Artifact Flex!
"Oh, was I mistaken? You look so pretty, I thought you were Ms. Se-eun’s daughter."
"O-oh, we’re both pretty, sure, but she’s not my daughter. I haven’t even gotten married yet…."
"That just means you look old!"
"Do you want to get scolded?"
At the small mishap, Yeon-hwa Unni laughed as if she were having the time of her life, teasing Se-eun Unni. Is it that easy to mistake us…? Well, the age gap is a bit ambiguous for me to be Se-eun Unni’s daughter, I suppose.
Honestly, I didn’t feel bad about it. To be fair, being seen as family… it actually felt kind of nice.
"Hoho, let’s head inside. We don’t know how long it will take to pick something out."
"That sounds good. Are you coming in with us, Association President?"
"Ah, I have some separate business to attend to. I’ll leave them in your care, Ms. Shin-yeong."
"Leave it to me~"
Mr. Jong-wu bowed politely to Ms. Shin-yeong before turning his head toward me. He only spoke after bending his knees to match my eye level.
Mr. Jong-wu always bent one knee to meet my gaze before he started a conversation.
"Since I’ve already sent word ahead, you should be able to view all the artifacts in the Association’s collection. Please, take your time looking around, and if there’s anything you want, you’ll be able to take it at a discounted price."
"Wow… really? You don’t have to go that far…!"
"Haha, there is still much I can do for you, Shiro. Please contact me once you’re done looking. I heard you wanted to have your new skill evaluated as well. Is that right?"
"Ah, right! Yes, that’s right. After I pick out an artifact… and get my skill evaluated, can I go home? Grandfather?"
Right, the skill.
I had agreed to have Mr. Jong-wu evaluate the skill the General gave me. At the sudden thought, I grabbed Grandfather’s hand and looked up at him.
"Of course, as much as you like. If that’s what you want, Shiro, then we shall."
"Hehe… but isn’t Mr. Jong-wu busy with work?"
"It’s quite alright. Skill appraisal doesn’t take that long. Please, just give me a call when you’re finished."
He gave me a gentle smile and stood up. I stepped a little closer and brushed the dust off his trousers.
"…! Then I shall see you later."
Mr. Jong-wu is such a softie. I just brushed off his pants, and he’s acting like he’s looking at a precious daughter….
"…!!"
And why is Grandfather getting jealous?
"Ms. Shin-yeong is an Awakened with a very rare profession called 'Caretaker'."
"Really?"
As we walked into the store, I listened to Se-eun Unni’s explanation.
She said the Caretaker (A) profession showed exceptional ability in managing specific areas or items, depending on the skill.
Ms. Shin-yeong was particularly gifted with skills related to managing artifacts, the most notable being a skill called 'Cornucopia Storehouse (A)'.
"They say if you store artifacts in a place where she’s cast her skill, the mana preserves their condition until they leave that space."
"Wow… so that’s why she works at the store."
"Yeah, and she also has a skill that can read the descriptions of artifacts. Even if she’s not an appraiser… she’s an incredible person."
"Whoa… are you close with her, Unni?"
"Hmm~ Dad has been coming to the Association’s direct stores since I was little. I guess we just naturally became close?"
As I was listening about Ms. Shin-yeong, Yeon-hwa Unni turned her head away with a huff, looking uncomfortable.
"When is that woman ever going to get married? Is there even anyone who would marry someone that old?"
"She’d probably marry someone around her own age, wouldn’t she?"
"She should just hurry up and snag a middle-aged man and get married already, honestly."
Hmm….
Is this what a woman’s jealousy looks like?
"Please, come this way. You said you were looking for a defensive artifact for a young friend, correct?"
"That’s right. Do you have a good selection?"
"Since Hunter Yong-su has come in person, I must bring out everything I’ve kept hidden."
However, I could feel a level of experience from Ms. Shin-yeong that made Yeon-hwa Unni’s jealousy look like child’s play. While explaining, she even subtly touched Grandfather’s arm.
Watching that, Unni just chewed her lip, looking frustrated.
So this is the life of an alpha male….
Se-eun Unni, his daughter, shook her head as if she couldn’t understand the two of them and held my hand tightly.
"Let’s go look around too, Shiro."
"Hehe, okay."
Led by Se-eun Unni, the artifacts displayed in glass cases caught my eye.
Each artifact sat inside a square glass case. It felt more like I was in a museum than a store.
