Chapter 58
"What... What's going on?"
The man who entered the barrier seemed to look around for a moment as he walked, then carved a mark on the wall to distinguish the path he had come from.
"He's aware of the barrier?"
Parenhof's eyes widened in surprise, but he wasn't the only one who couldn't hide his shock.
Even Mokuru's eyes, who had always shown great confidence, were shaking violently.
"..."
This was inevitable because the man's actions were without hesitation.
As if he had finished analyzing the barrier, he showed a relaxed smile, then extended his hand and dropped a red energy onto the ground.
Drip.
At that moment, when the red energy fell to the floor:
A chilling sensation swept through their entire bodies, raising goosebumps from their elbows to their necks.
Simultaneously, the man took a step forward without hesitation.
His direction was towards the center of the barrier, where Parenhof and Mokuru were standing.
Woong-!
The barrier emitted a resonant sound and deployed various interference tactics to push the man back, but none of them could stop his steps.
Step, step.
Even when the final defense, a pitch-black darkness that would instill fear in any human, arose, the man continued to step forward relentlessly, as if he had known the way from the beginning.
"...This is impossible."
"Good heavens."
Faced with a reality they couldn't believe even with their own eyes, Parenhof and Mokuru stood with their mouths agape.
Crackle-!
Finally, a sound like paper tearing came from the barrier.
"He's, he's coming! He's entering the inside!"
Just as Parenhof exclaimed in an agitated voice, the barrier completely split open and the man stepped inside.
Upon seeing this, Mokuru broke into a bright smile and greeted him with a booming voice.
"Welcome, noble warrior!"
Following suit, Parenhof, who had rushed over, also greeted him with a bright smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Of course, Parenhof and Mokuru weren't giving such enthusiastic greetings for no reason.
'He broke through Jazan's barrier in less than 10 minutes.'
Jazan could be considered one of the top five barrier mages currently on Earth.
In fact, he was such an exceptional barrier mage that not only residences of heads of state like the White House in the United States and Buckingham Palace in England, but also business tycoons would request Jazan to construct barriers for them at enormous costs.
There was no doubt about his skill.
'This person...!'
It meant that a proper customer, not some riffraff, had arrived - someone who could fully absorb the spirit potions they had painstakingly created over years, if not decades.
Of course, Parenhof wasn't the only one thinking this way. Mokuru's eyes also sparkled with excitement.
'Truly an excellent warrior.'
Although he had been stubbornly insisting otherwise to avoid further scolding if he admitted to installing an excessive barrier, Mokuru himself clearly understood how ridiculous Jazan's barrier around the shop was.
In this other world, even hunters called SS-rank by Earth's standards would inevitably get lost if they entered without proper preparation.
Yet the man before them had broken through that barrier in an instant.
It meant that the excellent warrior they had been waiting for had finally arrived.
As an alchemist who had reached the level of a master craftsman, this was truly a joyous occasion.
"Nice to meet you, I am Mokuru of the beast folk."
"Hello, as you can see, I'm an elf, and my name is Parenhof."
The man, Lee Seong-jun, who had been watching Mokuru and Parenhof greet him with bright smiles, finally opened his mouth carefully.
"...My name is Lee Seong-jun."
Given that they were hiding behind such an impressive barrier, he couldn't help but be extremely cautious, and therefore had briefly pondered what attitude to show.
But fortunately, his worries didn't last long.
'For now... I don't sense any hostility.'
Even if there was, it wouldn't be a problem.
'At best, they're first-class martial artists.'
If a conflict were to break out, from Seong-jun's current perspective, they wouldn't be particularly difficult opponents.
Of course, he didn't exchange greetings simply because he had finished assessing Mokuru and Parenhof's abilities.
'The spirit potions I've been looking for are here.'
Naturally, this wasn't a mere hunch.
Beyond the shoulders of Parenhof and Mokuru standing before him, spirit potions that could be considered of a different quality from those outside were displayed on the counter.
"Are you selling those spirit potions over there?"
"Of course, we can sell them to someone skilled like you anytime. Would you like to take a look?"
A bright smile spread across Seong-jun's face at Mokuru's offer.
He couldn't help it - he had finally found the proper spirit potions he had been searching for so long. It meant he could definitely get compensation for the precious time he had spent.
"Yes, I'd like to see them."
"You won't be disappointed. I've prepared some fantastic potions suitable for an excellent warrior like you, hahaha!"
Just as Mokuru let out a hearty laugh and was about to enter the shop:
"Wait!"
Parenhof, who had urgently shouted, continued speaking to Seong-jun.
"By any chance, what kind of spirit potion are you looking for? Most of you humans, no, hunters, are looking for something that helps with the rise of qi. Is that what you're after too?"
"If possible, that kind of potion would be good."
