Come to think of it, it was a deal that didn’t cause any loss for Red Eye either.
If you sold a 7th-Tier Magic Stone, its current market price was over two million won per piece.
Although the price would drop as higher-grade magic stones came out over time, for now, just acquiring enough magic stones for five people cost about ten million won.
However, with 7th-Tier Magic Stones, you could only receive a blessing for about ten days.
So, you’d have to offer higher-grade magic stones. If you had to trade five high-grade stones, the cash value would easily exceed twenty million won.
Yuseong earned twenty million won by selling cheese with a bit of extra volume, making it a clear win-win for Red Eye.
“Woah!”
“We actually got blessings for four weeks.”
“To get blessings for four weeks, what grade of magic stone would you even have to offer?”
“No idea. No crazy guy has ever offered magic stones higher than 8th grade here.”
That was the proof; the Red Eye Guild members who received blessings by offering cheese all wore joyous expressions.
Fortunately, the table kept accepting cheese until all five members received their blessings.
Tom and Jerry really weren’t wrong.
“Yuseong, are you planning to enter the 9th tier as well?”
“Yes, well, that’s why I’m getting blessings here too.”
“Be careful. Those bastards over there have you firmly in their grip.”
Cheon Younghun pointed with a serious expression toward the Seven Stars.
“They have you under control?”
“Yeah, those punk bastards.”
Cheon Younghun hesitated a moment, then spoke.
“If you want to stay on good terms with Yuseong, I’ll tell you.”
“Hmm.”
“They’re growing some nasty plants. Judging by what I’ve seen, they’re definitely 9th tier.”
“They’re growing them?”
That was something Yuseong hadn’t expected at all.
Cultivating crops in the Abyss was something various companies and governments had been researching tirelessly.
So how was it possible for a run-of-the-mill guild like Seven Stars to be doing such a thing?
“It’s not exactly ‘growing’ them. They’re managing the colony where those plants are cultivated. Those damn drug dealers.”
Yuseong fell deep into thought.
Drug dealers, colony, 9th tier.
Putting all those words together brought one plant to mind.
“…Parama Camellia.”
“!”
Cheon Younghun was taken aback.
Seeing Cheon Younghun’s reaction, Yuseong confirmed his speculation was correct.
“How did you know that…?”
Pieces in Yuseong’s mind started coming together.
At this point, Seven Stars was nothing more than a small guild.
They began as a gang and were still chained to their past.
But the enormous financial power that helped Seven Stars grow into a top 12 guild was unknown in origin.
“Was that the drug?”
When Yuseong remained silent, Cheon Younghun grew impatient and prodded him.
“Yuseong, how did you know?”
If he were a sharper person, he wouldn’t have been so impatient. But Red Eye seemed pretty reckless.
While Yuseong was pondering what to answer, several people from Seven Stars suddenly approached.
Red Eye guild members raised their weapons in caution.
The approaching group was led by the guild leader and his subordinates.
“We have no business with you guys, step aside.”
The man who smiled coldly at Red Eye spoke while sidling up to Yuseong.
“You’re Baek Yuseong, right? They call me Bang Gihu of Seven Stars.”
Though he claimed seniority, the speech was brusque and disrespectful from the start.
Red Eye members behind Yuseong frowned deeply.
Even Jang Dojin, usually gentle in demeanor, looked displeased.
But Yuseong himself didn’t show any irritation.
He calmly shook Bang Gihu’s hand.
“Nice to meet you, Bang Gihu.”
“…Bang Gihu.”
“Yeah, Bang Gihu. I’m Baek Yuseong.”
Red Eye members behind burst into loud laughter.
“Ha ha ha, Bang Gihu.”
“That nickname fits a guy who smells like rotten chestnuts.”
Bang Gihu’s face reddened, and even the Seven Stars guild members who insulted their leader seemed uneasy.
“Haha, not bad for a young guy these days; you’ve got some guts.”
Still, Bang Gihu managed to suppress his anger, smiling as he tried to lighten the mood.
“Just don’t hang around those Red Eye bums too much.”
“That’s my business.”
“…I overheard everything. You said 400 per offering, right? Doesn’t that seem too cheap? To get blessings for four weeks, you’d need to offer 9th-tier stones.”
Though a bit clumsy at first, Bang Gihu got to his point.
Red Eye’s expressions soured.
What Bang Gihu said wasn’t wrong.
And when unexpected suggestions came from Bang Gihu, Cheon Younghun’s face turned even darker.
“How about selling to us too? We’ll pay a hundred more. Five hundred each. Seven people.”
It was clear Seven Stars had deep pockets.
Their leader was offering a deal worth thirty-five million won.
This meant they could profit over thirty-five million won by receiving blessings for four weeks.
If Seven Stars really had members cultivating at 9th tier, not all of them would be without blessings.
Even so, this was a stretch for them.
“That’s bold.”
“Do you even compare us to those beggar bastards? Ha ha ha.”
Unlike Bang Gihu’s laughter, Cheon Younghun’s face remained grim.
Four million won per cheese was close to a limit for their expenses.
Their relationship with Yuseong wasn’t particularly close, so there was no reason to block the deal.
Even with an extra hundred thousand won per cheese, anyone would accept such a trade.
Bang Gihu looked smug.
He obviously expected Yuseong to accept the deal.
However, his expectations were completely off.
“But… no thanks.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to sell.”
Bang Gihu’s face twisted menacingly.
