive."

"Kyuung!"

"You'll pay me back later?"

Our Yong-yong is quite boastful, isn't it?

It's so cute when it confidently declares it will pay back tens, no, hundreds of times more.

While chatting with Yong-yong and looking at other stalls, there's nothing special.

In novels, they used to sell holy swords or magic swords, or at least ego swords, but there's nothing here.

After wandering around for a while, I checked the time and it's almost time for the auction to start.

I moved to the auction location and showed my ticket again, and they handed me a number tag and a mask.

The number tag is 44.

"Please wear the mask and enter inside."

"Thank you!"

I didn't really like the number, but there's nothing I can do about it.

I put on the mask and entered the auction hall, and there were many people, all wearing unique masks.

Is it to prevent knowing who won the bids?

I sat in an empty seat and waited, and a man who seemed to be the auctioneer came up on stage.

"Thank you for waiting! We have rare and expensive items prepared that can brilliantly decorate your night, so please participate actively! Now, the first item!"

You can't check items in the auction house.

You can only check with your eyes, but nothing seems appealing.

Various items come out, from beads to swords, staffs, and accessories, but I don't know what any of them are.

"Now! The item I'm going to introduce next is something every summoner dreams of! It's a spellbook!"

For general job spellbooks, the price is whatever you name.

But no one is bidding?

Is summoner that unpopular?

The auctioneer who initially called for 10 million gold is now calling for 100,000 gold.

"No one for 100,000 gold!?"

As soon as I raised my number tag, I won the bid.

Is the auctioneer trying to pass it quickly before I change my mind?

Summoner is good...

After the auction ended and I received the item, I looked around the black market, but there was nothing suitable, so I returned to the hotel.

As I lay feeling the soft touch of the bed, I heard a cute sound.

"Kyuung kyuung."

"Is our Yong-yong being affectionate!?"

"Kyuuung!"

"Of course I have to give it to you!"

I took out the top-rank magic stone from my inventory and gave it to Yong-yong, who happily accepted and ate it.

"Is it that delicious?"

"Kyuung!"

I don't know whose summon it is, but isn't it too cute!?

After recording our Yong-yong eating the magic stone for a while, I lay down on the bed.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow."

"Kyuung."

How nice would it be if Yong-yong could go to the real world with me.

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Sigh. Life is hard.

In thousands of years of dragon life, I've never experienced such a shameful thing.

Although I've only been a dragon for less than a year, I'm still a dragon, aren't I?

I looked at the sleeping contractor with mixed feelings, then gazed at the scenery outside the window.

Numerous stars in the night sky.

No, should I call them constellations?

They're all cunning beings targeting humans.

I don't understand why they're making such a fuss about how pretty they are.

Among them, one emitting a particularly evil energy began to watch the contractor.

[Don't set your eyes on it. It's mine.]

At that moment, the brightly shining star disappeared, and another star appeared to take its place.

Beings waiting for an opportunity.

I should give a warning.

Looking up at the sky, I warned.

[On the day I ascend. If you don't want to face me, get lost.]

At that moment, numerous stars shining in the sky all disappeared at once.

In an instant, the city was enveloped in darkness, causing chaos.

I entered the sleeping contractor's embrace and settled comfortably.

After sleeping in cold water for a thousand years, I thought I would never sleep again in my future life.

But in the contractor's embrace, I could sleep as much as I wanted.

Is it that warm and cozy?

I closed my eyes and waited.

For the contractor to wake up.