"I thought an artifact that can be worn in daily life would be best for a young lady. However, since there aren’t any ring-type artifacts that fit your hand size yet, I will guide you toward necklaces and bracelets that can be adjusted."
"T-that’s good."
To speak so smoothly without stuttering while saying such a long sentence… she seemed incredible in a different way.
"The necklace here is a type of natural artifact; it has the effect of consuming the wearer’s mana to deploy a force field when it detects an attack."
"Ohhh…."
"Hoho, Se-eun. What do you think?"
"What’s the force field grade?"
"The mana follows the wearer’s rank, and the force field grade is 4th."
There were grades for the phenomenon called a force field. They ranged from 1st to 9th, and a 4th-grade force field was enough to easily block the attacks of a 2nd-grade gate boss.
"Hmm, hmm…."
Compared to Se-eun Unni and Grandfather, who were thinking carefully, Yeon-hwa Unni was just watching, looking like she had no confidence.
I stared at her, wondering why, and she opened her mouth, perhaps feeling guilty about something.
"I, I’m an S-rank, so I don’t need to rely on things like artifacts, okay?"
Aha.
So she just doesn’t know much about them.
I suppose with her S-rank ability and her naturally outgoing personality, she never had much interest in artifacts.
That makes sense….
"Let’s look at some others first. The mana conversion efficiency doesn’t seem that great."
"Yes, the bracelet over here is—"
And so, the shopping continued for a long time.
Honestly, I hadn’t been a hunter for very long, and I never really had much interest in artifacts to begin with….
Most of the time was spent with Se-eun Unni and Grandfather agonizing over what would be the better choice for me. For some reason, I felt I could trust their judgment.
Since it was a store directly managed by the Association, I didn’t think they’d rip us off. And… since it’s Ms. Shin-yeong… she wouldn’t dare scam us in front of Grandfather.
"Unni and Grandfather, I think this necklace and… that phone over there look good. What do you think?"
"I like them too!"
The necklace with the four-leaf clover decoration was a defensive artifact that automatically deployed a 4th-grade force field, and the phone-shaped artifact was an information-seeking type that actually functioned as a phone while displaying the user’s remaining mana and nearby mana concentration.
The former was a natural type from a labyrinth, and the latter was, naturally, an artificial one.
To make an artifact in the shape of a phone… I thought it was very innovative. But listening to the explanation, the creator had pushed themselves to make it once, so mass production was impossible.
"The price would be about this much. Following the Association President’s instructions, several discounts have been applied, so I’ve cut it down to just this much."
"It is expensive… but considering the performance, it’s a fair price."
Grandfather looked at me, perhaps a bit conflicted. Grandfather… didn’t you have the wealth to buy anything in Korea…?
"It’s a promise to Shiro, so it’s only right to keep it. Please wrap up the two items we chose, Ms. Shin-yeong."
"An excellent choice. There probably isn’t any performance better than those two artifacts for a young lady to use."
Yay~ I cheered, spreading my arms wide, and hugged Grandfather. Grandfather smiled broadly, looking delighted.
"Hohoho, seeing Shiro this happy, it’s not a waste at all."
"Hehe… but is the necklace very expensive?"
"No, the phone was twice as expensive. Usually, natural artifacts are more expensive, you see? But that one really took a lot of materials to make, and it took a long time, too."
I asked because I was curious, and Se-eun Unni explained it well. I think Ms. Shin-yeong might have said it earlier, but honestly, I wasn’t listening that closely.
"Yes, payment is complete. Are you leaving right away?"
"Shiro has obtained a new skill. I think it would be best to go test it out right away."
"I see. Young lady, good luck."
Ms. Shin-yeong gave a gentle smile, clenching her fist to cheer me on. I followed suit, posing for a cheer and laughing, "Hehe."
― Bwong!
Jeolmi, who had been waiting outside the store, walked over with a waddle. Why is he a bird but never flies??
― Kkiung….
Bombe seemed to have been sleeping well, but it looked like Jeolmi woke her up. It was cute seeing her rub her eyes and crawl over clumsily.
"Are we going to test it right away?"
"Isn’t that what you wanted to do, Shiro? Should we rest a little before we go?"
"No! I want to hear about my skill quickly, too."
"Hoho, very well. I’ll have Grandfather send a message to Mr. Jong-wu in advance."
It’s a thought I have more and more every day….
I’m so glad I was picked up by Grandfather Yong-su.
"Huuuup-huuuup!"
"Haa."
