~~~
Fuuu finally here…
Jin breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the time.
[03:21 PM]
"Shit… gotta be fast," he muttered under his breath, pushing through the crowd. "Time's not exactly on my side here."
The glass doors of "Amber Associations: Auctions and Items for Awakeners" slid apart with a mechanical hiss as Jin burst through, his mismatched gear drawing sharp glances from the heavily armed militia guards flanking the entrance.
Damn, they look scary… Good thing I'm not here to cause trouble.
Hunter Guild members moved past him in steady streams, their equipment gleaming with the telltale shimmer of enchanted gear, faces bearing the hardened expressions of people who'd seen things most civilians couldn't imagine.
"Look at all this fancy shit," Jin whispered to himself, taking in the sight. "Half these guys probably make more in one dungeon run than most people see in a year, yet no one could step up against the calamity."
Jin barely registered any of it after all, they were no names and no one of importance in the story.
Just extras, like I am… for now.
His chest heaved as he stumbled toward the familiar counter, lungs burning from his desperate sprint through the mall's labyrinthine corridors.
"Gods help me, I'm out of shape," he gasped.
Behind the counter sat Bobby—a mountain of a man whose generous belly strained against his merchant's vest like an overstuffed sausage casing.
The shop owner looked up from methodically demolishing a bag of honey-glazed crackers, his round face splitting into an amused grin at the sight of Jin's disheveled appearance.
"Well, well," Bobby chuckled, setting down his snacks with deliberate care. "Look what the cat dragged in."
Jin collapsed against the counter, sweat beading on his forehead despite the mall's climate control.
"You sure are in a rush, kid."
"Bobby... I need..." Jin gasped between breaths. "Give me a second."
"Take your time. Weren't you supposed to be on a vacation with Marcus?" Bobby's eyes twinkled with mirth as he took in Jin's layered clothes over the basic armor.
"Though I gotta say, that's quite the look you're sporting."
Jin felt a genuine smile tug at his lips. Bobby had always been like this. Warm, teasing, treating him more like a beloved nephew than just another customer with money to spend.
It was the reason Uncle Mathew had done business here for years.
One of the good ones. Hope he makes it through what's coming.
"Something like that," Jin replied, finally catching his breath. He straightened up, forcing confidence into his posture.
"Actually, that's why I'm here. I finally managed to get a dungeon pass."
Well, not exactly a lie. I'm about to enter the biggest fucking dungeon of my life.
It's just called 'Vienna under siege' instead of 'Goblin Cave Level 1.'
Bobby's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his receding hairline.
"A dungeon pass? You?" Bobby leaned forward, studying Jin's face for signs of deception.
"Hear! Hear, people… this nosy brat finally touched his dream—a mantle and now even a dungeon pass."
A few customers turned to look, some chuckling at Bobby's enthusiasm.
"But still, a pass when Marcus isn't here to hold your hand?" Bobby's expression shifted slightly, concern creeping in around the edges of his amusement. "That man's protective of you kids. Can't imagine him just letting you wander off into monster territory without supervision."
Jin put on his signature smirk—the one that had gotten him out of trouble countless times with his uncle's family, the one that suggested he knew secrets worth knowing.
"Heh… that was the plan, and as for the pass, let's just say I did enough begging to Uncle Mathew. Wore him down with my natural charm and persistence."
Bobby's laughter boomed through the shop, a sound like thunder rolling across distant hills.
"That old softie finally caved, huh? I knew it was only a matter of time." Bobby wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. "That man's got a bigger heart than he lets on, even if he hides it behind all that military discipline."
"So," Jin continued, leaning forward conspiratorially, "Uncle Mathew will probably be sending someone experienced with me on the dungeon run. Which means they'll probably want to hit multiple floors, maybe even chain a few dungeons together for maximum efficiency."
Bobby nodded knowingly, his expression shifting to professional interest.
"Smart approach. Better to over-prepare than end up as a monster snack. I've seen too many cocky newbies come back missing pieces. Or not come back at all."
"Hmm… yeah," Jin gestured vaguely. "So I need all the basic, emergency, and important items that would be needed for extended runs."
He paused, then added with carefully calculated worry bleeding into his voice.
"Anything focused on survival, please. I'd rather not become an embarrassment in front of my guests."
Be it cultists, demons, or any of the thousand other ways people are going to die in the next few days.
Bobby's grin widened as he turned toward the back of the shop and raised his voice.
"Billy, bring out the starter survival kit. The good one with all the extras. Kid's going on his first real run."
A lanky assistant appeared from between towering shelves of equipment, arms already full of gear that clinked and rattled with each step.
