Yun Tae-seong walked down the hallway toward the Association’s Director’s office, his hand tightly gripping the proposal in his pocket.
His heart felt as heavy as the weight of the thick documents. He knew better than anyone else exactly what the proposal he was about to suggest meant.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
The door to the office opened following the deep, heavy voice.
Director Choi Seong-jin stood by the window, looking down at downtown Seoul with a stern expression.
Yun Tae-seong placed the proposal on the desk in front of him.
“Director, this is the proposal regarding the Rocket Store.”
“The one you prepared yourself, Team Leader Yun?”
Director Choi sat down and scanned the report thoroughly. Before long, he asked in a cold voice, “Are you suggesting that I should personally ask the President of the Association to step up and request cooperation from the Rocket Store?”
Yun Tae-seong took a moment to catch his breath at the sharp response.
“That is correct.”
“That’s it? I’ve been praising your work, so now you’re going off the rails? You’re submitting this kind of suggestion as a formal proposal? Not only is the President’s prestige at stake, but this makes it look like we’re advertising the Association’s incompetence to the whole world!”
“However, I believe this is a necessary choice that must be made as soon as possible. Since the Rocket Store appeared, we’ve seen positive changes in the Hunter ecosystem, and foreign interests are already eyeing it. But…”
Yun Tae-seong put strength into his voice.
“We haven’t even identified the owner’s identity yet. Simply waiting for reports from the Intelligence Department in this situation isn’t the best course of action. We must reach out proactively before it’s too late. Isn’t the future of the nation more important than the Association’s pride?”
Director Choi crossed his arms while listening to Yun Tae-seong’s words. He, too, wasn’t ignorant of the Rocket Store’s value. However, he couldn’t just let the Association’s authority and prestige crumble in an instant. He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to restore authority once it had fallen.
“You have a point. But do you realize how much the world is watching the Association’s next move right now? Even I feel like I’m walking on thin ice every single day. The President must feel it even more. Besides, there haven’t been any reports of him contacting other factions, have there? Wouldn’t it be better to trust the Intelligence Department and wait a little longer?”
Tension filled the Director’s office.
Yun Tae-seong did not back down. He looked the Director straight in the eyes and spoke.
“If he ignores us and shakes hands with another faction first, it will truly be too late.”
Despite Yun Tae-seong’s firm resolve, Director Choi remained unyielding.
“Then, are you certain that if the President personally steps out, he will show himself and cooperate?”
Yun Tae-seong shut his mouth tight. He couldn’t offer groundless certainty. He slowly shook his head.
“That… I cannot be certain of.”
“You’re asking the President to step out publicly, and yet you dare say you have neither certainty nor evidence? I cannot let the Association’s authority and prestige be dragged through the mud because of your haste.”
Choi Seong-jin’s voice grew louder. Even from Yun Tae-seong’s perspective, the Director’s point was logical.
“I cannot allow this until you find out more. We will not discuss this matter any further.”
At the Director’s firm rejection, Yun Tae-seong could no longer say anything. He bowed his head silently and left the office.
His mind was filled only with the thought that he had to meet the owner of the Rocket Store, along with the overwhelming sense of helplessness in finding a way to contact him.
Yun Tae-seong left the Director’s office and returned to the situation room.
Stacks of documents and the noisy voices of his team members greeted him. It was a starkly different atmosphere from the quiet Director’s office he had just been in.
He went back to his seat and pulled up a recorded interview of a Hunter on his monitor. It was Lee Jun-ho, a Hunter who had indirectly contacted the Rocket Store.
— It is true that I received help from that person and changed my class to Survival Chef, but even I don’t know who they are.
— Did you not ask?
— The method of communication is quite limited. I can only provide brief replies. The thought of prying into the identity of someone who hasn’t volunteered the information never even crossed my mind.
— Could you do it next time?
— I don’t know when another request will come, or if I’ll even receive a reply…
Yun Tae-seong tapped the desk with his finger anxiously. Even Lee Jun-ho in the video claimed not to know any basic personal information.
‘Is that the truth?’
There was no way to know for sure right now.
Fast-forwarding through the pointless interview, Yun Tae-seong stopped the recording at one particular scene.
— All the messages were strictly work-related. However…
— However?
— He urged me to keep climbing the Tower.
He felt something strange in an answer that might have seemed obvious. Yun Tae-seong pondered deeply, contemplating the meaning behind it.
‘Simply to increase his own strength?’
If only there were someone nearby who could communicate directly with the Rocket Store like Lee Jun-ho, it wouldn’t be this frustrating.
“Team Leader, your coffee is here.”
“Good timing. Have a seat here.”
“Huh?”
Yun Tae-seong sat down the subordinate who had worked under him for a long time and showed him the interview segment he found odd.
“What do you think?”
“Well… doesn’t everyone want people to climb the Tower so the country doesn’t fall? I don’t think there’s any special reason.”
“…Is that so?”
Just as he thought he might be being too sensitive…
“But now that I hear it again, it does seem a bit inappropriate for a first greeting. Like someone who is desperate for it.”
It might be an over-interpretation. However, acting on something was better than sitting still and doing nothing.
“Get me Lee Jun-ho’s contact information.”
“What? Oh, yes, sir.”
