With a weary sigh, Joo-Hee lined up again and took her newly assigned queue number. She nearly froze as she read it: 1621.
The crushing weight of frustration hit her, and for a moment, she closed her eyes, fighting the urge to scream in anger at the three guild recruiters who had eaten up so much of her time.
She could practically feel her patience fraying as she glanced at the screen, which displayed the current number they were serving: 721.
This is ridiculous, she thought, her fists clenched in silent fury. Now I get why most hunters join a guild—just to avoid this never-ending nightmare of lines and wasted time.
Her mind raced as she considered her options.
Even if I joined one of those guilds and obtained their benefits, the contracts would probably restrict my freedom. And besides, in a couple of years, Jin-Woo will establish the Ahjin Guild…
She let out a long, frustrated sigh, reminding herself that patience now would pay off later. I just have to hold out until then.
With no choice but to leave the Association empty-handed for now, Joo-Hee turned toward her next goal for the day: the Hunter Market.
She knew the seeds from her list would be crucial for her upcoming dungeon dive, and if nothing else, at least the market would be a welcome distraction from the torturous wait.
...
Arriving at the bustling Hunter Market, Joo-Hee was momentarily awestruck by the sheer variety of items on display.
She murmured in amazement, "This is so much better than I ever imagined… If only I had the money, I'd be buying so much." She wiped an imaginary tear from her cheek, a little dramatic but genuinely overwhelmed.
This was her first visit here since being transmigrated, and she was utterly captivated.
Stalls were overflowing with everything a hunter could dream of: sleek weapons gleaming under the lights, armor radiating subtle magic, stacks of skill books with strange symbols on their spines, polished orbs glowing faintly in every color imaginable, and other rare artifacts.
It felt more like a lively, otherworldly bazaar than a market.
Around her, hunters haggled with vendors, some selling their loot instead of dealing with the Association, while others carried monster materials, likely fresh from a dungeon. She could even smell the faint traces of blood and earth in the air, blending with the scent of sizzling street food.
The smells of sizzling skewers and fresh spices wafted toward her, and she happily treated herself to a few bites as she wandered, blending in among the crowd.
For a good thirty minutes, she circled the entire market, fully absorbing its lively, rugged charm. But her aim wasn't just sightseeing.
As she casually browsed and munched, she was carefully taking mental notes of where to find the seeds she needed.
By the time she'd seen most of the corner and finished asking for locations, she'd identified five different stores selling various dungeon plant seeds, each one offering a slightly different selection and price.
Alright, she thought with satisfaction, let's see if I can snag some deals on these without emptying my wallet.
...
After visiting two stores only to find them closed, Joo-Hee let out a sigh, her anticipation fading slightly.
She stopped to ask a nearby vendor about the unusual hours, and they explained that many stores in the market were owned by full-time hunters, who only opened on specific days depending on their dungeon schedules.
"What a pity. I guess luck is not on my side today." she thought, imagining the treasures these hunter-owned shops must stock.
Items collected directly from the field would surely be of better quality than anything stocked by non-hunters. Still, she strengthened her resolve, shrugging off the disappointment as she set her sights on the third store.
On the third store, Foliage of Hundred Plants, said to be owned by a female mage, Joo-Hee thought as she gulped, Is this really a store? Why is it so dim and almost looks like a haunted house?
As she tiptoed through the dimly lit aisles, moving cautiously, the owner suddenly appeared behind her and greeted her with a quiet, "Welcome."
Startled by the eerie atmosphere, Joo-Hee shrieked and nearly stumbled, clutching her chest as she gasped. "Good grief! You scared the life out of me!" she exclaimed, catching her breath. "Are you trying to give your customers a heart attack?!"
The owner laughed softly, clearly amused. "I'm so sorry! I just opened up and wasn't expecting anyone this early."
She flipped a switch, illuminating the room in a warm glow, dispelling the spooky atmosphere.
Now that the lights were on, Joo-Hee got a good look at the owner. She was a tall, striking woman with sharp, captivating features, draped in emerald robes and wearing a green witch's hat.
