Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Crafting an Epic Artifact (1)
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Ji-hoon continued to tear at a chicken leg, still looking at Hyun-soo as if he were a villain.
“The Dexterity stat…”
Hyun-soo knew the basics.
The five basic stats and the special stats.
The Dexterity stat clearly fell into the special stat category.
And special stats were harder to obtain than the five basic ones.
“I have 63 Dexterity, so why isn't there any noticeable change?”
“Some special stats are like that. It’ll be helpful someday, though. And from what I know, the Dexterity stat is useful in all sorts of ways.”
“All sorts of ways?”
Hyun-soo tilted his head.
An explanation he’d heard from the instructor flashed through his mind.
The Dexterity stat improves any action performed with the hands.
“…I think he said it raises attack power too?”
“Oh, right. It does raise attack power a bit!”
“See?”
“Yeah, putting 1 point into Strength raises your physical attack by about 1, right? But you’d need about 50 points in Dexterity to raise your physical attack by 1.”
Phrased like that, it sounded terrible.
It took 50 points in Dexterity to have the same value as 1 point in Strength.
“But didn’t you say it takes 5 to 6 hours of grinding in the beginner zone to raise the Strength stat by 1?”
“Right?”
Ji-hoon paused, realizing something was off.
“It took me 3 hours to raise my Dexterity by 20…?”
“Huh…”
Others spent at least five hours to gain a single point of Strength, which raised physical attack power by one.
In Hyun-soo’s case, it would take him about seven hours to raise his physical attack power by one using Dexterity.
“Hoh…”
Hyun-soo stroked his chin.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yeah. If what you’re saying is true, the Dexterity stat is only relatively easy to get in the beginner zone. Of course, there’s also my ‘Extraordinary’ notification.”
Ji-hoon nodded.
“Right now, I have to pull out all the stops just to break a wooden dummy.”
He had to seize everything around him, by any means necessary.
“And sharpening blades not only raises Dexterity, but it also gives me money?”
“…”
“It raises affinity too?”
“…”
“And on top of that, it increases attack power?”
“…”
Right, there was no reason not to do it.
A small smile on his face, Hyun-soo chugged his beer and said, “Starting tomorrow, I’m going to gather Dexterity by any means necessary.”
Many a little makes a mickle.
The quest to gather Dexterity to break the wooden dummy was about to begin.
***
The next day.
Hyun-soo saw instructors who had come from the neighboring village to see him.
When he cleanly sharpened the blades of their weapons, an instructor exclaimed in admiration.
“You’re amazing, just as the rumors said!”
“Instructor, are there any farmers around here by any chance?”
“Of course, there are plenty of farmers.”
The beginner zone was, after all, a village.
“I ask because I wish to extend my services to them as well.”
Hyun-soo’s eyes reddened.
“My grandmother used to be a farmer, you see.”
Hyun-soo’s lies were improving by leaps and bounds.
“I want to help the farmers by providing them with better farming tools…”
Hearing Hyun-soo’s words, Instructor Blen was deeply impressed.
“My goodness… You have such a kind heart, young man!”
[Your affinity with Blen has increased.]
To think he would offer his talents with tears welling in his eyes!
“I will tell the farmers.”
“It doesn’t have to be just farmers. Please, tell anyone who might need my help.”
Sharp tools were essential for humanity.
With this, Hyun-soo had secured even more customers.
Before long, Hyun-soo was able to greet villagers arriving from afar, carrying their farm tools.
“Welcome!”
A broad smile bloomed on Hyun-soo’s face.
***
Special User Management Team.
Team Leader Kim Tae-seok met eyes with employee Lee Ji-hee.
Both of their pupils were trembling violently.
“Th-this is it, right?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“We’re not going home, are we?”
“No, I don’t think we are…”
For a moment, both of their eyes grew moist.
“It seems he’s trying to collect the Dexterity stat…”
“What’s that user’s balance?”
“60 gold…”
“…”
Kim Tae-seok couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
How on earth did a level 1 user have 60 gold?
Normal users at that level barely had 3 gold.
“And his Dexterity?”
“Currently 89. It looks like he’ll hit 100 soon.”
“100… Once he hits 100, he’ll get that title…”
Kim Tae-seok’s expression turned grim.
In truth, many users worldwide had over 100 Dexterity.
