Chapter 8

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 8

Chapter Title: Pathetic Newbie

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Ring ring ring—

Ring ring ring—

"Haa..."

I woke up to the annoying alarm blaring and checked my phone.

'Ah!'

The moment I did, I remembered why I'd set the alarm and why I needed to wake up at this hour. Sleep vanished in an instant.

"Alright, let's go~"

Come to think of it, the ticket recharge didn't happen exactly on the hour.

Someday, once I'd made enough gear to have some leeway, it might be worth investing about 50 minutes extra to sync it to the hour. That'd be more convenient in the long run.

Of course, I had no idea how much money I'd need to make—or rather, how incredible the gear would have to be—before I could call my production "sufficient."

Anyway, that gave me 10 minutes of spare time, but with sleep already gone, it wasn't enough for even a quick nap.

But that was fine.

I'd deliberately woken up on the hour knowing I'd have to wait 10 more minutes—because there was something I needed to do.

The post I'd thrown up right before bed.

I'd worried it might flop and get buried if it didn't pull any aggro, but thankfully that hadn't happened.

It was perfectly bite-sized for reading and enjoying—comments had piled up to just over 100.

None of the comments made me think, "Yeah, this one's getting it."

I'd had a tiny intention to give it to someone who really caught my eye, but I'd only asked for comments—not promised to give it away.

Anyway, the hunter going by "Fire Stick" was none other than Chae Yeonhwa, Guild Master of Korea's top guild, Crimson Lotus.

She's an S-rank flame mage, rated as the strongest hunter in the country, but she still hasn't gotten a B-grade weapon—which makes her a punchline in the gallery.

Sure, I'd love to give her a B-grade flame staff if I got one, but there's an American S-rank Awakener out there who'd probably pay at least double.

Christopher Akamont.

Stupid-rich U.S. S-rank Awakener.

Thinking about the cash made me want to sell to American hunters for sure—but then national pride says I should prioritize Koreans, right?

Lost in that happy dilemma, I startled and checked the time: 2:08 a.m.

Two minutes until I could do a six-equipment craft.

Snapping back to reality, I realized I hadn't even made a single B-grade yet and here I was agonizing over America vs. Crimson Lotus.

But in three minutes, that story changes.

I'm dumping the whole six-pull into B-grades.

After pulling two C-grades at once five hours ago, my body wouldn't settle for C-grades anymore.

"Gotta hit B-grade for sure~."

One minute before all five equipment crafting tickets filled.

I tapped [Equipment Crafting] ahead of time to queue up.

—

From now on, I'm gambling on—no, crafting—B-grade gear.

A whopping 12% chance.

That means the logic of "six 25% C-grade ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pulls = 150% chance" turns into a 72% failure rate here.

So, slight mindset shift: last time with C-grades, I succeeded twice out of six.

Which means this is an independent trial—"previous results don't affect future ones."

Obviously true in reality too.

Which means...!

It's not a 72% failure even on six straight 12% pulls...!

12% can hit six times in a row!

"Here we gooooooo!!!"

Today, I'm crafting six B-grade weapons...

No—at least one, making me the unicorn of the blacksmith world!

Eyes squeezed shut, I hammered the [5+1 Crafts] button.

Probably six lines of "Crafting Success: 『OOO (B)』!" waiting in front of me.

I'm the world's first EX-rank Awakener among 10 billion people, a luck-maxed blacksmith man.

"I'm looking?!"

"Seriously checking now?!!"

'Check it since you succeeded.'

For a split second, I swear I heard the tutorial fairy-eyes' voice in my head. Seizing the moment, I opened my eyes.

"Ah..."

"Ah..."

This is for real?

Sure, 12% is low, but six times...?

There was only one way to shake off this foul mood.

First, I set another alarm for 7 a.m.—five hours from now—then dove straight into Hunter Gallery.

——

Just like any normal community, Hunter Gallery was spawning early-morning-level posts.

Among them, the one that caught my eye was the sole normal one—bright to the point of near-madness, standing out like a sore thumb.

—

Oh, right—this was Kim Hyeji...? The one who'd commented on my pre-bed post.

The D-rank thief who'd dared covet my C-grade shortsword.

And her reason? It was free.

Plus, calling it a "miracle run" after just one day kinda pissed me off too.

'You just stepped in it.'

I posted the same reply twice, then added her to my block list.

Imagining Kim Hyeji furiously typing replies I'd never see brought a smile to my face as I drifted into sweet sleep.

——

Kim Hyeji, 20 years old. Newly Awakened this year, on day 1 as a rookie.

Over-eager on her first day, she'd cleared gates for way too long. By the time she emerged, public transit had stopped running.

To sleep, she'd have to walk two hours to a jjimjilbang.

But no worries.

Hunter Gallery was all the company she needed.

"Aheeeng... Why no reply...?"

For about five hours, Kim Hyeji had been obsessively checking comments on one post.

The insane giveaway post for a free C-grade shortsword.

Landing that would be total life reversal!

Her Awakening class? Thief.

E-rank, no less.

"Hehe... But now I'm D-rank! Hep!"

She frantically looked around, confirmed no one nearby, and relaxed.

She hadn't realized at first, but upgrading rank post-Awakening was unprecedented.

Kim Hyeji's E-to-D re-Awakening in a single day? All thanks to her skill.

She hadn't known what it did at first, but "equipment" clued her in—she blindly bought D-rank gear.

She blew all 5 million won in subsidies from leaving the Twilight Orphanage, but no regrets.

"Ehehehe... I'm basically an S-rank Awakener... Hep!"

Glanced around again—no one.

"Boastful Blacksmith sir... Please read my comment soon..."

Unfortunately, she had no idea he'd visited her post—or that he'd blocked her.

Pathetic newbie Kim Hyeji also didn't yet know that S-grade gear numbered only two worldwide, and even S-rank Awakeners rarely had A-grades.