Around her neck rested an unusual snake with scales that shimmered in shades of jade. Joo-Hee's jaw dropped as she muttered, "Beautiful…" The mage's appearance was unexpectedly mesmerizing, even outshining Joo-Hee's own.
As soon as the word "beautiful" left Joo-Hee's lips, the witch's demeanor changed abruptly. In an instant, her hand shot forward, clutching Joo-Hee's neck with a vise-like grip. She flicked her fingers, and the store curtains and door snapped shut, plunging the room into shadow.
The shift happened so swiftly that Joo-Hee barely had time to react before a red notification appeared before her eyes.
_______________________
[ Mana circuit is temporarily blocked. Cannot use skills. Precaution is highly advised for the host. ]
_______________________
A cold sweat dripped down Joo-Hee's spine as her mind raced, each heartbeat pounding in her ears.
Her mana, the very essence that allowed her to use her skills, was completely blocked. Her body, once brimming with vitality, was now completely immobilized.
She couldn't move a muscle. She couldn't even take a breath.
Her thoughts swirled in terror. What the heck is happening?! Her pulse quickened, the weight of the situation bearing down on her. Is this... it? NO! I still want to live...
For the first time in her life, Joo-Hee truly understood the crushing grip of fear. It was suffocating, paralyzing.
She had faced few dangers after coming to this world, but this... this felt different. This was no ordinary threat. This was a being far more dangerous than anything she had encountered, and it was toying with her.
Before she could gather her thoughts, the witch's eyes opened.
It was GREEN. The color of poison twisted death.
Her irises twisted into dark, cross-shaped patterns, glowing with an unnatural, chilling intensity. It was as if those eyes weren't just looking at her—they were piercing through her very soul.
The air around them seemed to thicken, heavy with malevolent energy.
"You. Who are you?" The witch's voice was a low hiss, each syllable dripping with malice. It felt like the room itself was echoing the question.
The witch's gaze narrowed, her pupils sharp and calculating. "How can you see my real appearance?"
Joo-Hee tried to speak, but no words came. Her throat was dry, constricted, and her body refused to obey. Her mouth was sealed shut by the terror gripping her chest. Every inch of her body screamed for her to run, to escape, but she couldn't even twitch a finger.
The witch's grip tightened on her neck, and a searing pain shot through her. The pressure was unbearable, a crushing weight that made her vision blur.
I can't breathe. I can't move. Is this... how I die?
The thought hit her like a cold slap. The panic that surged through her chest made her heart race, her limbs weak with fear. She was completely at the witch's mercy, and that thought alone was enough to paralyze her further.
"Speak!" The witch shouted, her voice now a terrifying screech that reverberated in Joo-Hee's skull. "Or meet your demise, little girl."
Joo-Hee's pulse hammered in her ears, the pain in her neck becoming unbearable. Tears blurred her vision as she struggled to bring her hands up to touch the witch's hand. The strength was draining from her body, but she reached anyway, trembling uncontrollably.
"P-Please...s-spare me...," she managed to whisper through the witch's grip. "I... I'm... only here to... b-buy seeds..." Each word came out hoarse and broken, forced through the suffocating pressure that stole her breath.
Her voice was barely audible, raw with fear. Her life hung on the edge of that one plea, and it was all she could do to speak.
For a moment, the witch's eyes flickered. A deep, unnatural green washed over her, and then the air in the room shifted.
After hearing the words that came from Joo-Hee's mouth, the witch's irises darkened to a deep shade of black, the green swirling into a horrifying gradient.
The light around her deepened, the darkness thickening, swirling in a hypnotic vortex that seemed to pull the very light from the room. The air itself crackled with otherworldly energy, as if the witch was unraveling the fabric of reality itself.
The sensation of falling into darkness was endless. Joo-Hee was adrift, suspended in the void, her body weightless, her heart screaming for escape—but there was no escape. I don't want to die like this. Not like this.
She was at the mercy of this witch—who, in that moment, could decide if she lived or died with a single thought. Please, someone... help me... The words echoed silently as her mind collapsed.
Then, with a final, almost imperceptible whisper, the witch's voice broke through the thick, oppressive air while looking at the suspended body of the girl in her hands.
"Interesting..." The witch's tone was cold, almost clinical. "So you're an otherworlder."