“You’d better explain yourself clearly, Baek Yuseong.”
“All right, Bang Gihu. I’ll explain.”
Even Jang Dojin had never seen Yuseong so blunt.
Usually, Yuseong showed respect through words.
“First, I hate you guys. You’re like a gang of punk thugs.”
“Second, I don’t plan to sell the cheese I made anymore. We’ll eat it ourselves.”
“Moron…”
“Third, more than anything, I hate you. You’re rude and disrespectful. That’s the same as the first.”
Of course, Yuseong didn’t hate money.
He wasn’t desperate, but money was money.
Still, selling carefully made cheese—not to consumers but as offerings to the Abyss—was not a pleasant task.
Especially when the other party was the disliked Seven Stars, acting so disrespectfully.
That was Yuseong’s stubbornness.
“…You’ll regret this.”
“I won’t.”
“Those Red Eye bastards might be on your side now, but don’t think they won’t turn on you later.”
“Watch your back. Seven Stars never forgets even the smallest grudges.”
Bang Gihu backed off, still keeping his pride intact.
Though forced to retreat here, he had no intention of forgiving Baek Yuseong’s insult.
Once Seven Stars labeled Yuseong an enemy, he’d never be at peace anywhere in the Abyss.
Bang Gihu turned around along with his lackeys.
Red Eye guild members slowly lowered their weapons.
Though the tension was high and both sides were ready to fight, the confrontation passed peacefully—for now.
A small sigh of relief escaped.
Until Yuseong suddenly strode forward.
Without hesitation, he delivered a War Cry straight to Bang Gihu’s back.
Thud.
“Ugh!”
With the toll of the Beomjeong bell, Bang Gihu collapsed.
“Did you think I’d just let you threaten me and walk away?”
“You crazy bastard!”
Seven Stars lackeys drew weapons in shock.
Sharp sounds echoed as various cold weapons were unsheathed.
“Boss!”
“Damn! We’re joining in too!”
Jang Dojin and Red Eye also drew their weapons and jumped in without hesitation.
Jang Dojin swung his massive iron rod, knocking away one attacker aiming for Yuseong.
Red Eye covered Yuseong’s back.
In an instant, battle erupted.
One Seven Stars lackey slashed at Yuseong’s abdomen with a sharp dagger.
“Die, bastard!”
“No way, you punk!”
Yuseong swiftly swung his butcher knife, cutting the attacker’s arm.
He sliced with such precision that the man dropped his dagger.
In panic, the wounded man clutched his arm as Yuseong’s War Cry blade pierced his head.
Ding!
With a sharp sound, the man fainted.
Yuseong fought with astonishing efficiency.
Though Seven Stars was strong for their guild level, composed mostly of ex-gangsters used to street fighting, Yuseong was overwhelmingly more skilled.
His movements were faster and more aggressive.
Each sweep of his War Cry ended with one enemy’s head going down.
On top of that, Yuseong had taken down Seven Stars’ leader Bang Gihu in a single blow.
With Red Eye and Jang Dojin’s support, the tide fully tipped in Yuseong’s favor.
Soon, all Seven Stars members lay on the ground.
No one was left intact.
Bang Gihu, the guild leader, was still unconscious.
“Guh…gh…”
“Ah, damn. War… it’s war.”
Those groaning in pain.
Yuseong smiled as if feeling refreshed.
In contrast, Red Eye, who had just tasted defeat at the hands of their rival guild, didn’t share his mood.
Cheon Younghun’s face was dark as night.
“Damn… I never thought I’d start a guild war with my own hands.”
Though they had an antagonistic relationship with Seven Stars, the rivalry had remained lukewarm.
If they fought seriously, neither side would escape unscathed.
Moreover, this was happening while criminal investigations and legal actions were underway.
Though the Abyss was essentially extra-legal territory, Red Eye had to be cautious not to cross certain lines.
On the other hand, Seven Stars would go so far as to kill.
It was clear which side had the advantage.
“Maybe we should quietly take them away and bury them, Byeongjae.”
“…There are too many witnesses.”
They even considered burying the seven fallen Seven Stars members somewhere no one would notice.
But too many witnesses had seen Red Eye join the fight here.
“Damn! What will the enemy faction say if they find out?”
“What do we do…?”
“Well, what can we do? Let’s just die cleanly before we get beaten to death.”
As Cheon Younghun spoke, Yuseong said casually in a bored tone.
“Gee, you’re worried too much. You fought with such enthusiasm.”
The moment they crushed Seven Stars was, of course, enjoyable for Red Eye.
But it was only a brief pleasure.
A brief mistake almost led to a full guild war.
“Yuseong, this isn’t just our story. Those guys won’t leave you alone either.”
It was a problem for Red Eye, but also for Yuseong.
No matter how skilled Yuseong was, he wasn’t yet able to face a guild alone.
If Seven Stars put all their power into it, Yuseong wouldn’t survive.
“So, we have to strike first. Like just now.”
“What?”
But Yuseong knew this was how things would unfold the moment he raised his War Cry.
In fact, when he first heard that Seven Stars were occupying the Parama Camellia Colony, he had already begun to consider the possibilities.
“Didn’t you say you were looking for the Parama Camellia Colony?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s why you tried to poke at Seven Stars.”
“Exactly.”
“Then it’s perfect. Let’s wipe them out first this time.”
Once you start pushing, you have to beat them until they submit.
“I know the colony’s location. Let’s make a deal.”