SSS-Class Revival Hunter-Chapter 345: Full Moon Voyage (2)

I blinked. “You got here three hundred years ago?”

The man nodded, his face still hidden under the hood. “That’s right, Junior...”

Before I knew it, he had become the senior and I had become the junior, but I didn’t care about that right now. What the hooded man had said was more important.

It doesn’t matter if I’m on the Musical Heaven Realm or the Golden Heaven Realm. All the residents forget their past lives. The fact that he guessed I’m a challenger means he’s most likely a Hunter.

Besides, the Primordial Staff had also said that, without the examiner’s pass, the challenger would stay and wander on the floor for eternity. Maybe the hooded man before me had been struggling to finish the quest for three hundred years.

“I-I’m a failure... ” the hooded man muttered. “I’m stuck here, unable to do much, just wasting my days. I can just think that I met the highest wall of my life, but Junior, I want to stop other challengers from ending up like me.”

The hooded man’s voice grew louder. “How is it? Would you like to hear my advice? My life is so pathetic... Still, if the words of a failure can help you, then...”

“No, no, please don’t say that. I’m just grateful for your offer.”

“Haha, you’re a good young man. If you buy me an orangeapple, I’ll gladly be of help to your future, Junior.”

The hooded extended a hand, palm facing skyward.

[The other party has asked for a trade.]

[Would you buy the item the other party offers for one orangeapple?]

It seemed easy. I went to the vendor and bought a fruit that was an exact half-and-half mix of an apple and an orange. The left side was an apple, and the right side was an orange. What the heck was this?

“Welcome! You’re one handsome young man!”

Believing I was an easy target, the vendor asked me for three gold coins. It was a rip-off. However, I had quite a lot of gold in my pocket. Besides, it was worth the cost to hear advice from a senior who had been here three hundred years before me.

[Bargaining has ended.]

[The trade has been made.]

[The other party is happy with the trade.]

[You are happy with the trade.]

[Both sides are happy with the trade!]

That was easy.

[The Labyrinth-Dwelling Eye cautiously exposes the fact that the fruit vendor thinks you are the pushover of the century...]

—I know that! I just didn’t want the hassle, so I ended the trade quickly!

I quickly gave the orangeapple to the hooded man. “Here you are, Senior.”

The man took the fruit with shaking hands. “Oh, you’re such a kind young man...”

[The trade has been made.]

[Bargaining has ended.]

The hooded man sprang to his feet.

“Woohoo!”

As if he hadn’t been shaking at all, he took off his hood. The change was so drastic that I stumbled backward without even realizing it.

“W-what?” I asked.

“What do you mean what? I’m a fisher of Laventa Port City! Your face screamed that you’re a pushover, so I tried baiting you. And ta-da! I hit a jackpot! Hahahaha! Thank you for this ripe, in-season fruit, young man!” The man dropped his hood and took a gluttonous bite of the orangeapple. “Ah! It’s so sweet! The taste of backstabbing the weak and pure is a real treat!”

I just stood there, shocked. “Wait, you said you were a challenger. How could you be a resident and pull off something like that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just quoted the words of a fool I ripped off long ago, about three hundred years ago. At times, kids who believe this kind of nonsense show up in this place.”

“The hell?”

The man guffawed. “That’s the face I wanted to see!”

A somewhat exaggeratedly dramatic sound rang in my head.

[The other party is very happy with this trade.]

[You are very unhappy with the trade.]

[You have sustained a loss.]

“Huh? What?” I muttered in disbelief.

Right after the end of the messages, a very sharp hunger struck me. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before. I felt as if I had been backstabbed. I had starved myself many times while training in the Demonic Heaven Arts, but this was the first time I had suddenly felt such sharp hunger.

“W-wait, what?”

The hooded man’s face glowed, unlike mine. “Mmmm, tasty... Thank you for the meal, Junior. Don’t be too sad. Because of me, you learned an important lesson, didn’t you? I’m too kind to give such a life lesson with just one orangeapple. How can I live in this harsh world since I am such a nice guy?”

I scowled. “Hey.”

The hooded man’s expression had great power. Even I, one who rarely got angry, felt rage rise in me when I saw his face.

[You have become unhappier with this trade.]

[The other party has become happier with this trade!]

[You have sustained another loss.]

I soon realized that his expression was also a calculated ragebait.

“Oh, good. Great! It’s like the juicy meat of a fine double-chinned pork steak melting in your mouth. You’re such a treat, young man. Such a treat...” the man exclaimed as if he were enjoying a good dish. “Now that I think about it, it’s sad that so many people in the city will come for you. You’re a treat that I want to enjoy alone.”

I did my best to suppress my anger. I now felt it to my bones how everything in the Golden Heaven Realm worked on bargaining. If I went on with my rage, I would be the only one who would suffer.

