Chapter 129: Sniffed It
As he continued sniffing, Kim Minwoo’s eyes lit up.
‘One of them's different?’
Among the three, one scent stood out intensely.
‘Is there a difference?’
They were all supposed to be Very Good grade.
So normally, the scents should be identical. But if they're not…
‘There might be some hidden factor.’
Either way.
There was no telling how long this authority would last, so he needed to move quickly.
“Let's head that way.”
Kim Minwoo bolted off immediately.
The guild members followed behind him.
Soon, he stopped dead in front of a certain box and looked at Park Siwoo.
“Siwoo.”
“Yeah.”
“Pick that one.”
“That one?”
“Yeah. That's the jackpot.”
Park Siwoo tilted his head for a moment.
Then he picked up the box.
“Next spot.”
Before long, Kim Minwoo arrived at a second box and turned to Seo Yerim.
“Miss Yerim, pick that one.”
She nodded and grabbed the box. If he was speaking with that much certainty, he must have figured something out.
‘… Is this that ability from the shop he mentioned before?’
The one where you trade special currency instead of money. Maybe he was using that to pinpoint the good boxes.
After handing out boxes to the guild members, it was Kim Minwoo's turn.
The strongest scent teasing his nostrils.
That's when he reached the source.
“Huh?”
The intense aroma was rising right in front of him, but…
‘Nothing there?’
It was just an empty floor, like nothing was there at all.
Kim Minwoo's eyes sparkled.
‘No way, camouflage?’
The moment he reached out.
Thud!
Something stuck to his hand.
A quick feel confirmed it was a square box.
‘This one's mine.’
It had even found him a Very Good box. That was basically doing all the work.
But the most special reward? As guild master, he couldn't yield that.
“Let's go.”
“…?”
Seo Yerim tilted her head at his empty hand.
Only for a moment.
“Are you… holding a box right now, by any chance?”
“Yeah. Seems like a transparent one.”
And so, the three of them approached Popo, each clutching a box.
“We picked ours.”
―… Huh? One person's missing a bo… Wait. Why's it saying all selected?
Popo panicked briefly.
Then he cleared his throat and asked flatly.
―… Are you sure you want those?
He seemed to be avoiding any personal bias since he didn't know what was good himself.
“Yeah. These are the ones.”
―Understood. Then…
Popo clapped his hands.
That instant.
[You have selected your boxes!]
[The box grades are revealed!]
Flash!
A brilliant rainbow light burst from the box in his hand.
[Amazing!]
[You obtain the one and only 'Very Very Good Box' in Treasure Mountain, disguised to hide its true nature!]
[Title acquired: 'Huh? How Did You Find This?'!]
Rainbow lights weren't the only ones bursting. Seo Yerim and Park Siwoo's boxes erupted too.
The only difference?
Theirs were pure white bursts, compared to his rainbow.
“Huh?”
Park Siwoo blinked between his box and Kim Minwoo's.
“Bro, weren't there three Very Good boxes? Why the color difference…?”
“Mine was a hidden special one, apparently.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. Only one of its kind.”
“Whoa, jackpot… How the heck did you find something like that, Bro?”
“Used something I got a while back. One-time thing, but… gotta use it for moments like this.”
“Bro's the real deal. Respect. No, reverence.”
Park Siwoo threw up a thumbs-up.
If Kim Minwoo hadn't been there?
They'd have picked randomly and prayed.
High chance it'd have been Crude or Poor quality.
But now?
Out of tens of thousands of boxes, they'd snagged the best ones.
Sure, Kim Minwoo's was first place, so technically second best, but…
‘I wouldn't have known anyway.’
Might as well call it first prize.
Seo Yerim was equally stunned. She'd figured something was up from his confidence, but…
‘It was real…’
She'd hitched a proper ride.
“Thanks, Minwoo.”
“Had to use the ability anyway. Might as well grab one for you both while at it.”
He'd have used it for top rewards regardless of the guild members. Bonus: powering up the guild too.
Win-win for him. No losses.
That's when.
A small gasp came from the side.
―Whoa… What is that box?
