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Chapter 715: Ransom (2)
-Stone Toss……?
A trading method with a brutally ominous name from the very start.
Since it was never even an option that Dots Salzeo could consider, he could only let out a groan reflexively.
-Are you sure we’re looking at the same thing? Stone Toss is… throwing the traded item, isn’t it?
And this time, the traded item was Dots Salzeo himself.
That was the problem.
Meanwhile, Yeongwoo still wore a carefree expression.
“Yeah. And what exactly does it mean to throw the traded item? Doesn’t it just mean getting physically separated from me?”
-T-that’s……
“It’s an extremely clean method. You get farther away from your kidnapper, and meanwhile your ransom flies over quickly.”
-But what if I get hurt during the throwing process? In the worst-case scenario, couldn’t I even die?
“Well, that’ll depend on how well your big brother catches you. I don’t particularly want you dead either, so I’m not planning to throw you hard enough to snap your neck.”
-……
“Anyway, you’ll be able to go home one way or another, right? That’s something to celebrate.”
-I am glad, but… this is……
While Dots Salzeo mumbled uncertainly, Yeongwoo finalized ‘Stone Toss’ as the trading method.
「You have selected Stone Toss as the transaction method.」
「Please register the item to be sold now.」
Then a blue rectangle appeared in the middle of the lodging room.
Fwaaaat!
「For oversized items exceeding standard dimensions, please tap the ticket three times.」
It meant that special procedures were required for transactions involving huge objects like heavy machinery.
But Yeongwoo’s merchandise was merely the small-framed Salzeo, so there was no need to enlarge the rectangle at all.
“Stand on top of that.”
-What?
“That rectangle. Stand on it. You’re the product.”
-……
Dots’ face became even more miserable.
The reality that he had truly been kidnapped suddenly hit him all over again.
Step.
At last, Dots Salzeo stepped onto the blue rectangle, and after the rectangle flashed briefly, it displayed a system message.
[Lifeform: 1]
Then it made a request to Yeongwoo.
「Please register the item name.」
“Dots Salzeo. Is just saying it enough?”
The transaction system immediately reacted.
「Item registration has been completed.」
“All done.”
Now all that remained was to wait for the buyer, Eroom Salzeo, to appear.
“Now sit over there and wait. Whether you get to go home or not depends on your brother.”
As Yeongwoo sank into the sofa while saying this, Dots also slowly sat down after glancing around the room once.
Sevio and Yenta likewise found seats of their own, and an awkward silence settled over the room.
That was, until Yenta forced himself to speak.
-Um… then how much is the payment for this transaction?
As the assigned guide, Yenta was obligated to accompany them to the transaction site as well.
That was why he was curious just how much money would come flying in through ‘Stone Toss.’
“The payment? For now, it’s 8.5 billion in cash.”
-By ‘for now’… does that mean there are additional payments as well?
“Yeah. I’m getting some items too.”
At this answer from Yeongwoo, Yenta subtly adjusted his posture before asking,
-May I ask what those ‘items’ are?
“One hundred swords.”
-…Pardon?
“I said I’m getting a hundred swords. Ah, more accurately, a hundred and one. I’m also receiving the famous sword that bastard was granted by his family.”
At that, Yenta blinked a few times before staring diagonally upward into empty space.
-So… when we enter the transaction site later, one hundred and one swords are going to come flying in like a ‘Stone Toss’……?
“Now that you mention it……?”
Yeongwoo scratched his forehead and nodded, causing Yenta’s mouth to fall wide open.
-N-no, aren’t you a Planetary Ship Owner? Wasn’t that something you should have considered before choosing this option?
“I thought Tag would be too much of a provocation if things went wrong, so throwing things to each other seemed cleaner. Besides, if the other side happens to bring less money than promised, I also have the right to refuse.”
The right of refusal was one of ‘Stone Toss’s’ greatest advantages.
Once the transaction began, the seller could preview the amount the other party intended to throw over, and based on that, exercise the right of refusal up to four times in total.
And if no agreement was reached before all four refusals were used up, the transaction itself would collapse.
-But… if the other side really comes with ulterior motives, couldn’t that put us in even greater danger instead?
“Danger? A hundred and one swords is a lot, sure, but the throwing distance is also considerable. It’s not much of a threat to me. You guys might be in danger though.”
-Then wouldn’t the problem be solved simply by leaving us behind here?
At Yenta’s words, Sevio, who had been quietly listening to the conversation so far, also perked up his ears.
Though he was a member of the Twelve Sword Assembly, Sevio likewise had no desire to stand in a transaction site where over a hundred swords might come flying in.
Besides, he was currently unarmed.
If Salzeo really intended to kill everyone involved in the trade and hurled a hundred swords at them, it was obvious the situation would become extremely dangerous.
But Yeongwoo merely said,
“Why?”
-Pardon?
“Why should I leave you behind?”
-Well……
“You’re the son of Black Horn Yeigot, and you belong to the Twelve Sword Assembly.”
Yeongwoo pointed at each member of the group in turn.
Then, while gazing into the air, he continued.
“If I bring you along, the young master won’t have any choice but to feel pressured. If he uses the Stone Toss rules to attack us, then it won’t simply be revenge against his little brother’s kidnapper anymore—it’ll amount to an assault on the Underground Floor and the Twelve Sword Assembly.”
At that, Sevio made a fed-up expression and completely buried himself into the sofa.
-You think a lot more than your appearance suggests.
“My brain works better when money’s involved.”
-Then what exactly are you planning now? You’re seriously taking us into that deathtrap? We’re your hostages, not meat shields.
