Chapter 339

Chapter 339

If Zeon’s life over the past few days had to be summed up in one word, it would be recluse.

He had literally holed himself up at home and lived in seclusion.

Not once had he gone outside. He had stayed shut inside his home the entire time.

When he got sleepy, he slept on the sofa. When he got hungry, he cooked and ate. Then he rested, slept again…….

Like a wheel turning in place, he repeated that life inside his home over and over.

Meanwhile, Briel and Levin had gone out several times.

Briel had even told him several times to stop and go outside already. But Zeon ignored even Briel’s words and simply stayed home.

“Haaah!”

Zeon rose, stretching for the first time in a while.

It felt like he had slept nearly twelve hours.

He had slept so much that his whole body creaked and screamed.

—Pii?

Gaia looked at Zeon with a worried expression.

Zeon gave a small laugh and stroked Gaia’s head.

“I was already thinking of moving around today.”

—Pii?

“It’s true!”

Zeon managed to pry his backside off the sofa.

Honestly, he felt a little reluctant.

After lying on the sofa for so long, he had felt as if he had become one with it. It felt a bit empty to leave it, so to speak.

But Zeon shook off the lingering attachment and put on the robe hanging on the wall.

Briel and Levin must have gone out too, because not even their shadows could be seen.

Zeon said to Gaia,

“I’m going outside. Do you want to go into subspace?”

—Pii!

Gaia immediately opened subspace and went inside.

Watching Gaia use his subspace freely as if it were its own home made him smile despite himself.

After coming outside for the first time in a while, the intense sunlight made his eyes ache. But after adjusting for a moment, the pain quickly vanished.

The place Zeon headed after coming out for the first time in a while was the Dokkaebi Market.

He was not going there because there was something special he wanted to buy.

It was just that whenever he came outside, he naturally ended up going there out of habit.

“The streets really are quiet. A lot of people must have left for the new Mana Stone Mine.”

Even for broad daylight, there were far too few people on the streets.

It felt as if more than half of them had disappeared.

Of course, that many people probably had not actually left.

The Mana Stone Mine was not a place anyone could go just because they wanted to.

They needed the ability to do so.

There were fewer people with such ability than one might think.

In the end, many people would be filtered out, and only a small number would actually be able to go to the Mana Stone Mine.

“This is the newly made rock drill. It’s a new product that runs on the lowest-grade Mana Stones.”

“These are tough, sturdy pants. Made from monster hide, they won’t tear no matter how rough the work is.”

The Dokkaebi Market, which he had visited for the first time in a while, was full of energy.

The merchants were enjoying a tremendous boom.

Just like during the Gold Rush of old, when those who sold goods to the gold miners became richer than the miners themselves.

Even if it was an open-pit Mana Stone Mine, things like rock drills and transport vehicles were essential.

Because of that, many people stopped by here to buy the things they needed.

Thanks to that, the merchants here were enjoying unprecedented prosperity.

“Nice!”

Just as Zeon smiled and started walking—

“Zeon!”

A familiar voice stopped him.

When he looked toward where the voice came from, he saw Yu Se-hee approaching with quick steps.

Behind her followed Black Lion and Akashi of the Helbrin Mercenary Corps.

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“As you can see, I’m busy out of my mind.”

Yu Se-hee shrugged.

The Dokkaebi Market’s prosperity had become a tremendous source of strength for her as well.

She had already possessed powerful influence, but as the Dokkaebi Market flourished, tremendous power had concentrated around her.

This was a time when merchants could not sell goods because they lacked stock.

In the past, she had to feel burdened by powerful raid parties, but now the situation had changed.

Raid parties and mining companies were now the ones who had to cater to her mood.

Thanks to that, her shoulders were puffed up with pride.

Zeon’s gaze turned to Akashi behind Yu Se-hee.

“You seem to be doing well too.”

“Ah, yes! I’m simply grateful to you, Mr. Zeon.”

Akashi lowered his head as he answered.

He was very satisfied with his current life.

Because of the Dokkaebi Market’s nature, he occasionally had to travel to dungeons being cleared by raid parties in order to procure goods.

It was to secure the items obtained from dungeons in advance.

Akashi only had to work at those times.

Honestly, there was almost no danger, since all he had to do was detect monsters in advance and avoid them.

He only had to cross the desert once or twice a month at most.

For the rest of the time, he simply ate, rested, and waited, so he felt as if he were gaining weight.

If he had known he could live this easily, he would have left the Helbrin Mercenary Corps and joined the Dokkaebi Market much sooner.

Zeon said,

“You look well. Keep living like that.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Mr. Zeon. Thank you.”

Akashi lowered his head and expressed his gratitude.

“Not at all.”

“I will definitely repay this kindness.”

“It’s fine. What kindness?”

Zeon gave an awkward look and glanced at Yu Se-hee.

Yu Se-hee gave a small laugh and said,

“Is there anything you need? Just say the word and I’ll get it for you.”

“No. I just came out to get some air. If I think of anything I need later, I’ll tell you.”

“Do that. I’m busy, so I’ll be going.”

“Go ahead.”

“See you next time.”

Yu Se-hee waved her hand and walked past Zeon.

Black Lion and Akashi gave Zeon a slight bow.

It was the highest courtesy they could offer.

Zeon watched their backs as they moved away, then soon resumed walking.

He wandered around the Dokkaebi Market for quite a while. But there was nothing in particular that caught his eye.

He had not expected much in the first place, so he was not disappointed either.

Zeon left the Dokkaebi Market and headed toward Old Man Clexi’s shop.

He had almost arrived at Old Man Clexi’s shop when—

“Mr. Zeon!”

A manhole cover leading to the sewer opened slightly, and someone called him.