“You don't know?”
―No clue. Even the seniors who oversaw this never mentioned it…
“Take a look.”
He held it out to Popo.
[Very Very Good Box, disguised to hide its true nature.]
[Grade: Special]
[A cunning box that hid in Treasure Mountain with camouflage for tens of thousands of years. It was certain no one would find it, but today it got caught.]
―One step above… Makes me curious what it gives. I heard Very Good ones usually grant traits…
“… Traits?”
Not a skill, apparently.
Items from Very Good boxes should be good, but he wasn't sure what that meant.
―Eh, not sure on details. Just from seniors. But they're supposed to be amazing. Open it up.
The three opened their boxes simultaneously.
[Opening Very Very Good Box!]
[Contribution 42% bonus applied!]
[Special box. You receive additional rewards tailored to you! Sent to inventory!]
[Reward List]
[1. Trait Manifestation Seed (Advanced)]
[2. Item Grade-Up Ticket x1]
[3. Elru's Tear]
[4. Worn Key]
[5. Random Item Boxes x3, Elixir x1]
He whistled at the rewards.
Even if the seed was the main prize.
Starting with the ominously named Item Grade-Up Ticket.
‘Lots of familiar stuff?’
Elru's Tear, that ancient-grade ring from the VVIP shop.
‘5 million points key, boxes, elixir?’
Just the extras minus the seed totaled around 21 million points.
Time to check the main reward.
[Item Grade-Up Ticket]
[Grade: Special]
[One-use ticket to raise an item's grade. The Very Very Good Box snuck it away and hid. Someone out there might be desperate for it?]
[Effect 1. Raises item's grade by one tier upon use.]
‘Whoa.’
Jackpot?
First thought.
Simple effect: raise grade.
No real limits.
‘What if I use it on a mythic item?’
Mythic, the tier after ancient.
Seen it once in gameplay. God-tier options, naturally.
What if he grade-upped that mythic?
‘Seriously curious what it'd become.’
Could use on ancient to mythic too, sure.
‘But wasteful.’
Not weak now. Better save it.
Stash it in inventory for now.
Now, the true main prize.
[Trait Manifestation Seed (Advanced)]
[Grade: Special]
[What is your innate trait? Eating this might reveal it.]
[Effect 1. Creates 'Trait' category in status window upon consumption.]
[Effect 2. Enjoy special effects based on your trait.]
[Effect 3. Traits grow with use.]
Another insanely intriguing item.
‘Adds a category to status window…’
First of its kind.
He glanced at Seo Yerim and Park Siwoo.
They held seed-like items too.
“Bro got a seed too?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Yeah. Mid-grade Trait Manifestation Seed… Sis too?”
“Yeah, mid-grade for me. Plus three random item boxes.”
“Wait, three?!”
“What? Not for you?”
“… I got one. Wait, Bro?”
“Sorry. Three for me too. Lots of extras.”
“Why! Why just me…!”
Park Siwoo wailed with the world's saddest puppy eyes.
“Seed's what matters. I'll buy gear at auction, so don't sweat it.”
“Urgh… Contribution difference, maybe?”
“Probably? Still got a box, so fine. Let's eat the seeds.”
They nodded.
He popped the small seed into his mouth.
Same for Kim Minwoo.
[Trait Manifestation Seed consumed!]
[Analyzing the footprint of your life within your soul…]
[Analysis complete.]
[Endless challenge. You never yielded in any hardship.]
[Trait, Indomitable (Advanced), added to status window!]
He checked the details.
[Trait: Indomitable (Advanced)]
[Receive special bonuses whenever you refuse to yield to hardship.]
‘Indomitable, huh.’
His eyes gleamed.
Best reward.
One-line effect.
Meaning all power packed into that line.
Easy trigger too.
Just pick the tough option.
‘Business as usual.’
Check effect when picking hard stuff. He shrugged and looked at the guild members.
“Got Indomitable. What about you, Miss Yerim?”
“Mine… is Diligent.”
“Diligent? Effects?”
She flinched at the question.
“… Effort receives reward.”