“In my opinion, being a hostage includes the role of meat shield too.”
-……
“Anyway, you bastard—no, all of you don’t have a choice. Everyone here is going to the transaction site.”
As Yeongwoo placed a hand on the Bastard at his waist and spoke wickedly, everyone present wore gloomy expressions.
-Worst case scenario, we get stabbed to death by a hundred and one swords, and even if things go well, we’re still prisoners.
Sevio Fonta clearly summarized their current situation.
And since he wasn’t even wrong, Yeongwoo couldn’t deny it either.
“Try to think positively. Even if you survive today and remain prisoners, at the same time you’ll also become passengers aboard a planetary ship.”
While Yeongwoo was spewing nonsense, Dots Salzeo, who had been watching the duel arena broadcast screen, suddenly sprang to his feet.
-Huh.
“What is it?”
Sensing something, Yeongwoo turned his gaze toward the screen, where Sezak was seen knocking challengers outside the Outer Court as usual.
And then.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
“Oh.”
On the opposite side of the duel arena, challengers were also being blasted away in all directions.
Someone was destroying the challenger queue.
-What the hell is happening over there……?
It was shocking enough that even Sevio, a resident of the Underground Floor, flared his nostrils in surprise.
And by then, Yeongwoo could instinctively tell.
The young master of the prestigious cosmic family Salzeo, Eroom Salzeo, had arrived in the Black Zone.
“That bastard looked unbelievably calm while we were communicating, but I guess that was all just bluffing.”
No sooner had Yeongwoo finished speaking than a man appeared standing tall atop the completely wrecked challenger queue on the broadcast screen.
-B-big brother!
It was none other than Eroom Salzeo, Dots Salzeo’s older brother.
He had advanced forward while smashing apart the challenger queue itself, all to rescue his younger brother as quickly as possible.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone cut in line so violently. Is he really not thinking about the consequences at all?”
At Yeongwoo’s remark, Sevio stroked his beard and muttered,
-Maybe using us as meat shields won’t help much after all. Anyone can tell he’s completely lost his mind.”
By then, after subduing all the competitors, Eroom Salzeo stood before the Outer Court, then stared directly at the gatekeeper Sezak.
“Looks like the two of them are talking. Can’t we hear them?”
Yenta shook his head.
-For security reasons, audio is not transmitted.
“Security reasons? No, aren’t the 3rd-grade ticket holders basically the core of Black Zone security in the first place? So what kind of security nonsense is that?”
Regardless of Yeongwoo’s complaints, events at the scene continued unfolding.
At last, Eroom Salzeo stepped into the Outer Court.
In accordance with the ‘rules,’ he had not drawn the sword at his waist, and upon seeing this, Sezak gestured with his hand as if beckoning him to come closer.
“It’s about to begin.”
Having already gone through the trial twice, Yeongwoo knew very well.
The real duel began the moment one entered the Inner Court drawn near Sezak.
And then, finally.
-The young master’s guts are no joke either.
Along with Sevio’s mutter, Eroom Salzeo charged toward the gatekeeper at terrifying speed.
“Wait, wasn’t he supposed to receive the token first?”
The duel with the gatekeeper officially began once the challenger received the token upon entering the Inner Court.
But Eroom’s speed was far too fast for any token-receiving ceremony.
Even Yeongwoo, the strongest person present, could barely follow his movements.
“No way, this bastard.”
The moment Yeongwoo’s brow twitched from a sudden premonition, Eroom Salzeo stepped into the Inner Court like lightning and launched a kick toward the gatekeeper.
And at that exact moment, the gatekeeper was in the middle of throwing the token toward the challenger entering the Inner Court according to established procedure.
In other words, before the official duel even began, Eroom attacked first.
What in the world was he thinking?
The result became clear immediately afterward.
The instant the gatekeeper threw the token, Eroom Salzeo caught it with one hand as though he had been waiting for it, and almost simultaneously, the kick he had already unleashed slammed into the gatekeeper’s waist.
Bwaaaaaak!
Even though the broadcast screen carried no sound, it almost felt as though the impact noise could be heard.
The moment Eroom’s kick connected with the gatekeeper, an overwhelming shockwave spread all the way beyond the Outer Court.
Thanks to that, the dust covering the ground scattered violently in every direction, and by then, Eroom’s fist was already smashing into the gatekeeper’s face.
“What?”
The very hand that had caught the token swung straight into the gatekeeper’s face.
Already the second unilateral strike exchange.
And violet blood was even flowing from the gatekeeper’s mouth.
Rather than getting blasted outside the Outer Court, Eroom had already succeeded in fighting the gatekeeper within the Inner Court itself.
“That bastard… just what level is his Prestige? What’s his existence rank?”
When Yeongwoo looked toward Dots Salzeo and asked, Dots answered with an excited expression.
-I-I don’t know his Prestige level. But I had no idea he was this strong. Maybe…….”
Dots Salzeo glanced at Yeongwoo instead of finishing his sentence.
Maybe his older brother could even beat down a Planetary Ship Owner.
At that thought, Yeongwoo barely suppressed the urge to clench his fist and asked again.
“You don’t know your brother’s Prestige level? Then what about his existence rank?”
Dots held up four fingers.
-The last I heard, he was Grade 4.
“Grade 4? Goddammit.”
Yeongwoo wrinkled his nose.
He had expected something like this to some extent, but it still made him realize his opponent was a rather enormous figure.
“Well, I guess we’ll find out now.”
-…Find out what?
“Whether a Grade 4 existence can obtain a Grade 2 entry ticket to the Black Zone.”
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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