I Became a Disaster-Class Sorcery Genius

Raising Hell (1)

"What on earth is so pitiful about it?!"

When Dan asked back with an incredulous expression, Kim Dojun simply shook his head in response, to which Dan shouted.

"No, do you really think it suits you to say that after you beat Tam with a baseball bat in the first place?!"

"Sure, I did beat it with a bat, but I didn't turn it into this."

"Exactly! I'm telling you, it's not me who made Tam end up like this! It changed on its own! All by itself!"

"Who was it again that said Tam evolves to fit its environment?"

"..."

At Kim Dojun's words, Dan reflexively closed his mouth.

But as Kim Dojun looked at Dan, whose face was contorted in deep frustration and injustice, he magnanimously decided not to press Dan any further about his preferences and said,

"So, what's the problem with how it's changed?"

"..."

Dan cursed at him with his eyes.

But Kim Dojun just shrugged his shoulders casually.

Dan, seeing this, let out a sigh deep enough to collapse the ground, gave up, and spoke.

"Ever since it changed like this, it doesn't really listen to me anymore."

"... Doesn't listen?"

"Yeah, I mean, if an enemy shows up in front of us, Tam will deal with it right away—but only then."

"... So you're saying it ignores every other command?"

"Yeah. The way Tam evolved is really weird—I can't make it act artificially."

"Are you sure it's not just because you can't control it?"

Dan hesitated at Kim Dojun's question, then replied,

"That might be part of it. I was more or less forced to receive Tam from my family in the first place, so there are some difficulties handling it. But—still, I don't think that's the whole reason."

"So there's another reason?"

"I still have no idea what it could be...."

With an extremely complicated look, Dan stared at Tam, who was being stroked by Kim Dojun.

"Anyway, that's the situation, so in an emergency, I probably won't be much help."

After hearing Dan's words, Kim Dojun nodded as if he understood and started reflecting.

'Well, I wasn't planning on making him fight anyway. I'll get repaid fully later for helping now.'

Then, he pulled a scorpion mask out from his clothing.

"All right, let's get going."

When Kim Dojun said this, Dan, understanding what he meant, pulled out his own mask as well.

Soon after, Kim Dojun, holding the black ticket Dan had given him last time, tore it without hesitation.

Shrrrrrip—!

The black paper scraps started to wrap around Kim Dojun's body.

And after his vision went dark, by the time Kim Dojun's sight returned—

"Oh."

Kim Dojun had arrived at Pantheon.

####

The City of Criminals, Pantheon.

When Kim Dojun regained his senses for the first time, the landscape he saw was, as expected, rather mysterious.

'Just like in the illustrations—a blend of modern and old-fashioned vibes.'

Certainly, some of the buildings had a style strikingly similar to modern architecture.

But some other buildings looked as if someone had tried to recreate a traditional village. This led Kim Dojun to the impression, 'How odd.'

Step, step.

He soon turned his gaze to an old man who appeared before him.

Dressed in beggar-like clothing and holding a wooden cane in his left hand, the old man—

At first glance, anyone would think this man was a homeless person, but Kim Dojun knew his true identity.

'Guide NPC.'

Whenever players or anyone else first entered Pantheon, this old man NPC would appear to provide basic information about the city's structure and necessary precautions in exchange for money.

Tap—

Kim Dojun, without hesitation, handed over the stacks of ten-thousand won notes he'd brought in advance.

Of course, having played the game multiple times, Kim Dojun already knew the general structure of Pantheon, and besides, Dan was with him—

'He probably doesn't know as well as the NPC, and I need to confirm if what I know from the setting is accurate.'

There were some uncertainties about the Pantheon portion of the setting Kim Dojun had compiled since arriving in this world, so he wanted to hear the NPC's explanation.

"Looks like you've heard about it already."

The old man smiled in satisfaction at Kim Dojun, who had handed over the bundle without question, and then began to explain the layout of Pantheon point by point.

About ten minutes later,

In that time, Kim Dojun was able to grasp the overall structure of Pantheon through the old man.

He wore a satisfied expression.

The old man even reminded him of a few details he'd forgotten about.

'To summarize—'

The area almost at the very center of Pantheon is the 'Inner Zone', which is managed by 'Goseon', and could only be entered after paying a massive sum. It was the only truly safe, 'clean' area where fights never break out.

The 'Middle Zone', just outside the center, was also under Goseon's jurisdiction, but with less direct oversight; here, the three major powers of Pantheon each held their own and operated openly, with clear territory boundaries.

Finally, the 'Outer Zone', which Kim Dojun was headed towards, was technically attached to Pantheon but lacked any form of Goseon's management. More importantly, it required no entry fee. In effect, it was lawless.

