Madness of the Blue Blood Labyrinth - Chapter 2
A *Slot* is a vessel that grants humans various abilities, or *skills*, and is also an essential trait for entering dungeons.
To put it simply, without a Slot, you cannot enter a dungeon. You’ll be repelled by an invisible force field. The mechanics behind it are unknown.
Furthermore, a Slot is an innate trait that cannot be obtained through effort or willpower.
Aside from a small portion of humanity who underwent sudden mutations during the Event Revolution, there hasn’t been a single observed case of anyone acquiring a Slot after birth.
──However, there is one definite way to obtain one later in life.
And that method is through transplantation from another person.
—
“So, you’re the one looking to sell?”
I was sitting across from a boy who was probably a few years younger than me, about high school age, in a room borrowed for negotiations at the nearest branch of the Explorer Support Association, just down the street from my dingy apartment.
“I never thought I’d get an offer just three days after putting in the application, especially with those terms.”
Despite being in a hurry, I expected to wait at least six months. I guess there are some people out there willing to take risks.
The minimum market price for a Slot sale is around one hundred million yen.
Add in the transplant surgery, which runs about twenty million, and what I can offer definitely falls below the going rate.
Even so, why?
As I pondered this, the boy explained in a lifeless tone, detailing his reasons.
──A critically ill younger sister. The cost of a heart transplant. Time running out.
──You can’t become an Explorer until you’re eighteen. Even then, there’s no guarantee you’ll start making money right away. Waiting around won’t save her in time.
──More than anything, his Slot had some issues, making it difficult to find a buyer.
It seemed like he was carrying quite a heavy burden.
In short, our interests aligned. I couldn’t offer the market rate, but I had the money ready for immediate payment.
And as for his “problematic” Slot, once I heard the details, it wasn’t really something that would be an issue for me.
—
The negotiation took less than thirty minutes.
For the bargain price of seventy-eight million yen, I secured my chance to get the much-coveted ticket.
Now, it all depends on luck.
The success rate of Slot transplants drops dramatically once the recipient reaches their twenties. By the age of twenty-five, the odds are nearly zero.
I’m twenty-one this year. Based on the preliminary tests, my chances of success for this surgery are just under forty percent.
By normal standards, it’s a risky gamble for a hundred million yen.
And yet, without hesitation, I signed the contract.