Lee Jun stared at the small bundle of dark purple roots wrapped carefully in rough cloth. There were ten of them—ten Veilroots, a rare plant found only within the dungeon, impossible to cultivate.
After hearing the market price from Minho, his eyes lit up.
"Thirty-five million won for the whole batch… That's more than enough," he murmured.
He didn't plan to use the money for himself. He knew his goblin force was still unbalanced. Some were strong—like Godon, his elite goblin leader, and a shaman learning basic magic—but the rest were average. They needed proper equipment.
With Minho's help, Lee Jun visited a few discreet blacksmiths and suppliers who usually served mid-tier guilds. Thanks to his experience as a dungeon porter, he knew how to negotiate and pick quality gear at reasonable prices.
The results:
Godon now wielded a large axe forged from dark steel, heavy enough to split standard metal shields in half.
The Goblin Fighters were equipped with short military-grade swords and light round shields.
The Goblin Thieves received high-quality daggers, some coated with basic poison.
For the Goblin Shaman, Lee Jun found a small magic staff with a minor mana stone embedded at the top—just enough to amplify basic spells.
The remaining funds were spent on simple armor and farming tools for goblins working the fields.
Once all equipment was distributed, Lee Jun gathered the goblins in the central clearing of Goblin's Grove.
"From now on," he said, "we are no longer just survivors. We are preparing to fight back. You will grow stronger."
Godon stood at the front, holding his new axe with pride. The other goblins cheered softly, excitement flickering in their eyes.
But Lee Jun knew—this was only the beginning.
The threats lurking within the dungeon had yet to reveal their true power. The Needle Lizard encounter had been only a warning.
And outside, in the real world, questions were starting to rise about the sudden appearance of rare materials like Veilroot on the market.