"Coming right up, boss!"
Jin cleared his throat.
"Oh, and if possible, I'll need a spatial storage device. Preferably something from the cheaper end of the spectrum."
Bobby paused mid-bite of a chocolate-covered biscuit, giving Jin a long, appraising look that seemed to weigh his soul.
"Spatial storage, huh?" His voice carried a note of amused suspicion. "What'd you do, kid? Rob a bank? Because those things don't come cheap, even the bottom-tier models."
Jin leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper as he pulled out Uncle Marcus's credit card with a flourish worthy of a stage magician.
"I looted Uncle's safe. It was long overdue, considering they left me behind while they went on vacation." He straightened up with mock indignation. "Besides, I'm an awakened now. I need to be properly equipped for the dangers ahead."
Bobby's laughter was so hearty it made his whole body shake like jelly in an earthquake. He slapped the counter hard enough to make the display cases rattle, their contents singing like wind chimes.
"Good one, kid! Good one! That'll teach them to abandon family during vacation season. Nothing says 'I missed you' like maxing out the credit card on survival gear."
Still chuckling, Bobby pulled out his tablet and began scrolling through options with practiced efficiency.
"Alright, let's see what we've got for spatial storage in stock... Fair warning, though, even the cheap ones aren't exactly what you'd call affordable."
The list that appeared on the screen made Jin's blood turn to ice water in his veins.
o___________________o
Ring of Spatial Storage Tier I (10 cubic meters) → Price: 2.5 Million Zens
Space Bracers Tier I (10 cubic meters + defensive enchants) → Price: 4.7 Million Zens
Space Bracers Tier I (10 cubic meters + security enchants + blood binding) → Price: 12.7 Million Zens
o___________________o
Fuck
The numbers seemed to swim before Jin's eyes like sharks circling wounded prey.
"Those are... those are real prices?" he whispered. "Umm.. are you sure you didn't accidentally add some zeros?"
Bobby noticed his expression and laughed again, though more gently this time, like a father watching his child discover that toys cost money.
"I told you, kid. Should've robbed a bank instead of just a safe."
He scrolled further down the list with deliberate slowness.
"But wait, here's something that might work for you. Check this one out—it's an experimental model, decent space for starting out, and actually affordable with my friends-and-family discount."
Jin's attention snapped back to the tablet as Bobby opened a new item listing with a flourish.
o___________________o
Pendant of Holding
A spatial solution for all newly awakened! Affordable and easy to handle.
Space: 2 cubic meters
Price: 99,999 Zens
o___________________o
"Smith & Wenson Co.," Jin read aloud, frowning as he processed the name. "Never heard of them."
Weird. I don't remember that company in the novel. Did their business flop before the main timeline?
But the price...
"Still expensive as hell, but at least it's not 'sell a kidney' expensive," Jin muttered.
Bobby noticed his confusion and leaned forward, his voice taking on the practiced cadence of a salesman who genuinely believed in his product.
"They're a newer outfit, still building their reputation in the market. The pendant doesn't have any defensive or security enchants like the premium models, but honestly?" He shrugged.
"For just 2 cubic meters, that level of security isn't really warranted. Most thieves aren't going to waste time on a starter storage device when there are bigger fish to fry."
"And with my special discount—let's call it 30% just for friends of the family—you're looking at about 70,000 Zens."
Jin fell silent, running the numbers in his head like a calculator with sweaty fingers. It was still a staggering amount, enough to buy a decent car or put a down payment on a house.
But considering the alternatives cost literally millions...
"Jin, if you really want to get into dungeon running, this would be a solid investment," Bobby continued earnestly, his merchant's instincts warring with genuine concern for the boy he'd watched grow up. "You can always upgrade later when you've got more experience and capital under your belt."
Jin nodded slowly.
"You're right. I'll take it."
"Excellent choice, lad!" Bobby's grin returned full force, like sunrise after a long night.
If only you knew what I really need this for.
"Now, what else can I set you up with? Marcus has your survival kit ready, but we've got plenty more options depending on what kind of dungeons you're planning to tackle."
Jin's expression turned serious as he reached into his tactical bag. His fingers closed around cold metal, and he felt the weight of what he was about to reveal.
"Actually, there's something else I wanted to show you first."
He carefully lifted Uncle Mathew's handgun from his bag and placed it on the counter with deliberate precision. The weapon's matte black finish seemed to absorb the shop's fluorescent lighting.
Bobby's eyes went wide with surprise and something that might have been recognition. His jovial expression froze, replaced by sharp professional interest.
"Now that," Bobby said slowly, his voice dropping to a whisper, "is very interesting indeed."
~~~