Chapter 36: Buying (2)
Sword Sage Seo Jin-cheol.
A swarm of reporters crowded around him.
“Sir Sword Sage! Is it true that you’re tackling the Dragon’s Grave with just five people?”
“That’s right.”
The reporters buzzed with excitement.
The higher the rank of the gate, the more personnel it demanded.
Especially the Dragon’s Grave, known as one of the most extreme difficulties even among S-rank gates.
Even filling a full party of thirty wouldn’t be enough, yet they were going with just five?
And those five weren’t even all composed of S-rank awakeners who had dominated their prime in the past.
Only four S-rank awakeners were on the raid roster.
Sword Sage, Spear Sage, Poison Demon, Fist King.
And the remaining one.
Park Siwoo.
Out of nowhere, there was a fresh-faced awakener whose name no one had even heard of before. A hasty check with the rating office revealed he was an F-rank who had only awakened a few weeks ago.
It was utterly absurd.
‘Tackling an S-rank gate with this lineup?’
‘They won’t even make it to the mid-zone…’
Some reporters even began to suspect the Sword Sage was losing his marbles.
That’s how ridiculous the story sounded.
S-rank awakeners barely aged due to their high status, and their lifespans were greatly extended.
But that didn’t mean they didn’t age at all.
It had been twenty years since the awakeners of the Sword Sage’s era last stepped into a gate.
Typically, that generation’s awakeners focused on mentoring the next instead of raiding gates.
Their top spots in Korea’s awakener rankings were honorary, based on past exploits. So doubts were inevitable.
The reporters hurriedly asked.
“Why on earth is an F-rank awakener on the raid roster?”
“Level doesn’t determine everything.”
“Does that mean he has tremendous potential?”
The Sword Sage nodded.
“This kid will be more helpful than most rookies.”
“…!”
An F-rank who could help in an S-rank gate?
The Sword Sage’s firm affirmation carried massive impact.
Sensing a potential super rookie, the reporters hammered at their keyboards.
Yet their questions didn’t stop.
“The Dragon’s Grave is a place even the top guilds avoid! The last to challenge it, White Tiger Guild, suffered devastating losses and failed. Are you really confident?”
White Tiger Guild.
Once ranked third, they had boldly challenged the Dragon’s Grave in the past and lost most of their forces.
Surviving the mid-zone had been a miracle.
That raid had six S-rank awakeners and twenty-four A-rankers.
And they still failed.
Afterward, White Tiger Guild spiraled into decline. Doubts were natural.
At that moment…
The Sword Sage spoke quietly.
“The current awakener system divides ranks purely by level, doesn’t it?”
The reporters nodded.
Of course, it wasn’t solely about levels.
Even low-level awakeners with exceptional skills or titles could be rated higher.
The issue was that awakeners didn’t want to reveal everything. Who would bare their full strength to the public?
Thus, levels became the standard for ratings.
The easiest metric, one awakeners could share without much burden.
Higher levels usually meant stronger titles, skills, and other factors.
That was the reason.
For dividing ranks by level.
“But that standardization makes ranking convenient, agreed upon worldwide, right?”
“We’re not against it. However, it doesn’t capture an awakener’s full potential. I’ll show you. That we’re not done yet.”
“Sir Sword Sage!”
“Just a bit more for the interview…!”
His footsteps led from the waiting area into the gate.
A massive gate loomed.
The Dragon’s Grave, located in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do. The prepared awakeners awaited him.
Among them, the Fist King stepped forward with a smirk.
“Ha, big brothers. We’ve really kicked the bucket, huh? Getting doubted just to clear one lousy gate.”
“It’s been that long.”
The Spear Sage replied flatly.
His gaze shifted to Park Siwoo as he wiped his spear with a cloth.
The kid the Sword Sage brought.
An F-rank, from what he’d heard.
“Big bro. You called us after ages, but what’s with this kid?”
“My disciple.”
“…Isn’t your disciple Yerim?”
“You heard.”
“Must have some talent.”
The Spear Sage’s eyes gleamed.
If the notoriously picky Sword Sage called him a disciple, his potential was obvious. The Fist King and Poison Demon glanced at Park Siwoo in equal surprise.
Instead of the silent Poison Demon, the wild Fist King spoke first.
“Hey, little punk.”
“Yes!”
“Confident you won’t die?”
“I can protect myself!”
“Ho, really?”
“Yes!”
“Big bro vouches, so I’ll watch.”
“Yes, sir!”
Park Siwoo answered, sweating bullets.
He was on high alert.
Since Kim Minwoo had introduced him to the Sword Sage, all Park Siwoo had done was spar with the old master a few times.
‘Disciple?’
And now, suddenly summoned to an S-rank gate right in front of him.
Not to mention, legendary S-rank awakeners gathered together.
Older, more experienced, far more renowned. His tension was understandable.
Click!
He hurriedly checked his phone.
