Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Level 2 Player

Peddler Lucy

‘This time too, I’ll cross to the next floor matching the time.’

The moment Jin-su made that decision and was about to move his body.

‘Huh?’

Someone sitting on the floor with a black robe pulled over their head and spreading a stall entered Jin-su’s eyes.

‘It’s a peddler.’

In the Tower, there aren’t only players. There also exist ones like a kind of game NPCs.

‘But they’re not real NPCs.’

They are living beings who feel joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, and often possess wondrous abilities different from players. But because the role they play is similar to NPCs in games, players from Earth just called them NPCs.

‘I didn’t expect a peddler to appear on Tower Floor 12.’

The first time Jin-su saw a peddler before the regression was when he had climbed to about Tower Floor 150.

‘They’re guys who wander as they please.’

Even if they appeared not on Tower Floor 12 but on Tower Floor 1 or Floor 2, there would be nothing strange. But it was certain it wasn’t an ordinary case. Peddlers move for their own profit. Therefore, they take players of a somewhat high level as trading targets.

Even if they do business targeting the players of Tower Floor 12. There aren’t many items they can buy from players, and conversely there aren’t many items they can sell to players.

‘Also, even if they buy and sell items, the margin isn’t much.’

Step by step.

Jin-su approached toward the peddler.

“Welcome, customer.”

The peddler with the robe pulled over their head greeted Jin-su in a bright voice.

“I am a peddler. For reference, even if you question me asking why you were dragged to the Tower. Or throw a tantrum saying you want to leave the Tower, it’s useless.”

At the peddler’s words, Jin-su burst into a slight smile.

‘I also asked that first at the beginning.’

Most players, when they meet an NPC, first ask why they were dragged to the Tower and how they can return.

“Ah, really? If you’re a peddler, what kind of items do you sell?”

Jin-su asked with a calm expression.

“Uhum? You’re quite calm. Actually, getting angry is basic, and I thought you might attack if the situation arises.”

The peddler said as if unexpected.

‘Attacking you has no meaning.’

NPCs are protected by the system. Therefore, even if you swing a sword fully loaded with mana or stab with a spear, you cannot deal any damage.

‘Also, they’re enormously strong.’

Players’ attacks don’t work on NPCs. But conversely, NPCs’ attacks work on players. So if a fight breaks out, generally the player has no choice but to lose a hundred times out of a hundred.

‘Well, there’s no way an NPC would attack a player.’

In exchange for receiving the system’s protection, NPCs also receive restrictions. Therefore, unless special conditions are satisfied, NPCs cannot harm players.

“I sell whatever you desire. Because I’m a peddler and a general store.”

At the peddler’s answer, Jin-su burst into a slight smile.

‘Where are you telling such a blatant lie.’

Although the peddler is treated as an NPC, they’re not a real NPC. Naturally, they can’t carry all items.

“Then do you also have the Immortal Knight class change book?”

At Jin-su’s question, the peddler’s body froze as is.

“Do you have it or not?”

“Th, that, I don’t have it.”

“Then the Weapon Destroyer class change book?”

“I don’t have that either.”

“Heavenly Dragon Sword?”

“I don’t have it.”

“You said you sell whatever is desired? But why don’t you have anything?”

“Even so, the customer doesn’t have the money to buy such expensive items, right?”

At Jin-su’s words, the peddler retorted in a voice full of displeasure.

“That’s true. But me not having money and you lying that you sell whatever is desired are unrelated, aren’t they?”

“Kkeueung...”

At Jin-su’s words, the peddler deeply lowered their head.

“Take out all the longsword types among the weapons you have and put them down.”

At Jin-su’s words, the peddler rummaged between the robe and took out swords and spread them on the stall.

‘Look at this guy.’

Jin-su made a bitter smile. The swords the peddler spread on the stall were mostly in the mid to late 100 level range. And among them, one exactly Level 132 sword was also included.

‘I see why they’re spreading a stall on Tower Floor 12.’

It was certain they were waiting for Jin-su. The reason was also roughly guessable.

