Chapter 541 – Price and Promise.
A statement that felt like a thunderclap to others.
“Price… for the power…?”
[That’s right.]
But the more they trembled, the colder the word from Peace became.
“W-why…?”
[It’s the God’s power, so there must be a price.]
At that moment, a male reporter quickly approached Peace.
He was fixated on her with his camera because of his job title.
However, faster than anyone else, he began to slam his head against the ground with great zeal.
“I-I’ll pay any amount of money!”
Being a reporter rather than a hunter made it relatively easier for him to say that.
Just from that, it was clear how desperate he was.
“Please turn me into an elf with silver hair and red eyes, large-breasted loli futa!”
Whether that was a desperate wish was debatable.
He wasn’t just a reporter; he might as well be a hunter.
But there was only one reaction from Peace to this.
[That’s impossible.]
“Why! Why not!”
It’s impossible.
[First, it’s because you’re not a hunter.]
“That… that can’t be…”
He first realized he was a reporter, not a hunter.
[The God’s power is limited only to hunters.]
“So, can I just become a hunter right now?”
[More precisely, it’s those currently recognized as hunters.]
“Those privileged bastards get the rights…”
Of course, just by the way he spoke, he was already a respectable hunter.
Despite his defeated expression, Peace’s next words deepened his despair even more.
[And did you think you could satisfy the price with mere money?]
No matter how much money you have, if it’s not what the God desires, it’s worthless.
The reporter thought deeply, trying to come up with answers.
“What about my car? Or I have a house too.”
[Do you think the God would be satisfied with such trivial things?]
“W-would I have to offer a sacrifice then?”
[This body does not require a life. Which primitive bastard would do such a thing?]
It was far too little to meet the price set by Peace.
“God…”
[Ah, fuck.]
Some may not know, but in any case.
It’s hard to come to a conclusion about the price for the God’s power with human brains.
In the midst of hunters pondering their wishes, a sudden shrill and quite disgusting scream was heard.
“KYAAAH!”
[What’s wrong?]
The source of the scream was none other than a male hunter who had directly experienced Peace’s power.
Despite his rugged and fearsome appearance, he let out a bizarre scream.
Suddenly, he hugged his body tightly and began to distance himself from Peace.
As if desperately trying to protect something precious from her.
“H-hey, are you wanting my body? You pervert!”
[No, you fucking idiot.]
It was trash that couldn’t be called precious in any way.
At that moment, I stood up and slowly approached Peace.
I saluted her as formally as possible, showing my respect.
“Peace, I will now pay the price for the power.”
At that, I felt all eyes and cameras turn towards me.
Each gaze was filled with silent questions as to what the God desired for the price.
This situation was exactly what we wanted, so I proceeded to continue.
“Is this enough?”
[Yes, that’s accurate.]
It was a price with a value incomparable to mere money.
Because I hid what I’d handed over with my body, no one knew exactly what it was.
But it was clear that Peace was satisfied with the price.
Thanks to that, the doubts they held began to intensify.
Just then, I noticed the questioning glances from my kneeling companions.
Seeing those looks, I winked and quietly smiled.
A smile conveying: feel free to expect.
“Peace, are you not lacking anything?”
[Of course it’s lacking, but this time I’ll let it slide.]
“Thank you.”
At those words, as I returned to my original position and knelt again,
Peace turned her gaze to the hunters, a smile returning to her face.
[In the future, many gods besides myself will reveal themselves before hunters like you.]
Although it seemed abrupt, no one had any questions about it.
They had just witnessed a miracle, so it wouldn’t be strange for more gods to appear.
Moreover, Peace initially said she ‘descended first,’ which contributed to their understanding to some extent.
[So hunters who wish to make requests to gods must prepare a price.]
“What exactly is that price…?”
At that moment, a hunter with a dazed expression spoke up to Peace.
The growing curiosity burst forth from within him.
He felt somewhat pushed to speak up as the representative.
[Of course there is only one, isn’t there?]
As if waiting for that question, Peace drew a graceful smile onto her face.
She suddenly pulled out what I had been hiding the whole time.
And began to blatantly show it to the cameras and people’s gazes.
[This is the price corresponding to the God’s power.]
What Peace held in her hand was my mobile phone.
