Chapter 182: Preparing for the Spider Hunt
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 182: Preparing for the Spider Hunt
‘I can win.’
Our strength was similar. To be precise, my physical specs were probably a little superior.
I would handle this alone. I could have borrowed the clan’s strength, but knowing Park Hyeri’s personality, she was more likely to target my followers than me.
Even Gark, who I considered the strongest in the clan besides myself, was no match for her. The other clan members went without saying. The Goblin Three Sisters, who were a tier below, and Orbo with his shield, who had a bad matchup against her, would be defeated without a doubt. And Ragia, who lacked martial prowess, was out of the question.
Frankly, anyone at an ambiguous level would just get in the way.
Another reason for this decision was that I saw this as a personal battle, not a clan war. That was also why I wouldn’t seek help from Goff or Black Spear.
I nodded and, for the first time in a long while, entered the Item Shop.
I felt my body shift in an instant, and a small shop came into view.
[Verifying the points of the High-Rank Demon Weapon Specialist, Blood Dagger.]
[Impressive. 3 million points have been awarded to Blood Dagger for rising as the ruler of a region.]
A whopping 3 million points. I hadn’t played the decisive role in taking down Jang Gi Young, but it seemed I received an achievement for dealing with his subordinates and for being recognized as a ruler of the East by Storm Shadow.
“Hurry up and choose, friend.”
“No need to rush me. I won’t be long.”
The creature nodded.
I slowly reviewed my current arsenal.
My most powerful weapon was [Dainsleif]. While it was more advantageous in a chaotic melee than a one-on-one duel, the ability to instantly control blood was a huge merit. If used for a short time, it didn’t even incur a penalty, which made it quite good.
My strongest defensive item was [Aegis's Torn Ring]. It could unconditionally block one major attack. The mana consumption was enormous, but Park Hyeri's style was to wear her opponents down by stacking up injuries. She probably had a single powerful finishing move, so this would be a suitable counter.
My most-used weapon was [Ancient Flame]. This weapon, capable of spewing fire and heat, was the one I used most often. It could be used for harassment and could slowly drain an opponent's health, making it an excellent tool.
The weapon I used for defense was the [Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword]. It was a greatsword that could block all sorts of arrows and ambiguous attacks. I often switched it out with Archmage Isaac's Throwing Dagger. A shield that could block Park Hyeri's attacks.
The weapon that could show the most unexpected utility was not a sword, but a spear: the [World Tree's Rotten Wood Long Spear]. Its effectiveness was already proven when I fought Jang Gi Young.
Finally, there was the [Great Tribe Leader's Hammer]. It was an ambiguous weapon in many ways, but if things went as I planned, its attack power could be beyond imagination. Of course, it might be difficult to use in a fight against Park Hyeri, but it was probably best to bring it along.
The reason I was reviewing my weapons was, of course, because of the reward from my last quest.
‘Special Reinforcement.’
It was only a one-time opportunity, but Special Reinforcement was now available. It was a bit disappointing that I couldn't access the Secret Store, but being able to strengthen one of my existing weapons was a welcome development.
“I'd like to use the Special Reinforcement from my last quest reward.”
“I'll prepare it.”
As the goblin nodded, a blacksmith's forge materialized from the small space before me. Curious if this would allow me to reinforce equipment that was previously un-reinforceable, I immediately focused on the information, and various details began to surface in my mind.
[Equipment Forging, Reinforcement]
[Create new items using materials obtained on the continent or reinforce existing items. As a one-time quest reward, you can reinforce an item that is normally un-reinforceable or upgrade an existing item to a much higher level.]
[Dainsleif - Dain's Legacy - Possible - 3,000,000 Points]
[Ancient Flame - Possible - 3,000,000 Points]
[Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword - Possible - 30,000 Points]
[World Tree's Rotten Wood Long Spear - Possible - 1,000,000 Points]
[Great Tribe Leader's Hammer - Possible - 2,000,000 Points]
So it was possible. It was a bit absurd that Ancient Flame cost exactly three million points, as if it were planned. What I found a little user-unfriendly was that I couldn't see what the weapon would look like after the reinforcement. No matter how I tried to picture it, no image came to mind.
In other words, it was a crapshoot. In the end, I had no choice but to ask the goblin.
“Is there any way to see what it will look like after the reinforcement?”
“Impossible.”
“Why?”
The creature didn't answer. You rarely get a dud from the Item Shop, but I couldn't help but feel I needed to be cautious. I didn't know what kind of reinforcement it would be, but for some reason, I felt that Dainsleif would be upgraded to reduce its penalty, while Ancient Flame or the Great Tribe Leader's Hammer would have their functions enhanced.
It was just a guess, and I'd have to try it to find out, but that was my current impression.
“Hmm…”
“Hurry up and decide, friend.”
The creature was pressuring me for an answer. It was quite irritating. I was tempted to reinforce Dainsleif, but given my trait that increased my critical hit rate when I continuously switched weapons, relying too much on a single one wasn't a good idea.
I was drawn to Ancient Flame.
I hadn't even considered the World Tree's spear from the start. The Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword could be reinforced normally, so it was out. The Great Tribe Leader's Hammer was too new, so it was out as well. I would get the most efficiency from the weapon I was most familiar with. The points were a perfect match, too, so for various reasons, Ancient Flame was the most suitable choice.