'In fantasy terms, it's like the slums just outside a feudal lord's domain.'

After confirming this, Kim Dojun listed in his mind the extra details he'd forgotten about, then, as if the old man had finished all his explanations, turned to him with a question.

"The exchange in the Outer Zone...that is, exactly where is the black market located?"

Having asked, Kim Dojun listened to the old man's answer.

"Let's go."

With Dan in tow, he started walking.

####

To be honest, Dan still couldn't figure out what exactly Kim Dojun was planning to do at Pantheon.

'... I did hear from Kim Dojun that he was starting preparations to become the heir, but still.'

Even after hearing that, Dan couldn't guess the situation, because of what Kim Dojun was currently doing here.

"Oh, what's this?"

"This is a spirit pouch. It's as small as a lucky pouch, but it's engraved with a formation, so you can store up to 100 liters' worth."

"How much?"

"Normally, these spiritual power pouches are pretty expensive...but since you're buying a bunch of stuff here, I'll give you a special price. How about five billion?"

"Oh. That's pretty cheap."

At present, Kim Dojun was at the exchange—in other words, the black market—buying up everything he could from the black merchant.

"...."

Which made some sense.

After all, while the Pantheon black market was illegal, it sold a lot of hard-to-get goods, including things that were outlawed outside and couldn't legally be made.

But here was the problem.

"Oh, is this that thing? The computer that can never be tracked?"

"Yeah."

"How much is it?"

"One hundred billion."

"Not bad."

Kim Dojun was, at this moment, buying everything at absolutely ridiculous, rip-off prices.

This wasn't just getting ripped off a bit—he was being so thoroughly scammed that even the biggest chump would realize he was being gouged.

'Why the hell is he doing that?'

With a face betraying total confusion, Dan watched Kim Dojun fill his newly purchased spirit pouch with various items.

"......"

Indeed, when Kim Dojun started buying stuff at the black market, and again once he started getting ripped off egregiously, Dan had repeatedly tried to talk to him.

Telling him outright that the merchant was scamming him big time.

But in response, Kim Dojun had smiled brightly and kept repeating, "It's fine," while buying more stuff, looking as carefree as could be.

"Hey."

"... What is it?"

"You should buy something too, I'll pay for it."

Now, watching Kim Dojun pass him a spirit pouch and tell him to fill it with whatever he wanted, Dan was left utterly dumbfounded.

"...."

Dan wore an expression of disbelief.

But since his face was covered by a mask, Kim Dojun couldn't see that as he pressed the pouch into Dan's hands and moved on to pick up more stuff. As for the black market merchant—a first-class criminal who didn't even bother hiding his face—

"Heh."

He was trying his best not to smile, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward like he'd just bagged the biggest sucker on earth.

Five minutes later.

"That should do it."

Watching Kim Dojun grin with immense satisfaction, Dan glanced at the merchant, whose smile now reached from ear to ear, and approached him quietly to say,

"... Are you really going to buy all this?"

"Of course."

"... As I said before, that guy is totally ripping you off. And maybe you don't realize it, but that spirit pouch can be bought outside just as easily...!"

Dan was making a last-ditch attempt to reason with Kim Dojun.

"I know that already."

But Kim Dojun replied in the calmest voice.

"... You know?"

"Of course."

"... So you're saying you're about to pay several times the outside price for something you could have gotten for a fraction?"

Dan even let out an incredulous chuckle through his mask, disbelief plain in his voice.

Kim Dojun merely chuckled back and responded,

"No, you've got it backwards. It's actually cheaper in here."

"... What?"

"I'm telling you, it's cheaper here than outside."

"??"

"?"

"... You can get a spirit pouch outside for ten billion if you bargain."

"But here, it's free."

"...?"

Dan looked at Kim Dojun as if to say, what kind of bullshit is that?

"?"

"?"

Still perplexed, Kim Dojun remained unfazed. Dan now stared at him, questioning if he was serious.

"... Didn't that merchant just say he'd sell it for fifty billion?"

"Right?"

"... So how is it free, exactly?"

As Dan continued to question, Kim Dojun flashed a sly grin and then—

"All right, let's settle up—kuh!"

He grabbed the merchant by the collar as he approached for the money.

"Hup!"

"Kyaaaaagh?!"

And hurled him straight up through the ceiling.

Bang!

With a tremendous noise, the black market merchant crashed through the roof and disappeared into the sky above Pantheon.

Dan, stupefied, could only gape inside his mask.

"Ta-da, now it's free, right?"

"...??"

Kim Dojun said brightly.

"Total profit, right?"

"??"

As Kim Dojun cheerfully put it, Dan's mouth fell open, at a complete loss for words at the scene before him.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】