The user with the highest had even surpassed 2,000.
Thanks to that, the user was enjoying a substantial Dexterity bonus.
But for a beginner user, a level 1 at that, to reach 100 Dexterity was a different story.
Even the user with the highest Dexterity now had only started with about 10 in the beginner zone.
Because of this, Purum Inc. had prepared a reward for such an achievement.
“Ha, what’s the point in complaining? It’s all due to that user Hyun-soo’s ability.”
The reason user Hyun-soo’s Dexterity was rising so dramatically was because of the ‘Extraordinary’ system.
In this game controlled by the supercomputer Ares, the ‘Extraordinary’ notification was special.
It meant that he had performed extraordinarily well, and a reward was given accordingly.
And that reward happened to be Dexterity.
With a look of resignation, Kim Tae-seok said, “Hold on tight.”
“Yes, sir…”
“That user is about to get his Dexterity reward and take ooooffff!”
“Waaah, waaaaaah… He’s taking off!”
Lee Ji-hee gripped the table tightly and pretended she was on a plane taking off.
Making a living was tough.
***
[You have reached 100 Dexterity.]
[Hidden Piece. You have achieved ‘One Who Knows the True Value of Dexterity’.]
[You have acquired 50 Dexterity.]
[You have acquired the title ‘Dexterity for You Alone’.]
“…Oh?”
Hyun-soo had just finished sharpening the last farm tool and was about to head over to teach Ren blacksmithing skills.
Without delay, Hyun-soo checked the title.
(Dexterity for You Alone)
Unique Title
Grade: A
Special Abilities:
· All Stats +3
· Dexterity acquisition rate +50%.
· Sealed (Dexterity 2,000.)
· Sealed (Dexterity 4,000.)
“A…?”
Hyun-soo couldn’t hide his surprise.
After his trip to the pub with Ji-hoon yesterday, he had researched Ares even more thoroughly.
To have received a hidden quest and an A-grade title, he was basically a broken character.
It was nearly impossible to find any case of a level 1 user receiving an A-grade title and a hidden quest.
Especially an A-grade title.
‘Even high-rankers are said to have only seven or eight of them, if that…?’
That’s how rare A-grade titles were.
And Hyun-soo quickly saw why this title was A-grade.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me!”
He couldn’t help but exclaim in shock, even seeing it with his own eyes.
Dexterity acquisition rate +50%.
In other words, from now on, Hyun-soo’s chances of acquiring Dexterity would increase by 50%.
Then, seeing the sealed special abilities, he sent a whisper to Ji-hoon.
[Hyun-soo: I got a title, but what does it mean when it says ‘Sealed’?]
[Ji-hoon: That’s a growth-type title, they’re super rare. If you keep meeting the conditions, additional rewards get unlocked. But why?]
[Hyun-soo: I got one.]
[Ji-hoon: Screenshot pls.]
[Hyun-soo: (Screenshot.)]
[Ji-hoon: …You jerk. You’re blocked T_T]
[You have been blocked by Ji-hoon.]
“…?”
Blocked out of jealousy, Hyun-soo tilted his head.
‘A growth-type title?’
With his best friend having blocked him, Hyun-soo went to the Ares community forums.
He could perform simple searches via a hologram even inside the game.
[If it’s a growth-type title, you can basically treat it as a title one grade higher than its current rank, right?]
[Yeah, every time you unseal a growth-type title, a special ability gets unlocked. So if you got a B-grade one, it’s basically like getting an A-grade. But why? Did you get one?]
[Yeah, I did. My Ares life is finally looking bright.]
[Oh, congrats congrats… So jealous T_T]
[Wow, you got a growth-type title? Those are incredibly hard to get!]
Hyun-soo realized that growth-type titles were far rarer than he had thought.
‘So it could potentially display the power of an S-grade title?’
He felt like he understood why his best friend Ji-hoon had blocked him.
[Ji-hoon: Dude, tone down the bragging from now on.]
[Hyun-soo: sry sry.]
Smiling, Hyun-soo entered Ren’s smithy.
He organized his thoughts.
‘To break the wooden dummy now, I need a better sword.’
To make a better sword, he needed better minerals.
Of course, if he taught Ren, Hyun-soo could obtain ‘Beginner Zone Iron Ore.’