‘They know that I caught the Goblin Champion and obtained the two-handed axe.’

Peddlers acquired information at a bizarrely fast speed.

The level of the two-handed axe that came out after catching the Goblin Champion is 132.

‘Peddlers’ tricks are obvious.’

The reason they came to Tower Floor 12 and were waiting for Jin-su would be because they want to buy the Goblin Champion’s two-handed axe.

‘They intend to make the words that I’ll sell the two-handed axe come out from my mouth first.’

Jin-su met the peddler for the first time. But the peddler probably wasn’t.

‘They peeked at me secretly like a rat.’

It was obvious even without looking.

The peddler would have tailed Jin-su and acquired information. Therefore, they grasped that Jin-su’s main weapon is a sword and that he uses dual swordsmanship. Therefore, although there is a usable sword called the Bloodsucking Sword, they would know that one more sword of that level is additionally needed.

So they revealed themselves first like this and threw bait to Jin-su.

“Is there an item you like?”

“To some extent, but I don’t have money?”

“Hahaha, I’ll tell you one simple piece of information. In the Tower, points are used like money. Also, the achievements players have accumulated can be converted into points and used. But the accumulated achievements don’t look that many. If there are unused items, please show them to me. If there’s something usable, I might purchase them.”

The peddler said in a calm tone.

‘I already know all the information you said.’

Moreover, you might purchase them?

‘They seem to think of me as a sucker.’

Well, it was understandable. Although Jin-su is climbing the Tower at an unprecedented enormous speed. Even so, they would think he’s a newbie after all and a sucker lacking experience and information who is easy to peel.

‘Then shall we see the reaction once.’

Jin-su took out the two-handed axe from the treasure pouch without hesitation.

“Um, equipment of a level that doesn’t suit the lower floors. You’re lucky to have acquired something like this already. Looking at it, you seem to have put it in the treasure pouch because you use a sword rather than a two-handed axe as your main weapon. If you wish, I’ll exchange it for a same-level sword.”

“If same level, something like this?”

Jin-su asked while pointing at the Level 132 sword on the stall.

“That’s right. Rather than carrying around an item you can’t even use, exchanging it for a type of weapon you can use is a gain, isn’t it?”

“Uh, I don’t think so.”

Jin-su directly denied the peddler’s words.

“You said that a little while ago. That in the Tower, accumulated achievements can be converted into points and used.”

“Uh? That’s true, but I said it based on players only.”

“Really? Then achievements don’t accumulate on items? Can’t the achievements accumulated on items be converted into points?”

“...”

At Jin-su’s direct ball, the peddler was silent. NPCs cannot tell false information about the Tower to players.

“Although it’s a two-handed axe without a name, it’s a weapon used by the Goblin Champion who has never been defeated even once since the Tower was created until now. How much achievement has accumulated on this two-handed axe? If converted into points, how much would it be?”

“Pudeudeuk!”

At Jin-su’s words, the peddler gritted their teeth.

“Hahaha, I made a big mistake. You’re quite smart. However, you’re under one misconception. The Tower is wide and vast. The Tower Floor 1 the customer experienced is only an extremely small part. There are countless Goblin Champions who recorded undefeated on Tower Floor 1. Naturally, there are also countless two-handed axes that have accumulated the same achievements. I’ll specially show favor. I’ll exchange it for this.”

The peddler lifted one sword with the highest level among the several swords placed on the stall.

“It’s a Flame Sword. A weapon of a whopping Level 167. I’ll exchange it for this.”

“Hey, you’re a newbie, right?”

At Jin-su’s words, the peddler stood up abruptly from their seat.

“Me a newbie! What kind of insulting words are those!”

“Seeing that you get excited easily, you’re a newbie for sure.”

Jin-su nodded as if he knew. They reveal their inner thoughts too easily and get impatient. Moreover, they keep offering to exchange first and even get fully excited at one word.

In the eyes of Jin-su, a veteran who has become oil beyond high-level water regarding the Tower, the peddler in front was unconditionally a newbie.