"Then why don't you look at my potions first, instead of what that foolish bear made? Since they were made with the help of spirits, they'll be considerably helpful in raising qi."
Indeed, when it came to matters related to qi, elves who communed with nature and handled spirits were bound to be superior to the beast folk, who could be considered more physical.
"Well, in that case..."
Just as Seong-jun was nodding and about to turn his steps, persuaded by Parenhof's convincing words:
"Hey, you pointy-eared rascal! You should follow business ethics!"
"Business ethics? I'm just trying to sell the customer what they want."
In an instant, Mokuru's expression contorted, and then, as if he had made some decision, he moved his lips.
"There's no need to be swayed by that elf's words. As an excellent warrior, you surely know that to become a true master, one must train not only the body but also the inner strength called qi. Of course, among the potions I've made, there are those that can produce the effect you desire."
Suddenly, Parenhof's eyes began to waver.
"Bear, you don't mean...?"
Seeing Parenhof like this, Mokuru smiled triumphantly and continued speaking.
"The Earth Dragon Pill. As you can guess from the name, it's made using the inner core of a 50-year-old spirit beast. It's my masterpiece that can enhance both body and qi. If you're interested in purchasing, I'd like to sell it to you."
Seong-jun's curiosity was piqued by Mokuru's confident attitude.
"Can I see it directly?"
"Just wait a moment."
As Mokuru entered the shop, Parenhof, who had been frowning and pondering, also began to move towards his own store.
After about 5 minutes had passed:
Mokuru, who had left first, reappeared and handed Seong-jun a brown-colored sphere.
"This is the Earth Dragon Pill I mentioned."
It was immediately clear why Mokuru had casually called it a masterpiece.
The fragrance itself was different.
A clear sensation, along with an earthy scent as if infused with loess, penetrated deep into the lungs through the nose.
It was like when he first discovered spirit potions in the Thousand Continents.
'This is good enough to be called a quasi-spirit potion.'
It meant he had found what he had been searching for all along.
A glimmer appeared in Seong-jun's eyes.
"How much is it?"
"Hahaha! I thought you'd like it. Especially for you, I'll..."
Just as Mokuru, with a bright smile, was about to carefully mention the price of the potion:
"Wa-Wait!"
Following that, Parenhof, who had been away, approached with hurried steps and held out a blue-colored sphere to Seong-jun.
"This is called the Blessing of the Forest, made using leaves from the great World Tree. It's my finest work, and it's much more efficient for enhancing qi than that bear's potion."
Indeed, it wasn't an exaggerated claim.
Like the potion he had received from Mokuru earlier, the fragrance itself was on a different level.
A cool and clear feeling, like a minty air.
Certainly, Parenhof's potion could also be said to be excellent.
"If you decide to buy, I'll specially give it to you for 19 billion."
"That's not bad."
To be precise, it could be considered a very excellent price.
'Generally, potions that can be called quasi-spirit potions are traded at high prices exceeding 20 billion each.'
He remembered clearly, having done research while moving to Dongmyo.
It was a price at which he absolutely wouldn't lose even if he bought it right away.
However, with two options available, he couldn't make a hasty decision.
"Hmm..."
As Seong-jun was lost in thought with his hand on his chin, Mokuru spoke up urgently.
"I-I'll give it to you for 18 billion!"
A customer who had visited after three whole months, and moreover, a powerful individual who had broken through Jazan's barrier in an instant.
It was more rewarding to sell the item to someone who could truly appreciate the inherent value of the spirit potion, rather than selling it with a large profit margin to riffraff who couldn't even properly absorb it.
Of course, offering it at such a discounted price wasn't solely due to personal satisfaction or craftsmanship.
'As an honorable warrior of the beast folk, I can't lose to that pointy-eared bastard.'
Despite sharing the commonality of being one of the few master-level craftsmen in the entire Republic of Korea, they had to do business next to each other due to the exorbitant cost of installing the barrier.
But in fact, the beast folk and elves had been in a centuries-old rivalry.
Therefore, in a competition like this where pride was at stake, he absolutely didn't want to lose.
However, Mokuru wasn't the only one burning with competitive spirit; Parenhof's eyes were also flickering with fire.
"What? Then I'll give it for 17 billion!"
"In that case, I'll give it for 16 billion."
As it changed from a simple spirit potion sale to a matter of pride between the beast folk and elves, even the labor cost aspect disappeared.
"How about 15 billion? This is really selling at the cost of materials."
"Then, I'll also give it for 15 billion."
As the price of the spirit potions fell to cost, a dramatic sale began, with each potion priced at 5 billion, totaling 10 billion for both.
At this point, there was no reason to hesitate anymore.
Seong-jun, with a curved smile on his lips, nodded and opened his mouth.