The last KakaoTalk to Kim Minwoo appeared.
―Bro 😭 I suddenly got invited to an S-rank gate raid. Can I go? I’m level 52, but Sword Sage insisted…
[20 minutes ago]
―Yeah. Total jackpot? He must like you. Go for it.
[1 second ago]
‘Is it really okay?’
Levels weren’t everything, and those four were past legends…
“Hey, brat! Hurry up or what?”
“Yes! Coming!”
At the Fist King’s bellow, he scrambled for his gear.
‘Screw it!’
Bro believed in something, right?
He stepped into the gate.
Soon, the glowing gate dimmed.
* * *
Sword Sage’s S-rank gate raid.
It was utterly unexpected.
He knew the Sword Sage was friendly, but not to this extent.
‘But I like it.’
The Sword Sage’s strength far surpassed this era’s S-rankers.
In an age when level-500 weaklings were called S-rankers.
They were in a different league from his generation.
Sword Sage, Spear Sage, Fist King, Poison Demon.
True awakeners who knew how to fight.
‘Aged out, mentoring from the backroom now…’
If they were active, Korea wouldn’t be called an awakener weakling.
Seemed he gathered old comrades for dragon bones.
Dragon’s Grave?
‘Probably clear it picking their noses.’
Why he sent Park Siwoo worry-free. Even if the kid dragged them down by ten, those four would carry.
‘Plus, poking with the holy sword…’
Experience would pour in.
A golden opportunity for Park Siwoo.
‘Drawing attention like this isn’t bad.’
Post-clear, Park Siwoo would get swamped with interest.
Join the guild at level 101?
Public opinion would explode.
They’d grasp what “elite only” meant.
[Skillbook enhancement successful!]
[Curse of Aging (D)+9 completed!]
“Oh.”
Necromancer’s basic D-rank skill.
He checked the details.
[Curse of Aging (D)+9]
[Consumes 30 mana to inflict Curse of Aging on target. Cursed target’s defense and speed reduced by 20(10+10)%.]
Effects doubled precisely.
‘Took 1 trillion to make this.’
The +8 explosion hurt.
Doubled the cost.
If Skeleton Summon was the foundation of all summoning skills, Curse of Aging was the foundation of all curses. It was essential, so he had no regrets about the expense.
‘Poured in, clear results.’
Speed and defense slashed like that?
One curse and they’re done. Of course, curses weren’t guaranteed hits.
Target’s magic resistance, size, evasion affected success.
Even if landed, too-high-level foes halved efficiency.
Apostles? Might take endless tries for one hit.
But if it stuck, fights got way easier.
No reason not to learn.
Kim Minwoo tallied remaining funds.
10% stake for 5 trillion infusion.
Plus original 300 billion: 5.3 trillion.
Minus 1 trillion for curse skill: 4.3 trillion.
‘Subtract 800 billion for mid-grade elixirs.’
Orc appetites? Food alone minimum 500 billion.
And bones not even calculated.
Average 25 million per party.
With collection notices, plenty of parties farming gates.
Other gates no guaranteed income, but bone gates were sure bets.
Spinning daily…
‘2,000 parties: about 50 billion.’
Two weeks: 700 billion.
Dragon bones pending Sword Sage meet for price.
Level 101 gear to rare across the board: minimum 50 billion. For him and Cedric both.
Total near 3 trillion.
Remaining? Early 2 trillions.
High-grade elixirs: 3 billion each.
800? 2.4 trillion.
Short on elixirs too.
“Whew. Lucky I learned crafting…”
High-grade elixir stage.
From 151, gearing gets brutal. Even with Ilsung backing.
Corporate burden too massive.
‘Time to grow Ilsung.’
Solo growth can’t sustain spending.
Side gigs needed.
Ilsung, the auto-money copier.
Fatten the piggy bank for easy withdrawals.
Why he gladly did the ad model.
‘Heard sales jumped from ads…’
Not enough.
Needed a big splash.
‘Gear and potion sales, time to start?’
Corporations weren’t dumb; they were in it.
Ilsung included, red ocean with tons competing.
But…
‘Mass production + how to beat?’
Even conglomerates had limited artisans.
Here, expand mana pool for unlimited artisans.
No labor costs.
Flood with Ilsung-branded gear.
“And sell cheap.”
Chicken game?
Welcome.
Superior quality and quantity, no losses.
Start low-level gear market. Then mid-level.
Crush rivals.
Then?
Monopolize the market.
‘Not just sales…’
Rentals too.
Endless potential.
Ilsung devours gear market?
Value tens of trillions. Overseas? Hundreds.
Then, justification to demand funds.
Plan perfect.
Then…
Breaking news from nearby auction house TV.
―Wha? Wait… The Dragon’s Grave gate is glowing… G-green! Sword Sage did it! Blazing speed clear… Huh? World record?! Citizens! It’s a world record!
Sword Sage shattered the S-rank gate world record.