Going through the motions, Song completed the exchange, and before long, his reward was transferred into his bank account.
Ding!
A notification popped up on his smartphone.
He opened his banking app and stared at the screen to confirm that transaction. The numbers staring back at him were staggering; a series of zeroes that hadn't existed just moments ago.
[$100,250.65]
Song blinked repeatedly, as if forcing his eyes to accept the reality before him.
100,000 dollars... Just like that.
He scrolled through the account history, double-checking the deposit. The timestamp matched the moment the exchange had completed, and the amount was correct. Every single zero was accounted for.
A slow grin spread across his face. All the blood, sweat, and endless terror of that descent had finally paid off.
'Holy… crap… I actually did it!'
The sheer magnitude of it made his mind spin. With this kind of money, he could finally rest, stock up on proper supplies, and even upgrade his arsenal for the next floor. No… scratch that. He could live comfortably like a normal person for a while before even thinking about stepping into the Spire again. He could buy a better apartment than his current one, buy ammunition without counting every single round, and invest in armor and protective gear that actually kept him safe.
He could even hire trainers to hone his skills efficiently, stockpile food and essentials to avoid scavenging on dangerous floors, and maybe even acquire a Nightmare or two. Perhaps he could indulge in small luxuries like new clothes, gadgets, and comforts he hadn't been able to enjoy for ages due to his relentless routine. If he played his cards right, he could even invest a portion of it quietly, securing a stable income outside the Tower.
Not to mention, this was just the results of his First Descent. If he decided to enter the Tower again, he was bound to make a higher profit!
Song seemed to possess an extraordinary talent, for according to the receptionist, it was virtually unheard of for a Squire to return with a hundred Spirit Shards. Normally, if a Squire somehow managed to gather that many shards, they would absorb them to increase the purity of their Soul Slate in preparation for ascension. In other words, no Squire had ever walked away with over a hundred thousand dollars on their First Descent.
It was a remarkable accomplishment that screamed of potential. The receptionist even went so far as to compare him to an Esper known as "Lightweaver."
Of course, he had no idea who that was, but it was likely someone worthy of admiration. The receptionist seemed positively enchanted. She pressed both hands to her cheeks and wriggled her body around with uncontainable excitement.
Song stared at her with a flat, unreadable expression.
Was she even allowed to act like that?
He glanced around, half-expecting someone to reprimand her, but the other officials went about their work as if nothing unusual had happened.
Did that mean this sort of thing was normal?
Well, it was the Exchange Room. A private space that no one from outside could see. Whatever happened here would never leave this room.
Clearing his throat, Song decided to steer the conversation back on track.
"Ahem. Excuse me, where can I purchase Mysteries?"
The receptionist froze mid-sway and her expression quickly shifted from giddy admiration to professional composure at once.
"Mysteries?" she repeated, lowering her hands and straightening her posture. "You mean mythical items, correct?"
Song nodded.
"Yes, that's correct."
With a nod, she tapped something on her holo-screen. The floating interface projected faint blue light over the desk as her fingers danced across it.
"Mysteries can be purchased through the Spire Exchange Market, but access is tier-locked. As a Squire, you're limited to Dormant Tier Mysteries."
Confused, Song repeated:
"Tier-locked?"
The receptionist nodded and explained evenly,
"It's a precaution established by the Association. You might not know this, but when an Awakened dies, the Mysteries in their possession disappear along with them. To prevent massive losses, the Association restricts the sale of higher-tier Mysteries to Espers below their rank."
In other words, if a Squire were to purchase a Radiant-grade Mystery and die shortly after, it would amount to a complete waste of resources. Realistically, the number of Mysteries in existence was limited, so it made far more sense to reserve such valuable assets for Masters rather than lowly Squires.
That was the crux of the matter.
"While it's technically possible to trade with other Espers using Spirit Shards, I wouldn't recommend it," she said evenly. "If the other party isn't trustworthy, you could lose your shards and end up with a worthless Mystery. If you do decide to go that route, you'd need a reliable source. Personally, I know a few, so if you're interested, just say the word."
"Thanks, but I'm not making inquiries right now. Maybe later,"
"I see…" she murmured.
"Now that I think about it… how much does a single Mystery cost?"
The receptionist's eyes closed briefly and her smile widened at the corners of her lips. Song suddenly felt an uneasy feeling. It was a warning that whatever came next wouldn't be pleasant.
And as soon as she opened her mouth, that uneasy feeling was confirmed.
"The price of a Mystery varies depending on its rank and tier," she explained in a tone that sounded almost like a salaried clerk. "However, even the lowest-tier Dormant Mystery usually start at $100,000 and can go higher…"
† †
A few moments later, Song finally stepped out of the Association building and drifted his gaze upward with a blank expression. Night had fully fallen, and the sky had darkened into a deep, inky expanse. Bathing the surroundings in an eerie light was the crimson glow of the Moon.
Yes, crimson.
Since the emergence of the Black Spire, the Moon had lost its familiar silvery glow, now radiating a haunting, blood-red hue that seemed to bleed across the world below. The cause of this eerie transformation remained a mystery.
Perhaps it was an illusion. Perhaps it was not. Even humanity's greatest scientists could offer no explanation and could only stare at it in awe.
Some things could not be understood because they lay beyond comprehension. This was the unsettling enigma of the unknown.
But the young man couldn't have cared less about such mysteries.
At that moment, his mood mirrored that of a child who had just realized Santa Claus was nothing but a fantasy. More accurately, he felt like burying himself in a deep hole and never resurfacing.
'Goddamn it!'
Song clicked his tongue.
Just when he thought he had hit the jackpot, he realized how insignificant his newly acquired sum really was. There was a reason resources inside the Tower were so highly valued. Spirit Shards could power an entire city for years, which was why the government compensated Espers generously for the amounts they brought back and the Association operated under that same system.
It was only natural, then, that Mysteries would be just as priceless. Even the lowest-tier Dormant Mystery started at around $100,000 and that was if he was lucky. Coincidentally, that was exactly the amount he currently had.
In other words, he couldn't even afford a low-ranked Mystery without risking going completely broke!
'Tch. I guess it can't be helped. I should have known better. So much for an exceptional talent!'
He sighed.
It seemed he had to continue using cheap ammunition and human machinery. There was no other way.
Ding! Ding!
Suddenly, his smartphone buzzed in his pocket, yanking his thoughts abruptly back to reality.
Song pulled it out and checked the message that just arrived.
— Marcus: Hey, wassup! Let's meet up at this address. I'll send it to you in a minute or so.
He blinked.
'Ah... That's right. Because of my preparation, I didn't have the time to hang out with Marcus and Chloe.'
Not that he had much of a choice in the matter. Every Esper was afflicted by something known as "Corruption."
It was the inevitable side effect of being tainted by the Black Mire, the same phenomenon that birthed the Chaos Creatures themselves. Corruption was the silent price of power, the reason every Esper was compelled to enter the Tower and hunt those abominations.
Once an individual's Corruption Level reached 100%, their humanity would erode completely, and they'd devolve into the very monsters they once fought.
Thankfully, Song had entered the Tower when he did. Any longer, and his Corruption Level would've increased dangerously, which would then cause him to lose control over himself.
Since he had hunted down a fair number of Chaos Creatures and absorbed their Spirit Shards, his Corruption Level remained low. The receptionist had verified it earlier using a peculiar device that looked like a cross between a scanner and a headset.
She'd placed it against his forehead, and after a brief flicker of light, the reading appeared on the display.
[Corruption Level: 1%]
Putting that matter aside, Song shifted his focus to the address Marcus had just sent him.
Where exactly was this place, he wondered.