Since it was a ‘Special Reinforcement,’ it wouldn't be a mere side-grade. I was sure it would emerge in a much more evolved form.
Since I was relying on luck, efficiency was the most important factor. I swallowed once before speaking to the goblin.
“I'll reinforce Ancient Flame.”
[Using 3 million points to perform a Special Reinforcement on Ancient Flame.]
Ancient Flame floated up and entered the forge. I could hear the clang of a hammer striking a few times, but it didn't feel any different from a normal reinforcement, which made me extremely anxious. The thought of having ridiculously wasted three million points made my stomach churn. After a little more time passed, a pleasant voice rang out.
[Reinforcement successful.]
The important thing was the item's performance. The blade of fire was still there, but its appearance was quite nice, with various patterns etched into it and a stylishly redesigned hilt. It felt like it had grown slightly larger overall.
It was a classic design that didn't seem to have changed much from before. I hurriedly checked its information.
[Levatain - The Ancient Flame that Burns the World acknowledges you as its master.]
It even recognized me as its master. More than that, the name was extraordinary. Naturally, the corners of my mouth curled up. There was no way a weapon with a name like this would have pathetic specs.
[Levatain - The Ancient Flame that Burns the World]
[An ancient weapon with a blade made of fire. Rather than a successful reinforcement, it would be more accurate to say a hidden seal has been released. This weapon, which lay dormant in the earth, was discovered by the great desert warrior 'Dodrak.' Imbued with the magic of the desert warrior Dodrak, the Ancient Flame slowly but surely began to change, gaining the ability to spew fire and heat by consuming mana. However, Dodrak fell in battle before he could draw out the weapon's full power, and the growth of Ancient Flame stopped there. Through this Special Reinforcement, it has reclaimed its former power. Levatain thanks you and acknowledges you as its master.
Greatly increases fire attribute resistance. By consuming a small amount of mana, you can create heat and flames with enough firepower to melt steel. By consuming a large amount of mana, you gain dominion over the flames you unleash.]
[Stamina +3, Strength +3, Magic +2]
A beautiful sight. Truly beautiful. I smiled. It was probably a smile so smug it would look irritating to the goblin.
It wasn't that there were no other additional functions, but I was extremely satisfied with the stat increases alone. Its efficiency was probably on par with Dainsleif, and the important thing was that it had no penalty. The power output was likely on a completely different level than before.
The mana consumption had also been greatly reduced. Complete dominion over the unleashed flames meant I could do anything I wanted with the fire it produced. It felt like I had gained another unique ability. Excluding the penalty, it was as if I now had three abilities, including Dainsleif's.
“Can I test it?”
“Go ahead.”
The Item Shop and the forge would probably be unaffected. I channeled a little mana, and flames erupted. They were incomparably fiercer than before. The wielder couldn't feel the heat, but the visuals were so spectacular that I almost mistook it for being hot. I swung the sword once, and a jet of fire shot into the empty air.
‘Satisfying.’
I smiled. It didn't burn everything like its grandiose title, ‘that Burns the World,’ suggested, but it was definitely a top-tier item. Now I had two items close to the highest tier, along with Dainsleif. The user might have a few flaws, but I couldn't help but think that if I continued to grow, I might actually be able to burn everything with this weapon.
I wanted to reinforce the Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword as well if possible before leaving, so I brought up the reinforcement window again.
[Dainsleif - Dain's Legacy - Impossible - ]
[Levatain - The Ancient Flame that Burns the World - Impossible - ]
[Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword - Possible - 30,000 Points]
[World Tree's Rotten Wood Long Spear - Possible - 1,000,000 Points]
[Great Tribe Leader's Hammer - Impossible - ]
It seemed the World Tree's Rotten Wood Long Spear wasn't a target for Special Reinforcement. It was probably the type that required materials to be upgraded. Come to think of it, I remembered it could be reinforced with materials left over from hunting the eastern magical beasts, so I decided to recall its detailed description once more.
[World Tree's Rotten Wood Long Spear - Possible - 1,000,000 Points]
[Can be reinforced using special materials. Materials: World Tree's Petal (1/1), World Tree's Stem (2/2), World Tree's Leaf (3/3)]
“Huh…”
I'd hunted eastern magical beasts, but I'd never hunted a World Tree. As I racked my brain, something suddenly clicked. What came to mind was none other than Jung Hayeon. Jung Hayeon's race was… an Alraune, modeled after the World Tree's flower.
It seemed the system recognized Jung Hayeon, who belonged to my clan, as my possession. I suspected it wasn't just my will but also Jung Hayeon's own that was involved, and for some reason, I felt grateful to her.
It cost a million points, but I could definitely afford it if I sold the items sleeping in my storage. The problem was, I wondered if my decision would somehow harm Jung Hayeon.
I turned to the goblin once more.
“If I use the World Tree's Petal to reinforce an item, will the Alraune in my clan suffer any penalty?”
“There is nothing of the sort. However, her permission is required.”
“How do I get her permission?”
“I will bring the Alraune from your clan here. Of course, this also requires her consent.”
I didn't know something like this was possible. I nodded. Jung Hayeon probably wasn't doing anything important right now. The goblin in the Item Shop quietly closed its eyes, and a moment later, Jung Hayeon appeared, a look of surprise on her face.
“Taesung-ssi.”
I couldn't tell if she had been told the circumstances or not, but she looked a little bewildered.