On it was a screen showing something very unfamiliar to the hunters here.
[However, next time, prepare something that can’t even be compared to this.]
“Wh-what is that…?”
But it was a screen very familiar to Peace and me.
The moment all gazes were intensely focused on what Peace held in her hand,
She began to slip away, hiding behind the scattered fragments.
[It’s Elf Coin.]
A significant number of Elf Coins were displayed on my phone screen.
And she left behind only one clear statement in her wake.
And the ensuing situation could be somewhat anticipated by everyone.
The events so far had spread widely beyond the nation.
Not just hunter broadcasting stations but also state-run channels and foreign broadcasts.
As a result, the blue graph skyrocketed into a red one crazily.
“Whoa, fuck! How much is this, husband!”
“Elcia, sell it quickly! It’ll drop soon!”
“Yes!!!!!”
Thanks to the hunters who desperately bought it,
It was possible to worry about whether a civilian might suffer,
But I could absolutely assert that would never happen.
Remembering what Peace had said makes it simple.
Not long from now, besides Peace, many gods would appear.
And to wish for something from them, Elf Coins were necessary.
But they declared that the target would be limited solely to the current hunters.
Furthermore, a sane civilian wouldn’t buy this.
After all, it’s a useless scrap of data to them.
Only dimwitted hunters would fall for this trick.
‘But will Elf Coins really become currency?’
[Shut your mouth.]
In reality, the funeral held that day was their funeral, not mine.
Although it felt somewhat early for them, they could consider it a pre-alignment.
Anyway, what awaited them was either a life worth dying for or the bottom of the Han River.
Later, at the celebration party held in our guild, three emotions circulated.
“Thank you! You’ve saved the master!”
“I can be a NEET for life now! Mom, Dad! I’ll be filial!”
“Oresama has spoken! Trust the Master!”
“Fuck! Shinwoo! I believed in you!”
First was the intense joy of my companions.
They expressed serious concerns back when they purchased it, but
Now, no hint of such feelings could be found on their faces.
Only the emotion of happiness existed.
“Darling! We don’t need to have a baby anymore!”
“What are you talking about? I’ll wash up as soon as we get home, big brother.”
“…Darling…? What on earth do you mean…?”
Not everyone felt this way, though.
The other emotions included a slight hatred and fear directed toward me.
That was the feeling held by Haruka and the platypus beastmen.
“This bastard could’ve become Goebbels if he was born a little earlier…”
“…A wickedness incomparable to us mere assassins…”
For them, it seemed they never anticipated I would do something like this.
And lastly, there was an emotion completely unfit for a celebration party.
A deep, sticky regret, akin to what one might feel at a funeral.
The source was none other than the other heroines besides Elcia.
In actuality, they hadn’t lost anything but nevertheless.
Their relative deprivation was unavoidable.
Ultimately, their best response was to force a self-deprecating smile.
“…I should’ve bought one when Shinwoo said to…”
“…Isn’t it funny…? We all worked so hard overtime…”
“…My rich character concept went down the drain, fucking cat…”
Anyway, with this, everything was achieved.
It was tough, but I managed to kill that bastard.
I kept my somewhat outrageous promise to everyone.
And of course, wiped out all those dumb hunter bastards.
Including safely returning home with the heroines.
Just then, Elcia shot up from her seat, raising her glass.
As the biggest beneficiary of this incident, she expressed her joy exuberantly.
“Everyone! Let me offer a toast!!!”
Following her, others began to rise and prepare to clink their glasses.
Thinking about it, it was a bit surprising that they’d been drinking without a toast until now.
Well, they were probably too excited to even think about it.
Just then, I didn’t forget to refill Peace’s glass since it was empty.
[You idiot, why is it a glass?]
“You did something big, so you should drink big.”
Soon after, Elcia pushed forward her glass filled to the brim.
In accordance with that, everyone clinked their glasses with theirs.
It was a drink of gratitude.
Sent to those who had been through tough times together.
Simultaneously commemorating this moment of safe return.
And also a drink of thanks to the hunters currently buying coins.
“Futost!!!”
In reality, they weren’t particularly grateful to the hunters.
Who threatened them with knives to buy it?
They chose to do so willingly.
Idiots.