When I concentrated and revealed the mana the General had given me, Mr. Jong-wu was amazed again.
Every time I showed him my ability, he would gape in surprise, and sometimes that expression was a bit funny, so I had to hold back my laughter.
"You said it was a skill you received from a Named entity, right?"
"Yes, that’s right."
"And there’s no grade indicated on the system?"
I nodded. A grade that’s a question mark. I was really curious about what kind of skill it was to receive such a grade.
"You’ve truly… obtained a wonderful skill, Shiro."
"What kind of skill is it?"
I didn’t really know.
What I did in front of Mr. Jong-wu was just release the green mana I felt inside my body.
This mana didn’t even escape my body, so all that happened was it revealed itself little by little on my skin.
I tried my best, really.
"The effect is simple, and it was appraised well by my skill, too."
"Ohhh…! Please tell me."
"Nam-i-ji-ho. As Hunter Yeon-hwa speculated, the expression 'General Nam-i’s Protection' seems correct."
"Oh…."
"It’s easiest to think of it as mana containing various effects such as increased stamina, fatigue recovery, and status ailment recovery."
Huh? That’s basically a healer.
"B-but. Is it true that I can’t send it outside my body?"
"You were feeling that, weren’t you? That’s correct. The mana obtained through Nam-i-ji-ho only moves within your body, Shiro."
So it wasn’t that I was bad at controlling it. As I thought, that’s how it was.
Anyway, if that was the case, the skill Nam-i-ji-ho felt similar to the defensive artifact I bought today, while also complementing it.
The artifact blocked attacks directly, and Nam-i-ji-ho removed my wounds or negative effects.
I felt like my survivability had increased significantly today.
"Why can’t I see the grade?"
"That part is not clearly shown, so I don’t know, but… judging by cases in other countries, it seems to be because it’s a blessing bestowed by a Named entity."
"Hmm…?"
When I sent him a look that said I didn’t quite understand, Mr. Jong-wu agonized over how to explain it before opening his mouth.
"You can think of it as the subject of the skill still being with General Nam-i. It’s not that he officially handed over the power, but rather a protection granted as a skill, so it seems no grade is attached."
Aha, I understood it roughly.
It was like when I scooped up a ladle of water and sprinkled it on Grandfather’s clothes; the water might soak into his clothes, but the ladle was still mine.
"If I were to temporarily assign a grade… it seems to be easily B-rank."
Ohhh… a B-rank skill, no less. I felt good, like I had gained a lot from the start.
"Thank you, Mr. Jong-wu. That was a big help."
I bowed politely. Since he was a man who helped me so much, I felt a great deal of affection for him in my heart.
"Oh, by the way, Shiro. Would you be interested in participating in a tournament?"
"Yes?"
"Do you know about N.O.V.A.?"
New-generation Of Various Awakeners.
N.O.V.A.
Commonly called NOVA.
It was an international tournament where Awakened under the age of 18 gathered to compete, and it was easy to think of it as a competition for the next generation of young Awakened.
There were other tournaments for adults, but the popularity of NOVA was also at a massive international level.
Genius, Prodigy.
People not only loved these titles, but there were also several advantages.
Large guilds could check on prospects, and young Awakened could gain a stage to prove themselves by standing out.
It was even an international tournament, so bringing glory to the country was a bonus.
"I know about it, but… isn’t it only for those from the Academy?"
The criteria for participation varied by country, but usually, it was a form of establishing high-level educational institutions and selecting a roster from within them.
Korea was the same.
They finalized the roster in early May and participated after three months of joint training.
"There is one other criterion for participating in NOVA besides the Academy."
"What is it?"
"Having a contribution rate of 30% or more in clearing a 3rd-grade gate or higher, having experience clearing a mid-grade labyrinth or higher, and… being an A-rank hunter. If you meet these three conditions, you can join the roster through the Association President’s recommendation."
Coincidentally, I had already achieved all the conditions.
Except for one thing: the condition of being an A-rank hunter.
"If you have the will, Shiro, I have the will to recommend you. However… there are two weeks until the roster is finalized. You must reach A-rank by then."
"Hmm…."
NOVA? Honestly, I do want to try it. When else would I get the experience of standing on an international stage? And… it sounds cool.
The problem was the A-rank. I pride myself on being a hunter who has already surpassed A-rank, but how on earth was I supposed to get that title?
As I looked at him with that expression, he smiled and answered.
"If you can create one decent technique using your elemental skill, I will issue you an A-rank hunter license immediately."