The one sticking his head out of the manhole was Jetoya.

“Jetoya!”

“I knew it was you, Mr. Zeon.”

Jetoya pulled himself out of the manhole, then closed the cover again.

Zeon asked with a puzzled expression,

“What are you doing here?”

“Something came up that I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Really? Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

“Then let’s talk while we eat.”

“You don’t have to…….”

“I’m hungry.”

Zeon took Jetoya with him to Old Man Clexi’s shop.

“Welcome. Looks like you rested well. Your face is practically shining with oil.”

“Yes! I rested to my heart’s content. This kid will eat too, so please give us plenty of food.”

“Sure! Some good meat came in just in time. That kid is lucky. Heh heh!”

Old Man Clexi let out a strange laugh as he looked at Jetoya.

Under Old Man Clexi’s gaze, which seemed to see through everything, Jetoya unconsciously shrank his shoulders.

He had Awakened as a Grade D martial artist, but Jetoya was still a young boy.

It was still too much for him to handle the gaze of a sly old fox who had experienced all the ways of the world.

While waiting for the food, Zeon asked Jetoya,

“So, why did you come looking for me? Are the other Crocodiles bothering you?”

“The other Crocodiles don’t come anywhere near our village.”

“Really?”

“Yes! I’ve gotten a reputation as a pretty vicious bastard, so…….”

Jetoya’s words were true.

Although he was young, his ability was outstanding among the Crocodiles.

Not only ordinary people, but even among Awakened, there were almost none who could suppress Jetoya by force.

On top of that, Jetoya was vicious.

He had the tenacity to bite once and never let go, enough to be called a real crocodile.

His ruthless method of chasing someone to the ends of hell and killing them once they became his enemy had already become something like Jetoya’s symbol.

Because of that, even the outlaws of the Crocodile den could not easily invade the village where Jetoya was.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Huh? It’s not exactly a problem. It just bothers me…….”

“Tell me.”

“The truth is, a child Awakened recently.”

“That’s something to celebrate.”

“Yes! But the problem is that this child’s ability is too powerful……. She’s a Healer, and she revived someone who was dying in an instant.”

“Wait! A Healer?”

Old Man Clexi, who had been cooking, was startled and joined the conversation.

“Yes! And she started at Grade A.”

“That’s insane! A Healer who’s Grade A from the start?”

Old Man Clexi was so shocked that his mouth hung open.

It was that tremendous an event.

After the Great Cataclysm, countless Awakened were born.

Naturally, there were also quite a few who Awakened as Healers. But compared to the total number of Awakened, the proportion of Healers was extremely low.

Because of that, Healers received precious treatment from every raid party. Even Grade E Healers were people they would compete to recruit.

At present, the highest-grade Healer was probably Grade B.

Even that had been an achievement barely attained through tremendous experience and support. Yet now there was a Healer starting from Grade A.

This had never happened even once since Neo Seoul began.

Zeon muttered with a grave expression,

“If she starts at Grade A, she’ll reach Grade S before long.”

“Of all places, a Grade A Healer had to be born in a gutter like that. If the people outside learn about this, they’ll all try to take her.”

“They will.”

“This is no ordinary incident.”

Old Man Clexi’s expression also grew serious.

Jetoya had said she had saved someone who was on the verge of death in an instant.

With that level of ability, every raid party and guild would enter the Crocodile den trying to recruit her.

A Grade A Healer had that much value.

Especially if she was a Healer certain to become Grade S in the future.

Zeon asked,

“Who else knows about this?”

“For now, only the villagers and I know.”

“That’s a relief.”

The Crocodile den was completely cut off from the outside.

Only Awakened like Jetoya could come and go from the outside, so there was almost no exchange of information.

Old Man Clexi said urgently,

“W-wait! If she really is a Grade A Healer, we should protect her…….”

“Since when did the Dokkaebi Market and Argos’s Eye care about the Crocodile den?”

“The situation is different. This isn’t anything ordinary. She’s a Grade A Healer. We can treat and protect her far more humanely than if she falls into the hands of some other group of Awakened.”

“I’ll see her myself and decide.”

Zeon coldly cut off Old Man Clexi’s words.

No matter how close he was with Old Man Clexi, there were lines they had to keep with each other.

Old Man Clexi had usually kept those lines well. But before the first-ever Grade A Healer, it seemed he too found it difficult to maintain that boundary.

At times like this, Zeon had to step forward and draw the line clearly.

Because the one Jetoya had come looking for was none other than Zeon.

Fortunately, Old Man Clexi knew that fact well.

“Tsk! I lost my reason because I was in a hurry. If you need help, tell me anytime.”

“Yes!”

Zeon answered briefly and looked at Jetoya.

Jetoya was looking at Zeon with an anxious expression.

“First, let’s eat. After that, we’ll go underground.”

“You’re going to move personally, Mr. Zeon?”

“That would put your mind at ease too, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s right! I’m only Grade D, but trying to worry about a Grade A Awakened is making my head feel like it’s going to burst.”

“Good! Then let’s do that.”

“Thank you.”

Jetoya’s expression brightened.

Zeon was the only person on the surface he trusted.

If Zeon came with him, he felt he could relax a little.

At that moment, Old Man Clexi placed a large bowl in front of Jetoya and said,

“Here, eat as much as you like. I put in plenty of meat. Heh heh!”

Jetoya suddenly felt burdened by Old Man Clexi’s smile, which exposed his yellowed teeth.

“Tsk!”

Zeon clicked his tongue.

Because he could see Old Man Clexi’s intentions plainly.

‘Still, to think an ultra-powerful Healer was born in the underground sewers. I really hope this doesn’t affect the surface.’