‘The peddler who obtained the information that I hunted the Goblin Champion isn’t only this guy.’

The Tower is wide and vast. There exist an enormous number of players accordingly.

‘Peddlers compete with each other.’

The peddler in front only luckily discovered Jin-su first and caught the opportunity.

‘Other peddlers will also be looking for me.’

It was natural that their heart becomes impatient not knowing when a competitor will appear.

“I am not a newbie!”

“Yeah, well, let’s say so.”

Since there can be various interpretations of the word newbie, he roughly passed over it.

“More than that, you want to buy this, right?”

“No!”

“Even though you’re dying to buy it, you’re denying...”

Jin-su smiled slightly. Peddlers cannot tell false information to players. But that is limited only to information about the Tower. Other lies can be told as much as they want.

“Fine, I’ll sell it.”

“Really?”

The peddler immediately revealed their inner thoughts.

“Yeah, I’ll sell it for 10 million points.”

At Jin-su’s words, the peddler’s body froze like stone. Then they barely came to their senses and opened their mouth.

“You were joking just now, right?”

“No, I’m serious?”

“As I said earlier, Tower Floor 1 is enormously vast and there are also countless two-handed axes that have accumulated the same achievements.”

“But this is the only one that became a player’s possession after the owner was killed, right?”

“Even so, it’s only a mass-produced weapon without a proper name.”

“That’s why I’m selling it for 10 million points. If this were a named weapon, I wouldn’t sell it even if you brought 10 billion points.”

“Keok!”

At Jin-su’s calm answer, the peddler grabbed the back of their neck with their right hand.

“Earlier you said the achievements I accumulated aren’t that many? Is that really so?”

Jin-su asked the peddler while smiling meaningfully. After the regression, achievements were not inherited. However, the achievements Jin-su accumulated after the regression alone were by no means light.

He hunted the Goblin Champion that had never been hunted even once. He is climbing the Tower while hunting ordinary monsters of course and many boss monsters in one or two blows, updating the shortest period each time.

Even if not accurate, if the achievements Jin-su accumulated are converted into points, it would lightly exceed at least 15 million points.

“If you want to buy this, it would be better to pay a fair price. If you don’t want to, just leave.”

At Jin-su’s words while spinning the two-handed axe, the peddler tightly bit their teeth.

“Still, 10 million points seems too excessive. I also need to leave a margin, right? And there isn’t anyone else who will buy that besides me, right?”

The peddler bluffed.

“I wonder if that’s really the case? You’re not buying, right? Then go?”

Jin-su waved his hand and put the two-handed axe into the treasure pouch.

“I’m a bit busy.”

Along with those words, Jin-su passed by the peddler and left.

“Uik! The points are a bit lacking!”

At that time, the peddler shouted loudly. Jin-su ignored it and moved his footsteps.

“Perhaps, can I buy it in kind?”

At the peddler’s words, Jin-su stopped his footsteps.

“Then take out everything you have now.”

At Jin-su’s words, the peddler rummaged and unpacked the bundle of items. Weapons, armor, accessories, elixirs, class change books, skill books, and all sorts of items poured out.

‘They poured all the points they had into buying items.’

In fact, if the items taken out were poor, he was really going to just leave. But unexpectedly, the quality of the items wasn’t bad. The items Jin-su really wanted could never be obtained with points in the tens of millions in the first place. Also, the probability that the peddler possessed them was low.

Generally, for expensive items, it was natural that putting them up at the auction house could receive a higher price.

‘Probably they intend to buy the two-handed axe and sell it to upper floor players of the Tower or put it up at the auction house.’

Although the level is low, because the accumulated achievements are not light, there were many times to make use of it and accordingly many people who needed it.

‘Huh?’

As Jin-su was about to purchase items including one sword of a suitable level with good cost-effectiveness, a dull silver ring entered his eyes.

‘Why is this here?’

Ring of Resurrection.

One of the main items used by the named player who was called the moving fortress before the regression.