“But that’s not possible...” The man smiled and pulled his hood low before elegantly turning his back to me. “I’m too nice to keep the best goods to myself. Adieu.” 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The hooded man walked off with slow, heavy steps, resembling a gunman leaving the set of a Western film. A thought struck me. If a person managed to remain calm after this exchange, then the person was Buddha, not human.

[You have become unhappier with this trade.]

[The other party has become happier with this trade!]

[You have sustained another loss.]

Fuck.

[The Labyrinth-Dwelling Eye says that the hooded man sees you as the biggest fool in the universe...]

—Shut up, Kritz.

[The Goddess of Protection glances at you with pity.]

Where are your eyes supposed to be? You are a sword.

[Your Exclusive Music Box says nothing, just looks at you with a kind gaze.]

My fox god, not you too...

—Hahahahahahahahaha! Oh, my god. I’m going to die! I’m going to die laughing! I’m the Sword Emperor who reached the ninety-ninth floor, but you’re going to be the death of me, Gong-Ja.

You.... Forget it. Don’t talk. Pleeeease stop talking.

It wasn’t just the Constellations who were watching me. The people at the market were whispering and staring at me. They looked ravenous, reminding me of a panda cub that hadn’t eaten in three days and finally saw a bamboo leaf fall in front of it. How did I know what a ravenous panda cub looked like? I should stop talking.

“That young man is great to rip-off.”

“I heard he’s a real treat.”

“Young man! Young maaan, do you remember me? I sold you that orangeapple earlier. Young man, let’s trade again. We’ve already shown that we can be trusted as a seller and buyer.”

“Why don’t you try sweet potato wine? Just one sip, no more, no less. I’ll make sure you’ll have enough to drink until you get sick of it! This is a brand new world!”

“Double-chinned pig barbecue!”

Vendors rushed forward with sparkly eyes. They were like waves on the shore; each crash was more powerful than the one before. The pebbles on the beach had no choice but sustain constant damage from the waves. It was a very shitty situation.

“Just one sip!”

“A treat!”

“Barbecue. Try it.”

It was time to run away. What else could I do?

“The treat is running away!”

I sprinted with all my might using my Lightness Art, holding my stomach with my left hand as I ran. I was so hungry that I felt I was losing my mind. My stomach hurt so much.

“Get him!”

“It’s been ages since a treat like him walked in here!”

“Don’t let him go!”

At last, I had to run. My insides felt twisted, so my back was hunched as I escaped. If Teacher saw me now, she would cry, saying that she had never seen such a pathetic performance of her Lightness Art.

I still made it to a dark alley. No matter how hungry I was, I could still run from angry pandas.

I staggered as if I was an actor in the first scene of a classic movie.“I’m hungry. Urgh, I’m so hungry, so, so hungry... How can a person become this hungry in a matter of seconds?”

I was just a poor kid wandering the alleys. The problem was that those kids usually had a trash bin to search, but here, there wasn’t even a single one. What would have happened if I hadn’t learned Starvation Death of the Demonic Heaven Arts? I would have likely gone mad by now. The hunger no ordinary Hunter could bear was hurting me. If I hadn’t been me, I would have fainted and writhed on the ground long ago.

—Gong-Ja.

“Yes?”

—There’s something I really want to tell you.

I tried to turn toward the Guardian, who was looking down at me with a very serious look. It seemed that he was about to say something very important.

—Adieu.

I was at a loss for words.

—Hahahahahahahaha!

Alright. Fine. If that was how he was going to play...

“Okay...” I slowly straightened my back, firmly planting my feet on the ground. Though sharp hunger made the scene before me flicker gray, my mind was oddly clear. “If the world treats me this way, I have no other choice.”

—Huh? What? What is the walking treat saying?

“You’re all dead meat.”

My mind felt clear, likely because something snapped in my brain. When a fuse snapped and power went out, all fell still.

Seeing my face, the Guardian’s expression changed.

—Uh... Zombie? Hey, Mr. Kim Gong-Ja? Heeeey, can you hear me?

“Yes, I hear you loud and clear, as if you’re speaking from a very expensive microphone. Mr. Sword Emperor, is there something you want to tell me?”

The Guardian stumbled back.

—I just said adieu. I didn’t do anything wrong.

[The Goddess of Protection says she did nothing wrong!]

[Your Exclusive Music Box reminds you that they have been innocent from the start.]

[The Labyrinth-Dwelling Eye says that they were just stating facts!]

I drew my holy sword and held it tight in my right hand.

“What’s wrong? I’m not angry. I’m just thinking... Don’t you think it’s wrong to mess with someone else when they’re starving? It’s rude. It’s not polite at all... This city has no manners.” I smiled from ear to ear. “Let’s teach these people some manners.”

I didn’t care what the heck this place was anymore. I was going to bring a reckoning to this port city.