Team Leader Yun Tae-seong contacted Lee Jun-ho immediately and requested that if he ever spoke with the Rocket Store owner again, he should ask if there was a specific reason why the Tower had to be climbed.
But he didn’t stop there.
‘It’s right to consider the possibility that he didn’t just choose not to speak, but that he was unable to.’
Skills that imposed certain restrictions in exchange for massive buffs were rare, but not unheard of. If the Rocket Store had such incredible power, perhaps there was a penalty-like restriction as the price.
Of course, the best way was to communicate directly.
Looking at Lee Jun-ho on the monitor, who had gained the unique class of Survival Chef, he suddenly reflected on himself.
Yun Tae-seong, who was once a B-rank Hunter, had felt the limits of his own abilities and stepped back from the front lines to work for the Association.
‘But if it’s the Rocket Store, maybe they could help Hunters like me break through our limits.’
Having made a decision, Yun Tae-seong accessed the community and purchased something with his own money.
Soon, a system message appeared before his eyes.
**[You have been invited by a Rocket Store invitation. Do you accept?]**
***
Aria and I sat across from each other with fried chicken in front of us.
“Guardian, this chicken is really delicious! The human world is full of amazing things.”
“Yeah. Eat up.”
As if she really liked the crispy chicken, Aria focused on eating without even lifting her head.
On the surface, the operation of the Rocket Store seemed to be going smoothly. New members were increasing every day, and new products were being integrated without any issues.
However, it wasn’t as if I didn’t have concerns. To be precise, I had questions.
‘Why aren’t the requests related to Giants or Druids being renewed, unlike the other races I’ve formed connections with?’
I wondered if there were hidden conditions, such as rank or reputation, involved in interacting with these races.
“Aria, was reputation or rumors important in Terra?”
Aria tilted her head.
“Reputation? Hmm, I’m not sure.”
I asked because I remembered occasional messages that sounded like word-of-mouth, but Aria seemed completely clueless.
I fell into thought once more. If there were hidden conditions beyond the visible system, there would clearly be a limit to expanding the business in the current way.
Just as I was about to start worrying, a familiar system notification sounded.
**[Achievement Unlocked: Cumulative revenue has reached 10,000,000 coins!]**
**[As a reward, please choose one of three special decorations to display in the showcase.]**
**[Three decorations (Normal) are presented as a special achievement reward. An effect will be applied once you choose one of these and place it in the showcase.]**
**→ Dreamcatcher**
**→ Compass of Connection**
**→ Obsidian Necklace**
A Dreamcatcher made of mysterious feathers and thread said to catch nightmares, a necklace adorned with obsidian filled with mana, and a compass decorated with gold.
I checked the descriptions of each decoration.
**[Dreamcatcher]**
**Grade: Normal**
**Held Effect: Enables communication with spirits. However, the voices of spirits can sometimes be unpleasant or rude. You can firmly refuse their rude demands and selectively proceed only with the trades you want.**
**[Compass of Connection]**
**Grade: Normal**
**Held Effect: Once a week, you will encounter a new client from an otherworldly race you are currently trading with.**
**[Obsidian Necklace]**
**Grade: Normal**
**Held Effect: Slightly increases the probability of Hunters obtaining magic gems while clearing the Tower.**
Unlike last time, my deliberation didn’t last long. There was a decoration right there that could solve the problem I was most curious about.
I reached out for the Compass of Connection without hesitation.
**[You have obtained the Compass of Connection (Normal).]**
The compass was a palm-sized piece of wood that emitted a warm light. I placed the compass in the middle of the showcase, and the carving began to glow with a faint light, illuminating the Rocket Store.
I decided to test the compass’s ability right away. As I focused my mind on the compass, a list of the worlds I had already established connections with appeared before me.
Without hesitation, I chose the world of Giants and the world of Druids.
“Giants and Druids.”
However, a cold system message soon appeared.
**[You lack sufficient reputation with this race to begin formal exchange.]**
I let out a hollow laugh and nodded.
“I knew something more would be required for each race.”
My hypothesis was correct. It wasn’t as if I had anything to offer if I were told to trade with races like Dragons or High Elves right now. There had to be levels to this. There were still steps to take before I could open trade with Giants and Druids.
But I didn’t give up.
“Alright. Let’s change direction.”
I looked toward Ceres, the world of Paladin Leon, with whom I already had a deep connection. Since it was a world where a Goddess and an order existed, I thought I might be able to obtain something related to purification that could serve as a clue to solving the pollution problem.
The compass emitted a faint light, and a new client appeared before me.
**[New Client: Priest]**
And below that, the reward I had craved so much was clearly presented.
**[Collect Hermit’s Spring Water]**
**Requester: Priest Marco**
**Content: In our world, it is difficult to find clean, unpolluted water needed to make Holy Water. Please provide as much clean water as possible.**
**Reward: Censer of Purification**
My eyes widened at the words “Censer of Purification.”
Purification powder made by grinding magic stones was effective, but could this be a new means of purifying polluted mana? This could be the solution I had been looking for.
“A censer is fine, but it would be great if I could also obtain Holy Water regularly.”
Holy Water… Come to think of it, I had seen a documentary about this on Channel 11. It said that in the medieval church, making Holy Water required something more than just water and a priest’s blessing.
“Is it time to play the eccentric again, like I did with Kargar?”