Chapter 34: The Madman
Burtiya Blacksmithing Beginner (Active) Level 1 skill acquired.
Should I call this good luck or bad? But it popped up right when I was about to start blacksmithing, so maybe it's insanely good luck?
The bad luck angle is simple. No matter what, blacksmithing was a skill I could've gotten through effort eventually. But getting it handed to me easily? That's pretty lucky.
The key point here is that this blacksmithing skill is a named skill.
I used Observation to examine it closely. And sure enough, the info appeared.
The description was straightforward. But hidden in that simplicity was some crucial info.
"Dwarf? A real dwarf?"
I'd thought since there were orcs, there might be dwarves too. And with that world tree looming in the heart of the forest, elves couldn't be far behind, right? The idea had crossed my mind.
But this skill confirmed dwarves actually existed. Whether they're in that forest is another question. They could be somewhere else in this gate-connected world.
"Hang on, can you even pull skills from other worlds? Some say all gates link to one world, others disagree..."
Truth is, I can't enter other gates, so no way to know. Other gate owners probably can't either. Hunters might know, but they can't hop gates without giving up their own access—and who does that?
Sure, some soldiers who entered the first gates might've. But afterward? No single person could visit every gate.
"Nah, America might've managed it. With enough bribes. More for soldiers, courtesy of the government."
And was it just America? China, with the most gates from its size and population, or India next—human rights? Who cares. They probably ran experiments.
Maybe they even concluded something without sending hunters everywhere. Sample air from each gate, analyze for matching atmospheres. Sure, errors possible, but smart folks could've figured it out. It's just "same world or not?"
"Eh, same world or different—who cares?"
Doesn't affect me anyway.
Nyaang!
"What? More levels? At least hit 30?"
Nyang-nyang!
That's what she said.
"Fine. I'll hit 30 and head into the forest."
Nyang-nyang!
Shut up and level up, she meowed.
So I turned back to Baekya and shouted.
"Baekya! Minotaurs are gold. Round 'em up! Uh, just two."
Three's too many. Gotta test the blacksmithing skill and level it up—that'll take time. Need gear anyway, and a forge means gathering materials.
Machines from Earth? They'd stop working the second they crossed. No dice. Gotta haul raw stuff and build it myself.
So right now, leveling up is all I can do. Hoya's smart as hell—naturally nudging me to do exactly what I need.
"Let's go!"
I dumped most of my remaining time into leveling and hit 28.
Up to level 28, I hunted minotaurs, stored their tails separately, and processed their horns. Next gate trip, time for a proper composite bow.
Still, gathering forge materials will take time. Unlike woodworking or leatherworking, this needs serious prep.
The skill downloaded straight to my brain, but unfolding it? Tons of setup required.
"Good morning."
"Oh! Mr. Choi, your skin just keeps getting better—it's glowing!"
The office ladies were super friendly. No surprise—they're eyeing my skin for themselves.
I'd hinted at supplying them pineapple via Seon-woo. His shop's opening soon; they'll get jams and such there.
Funny part? It hasn't leaked widely. Why? Nobody wants to share. Beauty's competitive in modern life. Or just pure self-satisfaction.
Problem is, it's relative. If everyone's hot, does "hot" even impress? Nah. You need to feel better than others for that rush.
Enter my pineapples: Won't reshape faces, but skin's huge for looks. Good skin changes everything. They probably wanna keep it exclusive.
Whatever, Seon-woo's got the business side.
He's sharp; he'll handle sales fine.
I settled at my desk and tackled the day's work. Lunchtime hit, so we headed out for gamjatang nearby. Suits my taste, but Manager Jung's fave seals it.
He's paying, so no complaints. Nobody hates gamjatang anyway.
"Dig in, everyone."
Sipping gamjatang, I wondered: minotaur tail version? Pork spine original, but bony soups got common ground.
"Choi, you're blowing up lately. Wedding bells soon? Haha!"
Manager Jung's dad-joke energy is unreal. In front of staff?
"Ooh, what about me, Mr. Choi? I'd be great. Hohoho."
One lady teased. I shot back firmly.
"That could be harassment. Want training?"
"J-just kidding!"
"Yeah. And Manager, same goes. Cut that talk. Doesn't matter who—single folks get enough family pressure at holidays. No need here too; it's stressful."
Entrepreneur mindset: no fear of firing. If it happens, it happens.
But surprisingly, Manager got serious.
"You're right. My bad. Shouldn't say that—sorry."
"Me too. Apologies. I get enough at home; wasn't thoughtful."
What? Why the sudden maturity?
Then it hit.
Eloquence (Passive) Level 3
Notification out of nowhere. "Registered," not "acquired." Does it work outside? Or system finally acknowledging what I had? Needs thought, but not bad.
Anyway, thanks to it—or whatever—folks actually listened. Even Mr. Dad-Joke Boss.
"Haha, didn't mean to kill the vibe."
"Nah, all good. Eat up."
Vibe held, but everyone seemed thoughtful.
We finished and stepped out. To lighten things—for my sake—I yelled,
"Coffee's on me!"
"Woo!"
Coffee's basically meal price now. But after my stunt, it's fair play. Prevents backlash. Social life 101: Gesture smooths ruffled feathers.
Heading to the cafe, that's when the accident hit.
"I'll kill you! All of you!"
Middle of the street, a knife-wielding maniac swinging at bystanders. No casualties yet—lucky. But someone'd get hurt bad soon.
"C-call the cops."
Manager pulled his phone to report. Then,
"Not so fast!"
The guy hurled a dagger at him. Bad luck—it arced right at his head. Direct hit? Lights out.
My hand moved on instinct.
Thwack!
"Argh!"
"Kyaaah!"
Screams from Manager and staff. But the dagger was firm in my grip. No scream-worthy.
Honestly? I was shocked. The force behind it wasn't normal.
Hunter.
Definitely. No regular joe throws like that. Not even elite soldiers.
I scanned him with Observation. Bingo.
His name: Gyeong Jin-su. Assassin class. Problem? He's in berserk mode—batshit crazy.
No hunter rampages in the news yet. Random killings happened, but none pinned on hunters in my memory.
About to change. First time. Right here.