Effort rewarded.
Mid-grade, so weaker than advanced, but still solid wording.
“You, Siwoo?”
“Endurance.”
“Endurance?”
“Yeah. Sunny days come even after rain, right?”
“Ooh, big payoff someday?”
“Uh… maybe? But my life's already sunny…”
“Fair point.”
Way stabler than orphanage life with 5 mil settlement, slaving away at day jobs.
“No need for a big bang anyway. Don't stress.”
He patted the kid's shoulder.
“Let's open these boxes too while we're at it.”
Legend-to-ancient gear random boxes.
The three opened them.
[Opening Random Item Box!]
[Acquired Uldrap's Horn Flute (Legend)…]
[Acquired Wraith Step (Legend)…]
[Acquired Plague Lord's Gloves (Ancient)…]
Details next.
Horn flute: powerful ally buff when sleepless? Wait, strong buff for allies.
‘Shoes are solid too.’
Necromancer-only gear unlocking special moves on equip.
Finally, Plague Lord's Gloves…
[Plague Lord's Gloves]
[Grade: Ancient]
[Restriction: 251+, Necromancer]
[Gloves woven from the Plague Lord's hide.]
[Effect 1. Curses spread to enemies. If enemies are nearby, curses multiply infinitely.]
Ancient-grade power?
Kim Minwoo blinked.
Single effect.
But OP as hell.
‘Spread curses?’
Infinitely if enemies nearby?
Insane item.
Only weakness: meh in small fights.
‘Even accounting for that, nuts.’
Before, he'd curse each enemy individually in hordes.
No more.
Cast once, spreads everywhere automatically.
Add Elru's Tear: two ancient items already.
‘Stuffed to bursting.’
Full tally…
―Supreme elixir recipe.
―True vampire (quasi-baron) recovery.
―One elixir.
―Nuke.
―Item grade-up ticket and trait.
―Two ancient/legend items.
‘Oh, Worn Key too.’
Bound to use it someday.
And that's not all.
Guild power-up huge. Mid-grade traits each, plus gear from boxes.
Seo Yerim: two legend, one ancient.
Park Siwoo: jackpot from the single box with ancient gear.
‘Sell duplicates for value.’
All feeding back into investments.
‘Bon appétit.’
Solid tournament.
* * *
Back again.
Familiar sights.
The waiting room from before the prelims. Stepping out, massive crowds.
Hundreds of reporters.
Not surprised.
‘The early leavers spread the word.’
Korea's weak in awakeners.
Prelims clear alone sells out nationwide chicken.
But 1st, 2nd, 3rd sweep?
National pride exploding.
Clearing throat for interviews.
“Mr. Kim Minwoo! China announced export limits on key resources! Your thoughts on this incident…?”
… Huh?
China out of nowhere?
Moment of confusion.
‘Ah.’
Kim Minwoo smirked.
Classic.
“Cute.”
“… Pardon?”
“Only major awakener power with total participant wipeout, right?”
“Uh… yeah, but… you sacrificed them as tribute…”
“No idea why?”
“Uh… probably do, but…”
“Whatever. Since it's like this, I'll impose a restriction too.”
“… Restriction?”
Reporters tilted heads.
Boycott Ilsung products?
His influence could manage.
But China wouldn't even feel a scratch…
Then.
Kim Minwoo grinned.
“Got something great from prelims. Supreme elixir recipe. France made a deal with the US just for this, right?”
Gulp.
Reporters swallowed.
Supreme elixir.
US-exclusive production. Leaked only to France and few allies.
The elixir kickstarting US gate dominance in massive resource wars.
For China, under US watch?
Impossible to obtain, no matter what.
“Expensive ingredients. Cost per pill around 800 mil. Gate wars incoming, so surcharge. China's tenfold from now on.”
Ten times?
Ten times cost?
‘…8 billion per pill?’
Basically, don't buy.
“… Guild Master. Planning to sell elixirs abroad?”
“Depends on the situation?”
Loaded answer.
Reporters sensed it.
The board just flipped huge.
‘This'll…’
US and allies rioting first.