But he wondered if iron ore from the beginner zone could truly surpass a rare-grade sword.
As Hyun-soo pondered, an idea struck him.
‘If I don’t have the minerals, I can just make them, can’t I?’
He was thinking of something other users couldn’t even imagine.
He asked Ren.
“You mentioned there’s a seashore nearby, right?”
“Yes, there is. But why the sea…?”
Ren couldn’t hide his confusion.
Why was he suddenly asking about the sea when he came to teach blacksmithing?
“That’s a relief.”
Hyun-soo smiled faintly.
He set off with Ren.
On the way, he visited the beginner zone’s general store NPC.
The general store NPC sold a great many things.
“Do you have a giant magnet?”
“Yes, we do. Why?”
“I have a use for it.”
He bought the magnet as well.
“…?”
Ren couldn’t comprehend Hyun-soo’s actions at all.
Soon, Hyun-soo and the blacksmith Ren stood together before the vast sea.
Watching Hyun-soo spread his arms and take in a deep breath of the sea air, Ren’s face hardened.
‘Did I make a mistake…?’
Ren had been in awe after seeing Hyun-soo’s blacksmithing skills.
That was why he had asked to become his student.
And yet, Hyun-soo had used up an enormous number of whetstones from Ren’s smithy.
He had even sharpened the instructors’ weapons, which meant Ren himself would go hungry for a while.
But he had thought it wouldn’t matter if he could grow.
But now, after saying he would teach him, he brings him to the sea?
Did he want to play tag or something?
“Sir Hyun-soo, what exactly are you going to teach me here…?”
A look of distrust appeared on Ren’s face.
As for Hyun-soo, looking at the sea felt liberating.
It had been so long since he’d been to the sea, ever since his body had become covered in burns.
Noticing Ren’s disbelief, Hyun-soo said, “Ren, do you see it?”
Yes, he could see it. The damn wide ocean!
But what Hyun-soo said next was shocking.
“The minerals scattered across this sea.”
“Excuse me…?”
Had he gone mad?
To say there were minerals in this sea?
Hyun-soo stepped onto the sandy beach and said, “Fortunately, it seems this place has it.”
Has what?
Hyun-soo pointed a finger at the sand and smiled.
“Iron sand.”
Hyun-soo took a giant magnet from his inventory.
He pressed the magnet into the sandy beach and moved it here and there.
When he lifted the magnet, he saw iron particles clinging to it like sand.
No, ‘iron particles’ wasn’t the right word.
They were so fine, like powder, that ‘iron dust’ was more fitting.
He swept them into a sack he had prepared.
“Ren, today I will teach you about the iron sand ingot.”
“I-Iron sand ingot…?”
“It is a smelting method from where I come from. And one used in the distant past.”
A smelting method that only Hyun-soo’s father could use.
No, now, a method only Hyun-soo could use.
It was a technique once used in Joseon to obtain minerals.
***
Special User Management Team.
“I-Iron sand ingot…? I’ve never heard of that mineral.”
“Not only that. The iron sand ingot doesn’t currently exist in Ares.”
Ares was operated by the supercomputer Ares.
And it was no exaggeration to say that the supercomputer Ares contained all the information in the world.
Lee Ji-hee searched for ‘iron sand ingot’ using the program linked to the supercomputer Ares.
-Iron Sand Ingot. Can be obtained through a traditional Korean smelting method, but is no longer used in modern times due to the availability of various alloys and steels.
-The Ring-pommel Sword of King Muryeong, the 25th king of Baekje, was crafted using this method.
“…?”
The two of them wore expressions of shock.
“A smelting method used back in the Baekje period?”
Team Leader Kim Tae-seok couldn’t hide his astonishment.
Of course, since the information was in the supercomputer Ares, it was possible for users other than Hyun-soo to use it.
But who would even know about something like this?
Various thoughts crossed Kim Tae-seok’s mind.
The ‘Extraordinary’ notification for crafting a mineral that didn't exist in Ares.
The iron sand ingot, a smelting method that actually existed but was absent from Ares.
And he was extremely curious about the quality of the completed iron sand ingot.
Kim Tae-seok’s heart began to beat strangely.
“This is going to be interesting…!?”
A smelting method lost to history was about to be brought to life at the fingertips of a level 1 user.