Chapter 287
Chapter 287
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 287
Chapter Title: Styx (1)
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Growth has no set method.
In the early days, all sorts of theorists and researchers popped up, preaching about [How to Become a Strong Hunter] and writing papers on it, but in the end, it all proved pointless.
Even setting aside the fact that everyone has unique abilities.
The same method yielded wildly different results depending on the person applying it.
Rather than growth methodologies,
luck, talent, and physicality
felt far more convincing, didn't they?
In fact, consuming elixirs was one of the methods that enjoyed massive popularity right after the cataclysm.
- Eating an elixir sends energy coursing through your body temporarily.
- If you can assimilate that energy from the elixir, you gain tremendous power.
- Why do you think it's called an elixir!
- It has mystical effects, doesn't it?
Indeed, among those who steadily consumed elixirs, some saw permanent increases in their stats or vitality.
But that was the extent of it.
There was a clear limit to growth through elixirs.
Beyond a certain point, the system simply stopped responding.
As a result, the popularity of elixirs plummeted rapidly.
Guilds that once hunted down elixir makers gradually vanished.
Elixir producers, who had reveled in their top-tier status, found themselves relegated from major guilds to neighborhood shops.
And yet.
There was one who reached high ranker status with just those elixirs.
That person was none other than
World Ranking 99th, Medicine Venerable Ji Do-ik.
* * *
Ji Do-ik's elixirs were excellent.
Not just good—they were exceptionally so.
[Effect 1: Upon consumption, Destruction Experience gain increases by 200% for 24 hours.]
No matter what, it was a growth-related elixir.
One that could make our Bina-sa stronger, too.
I had no idea exactly what 'Destruction Experience' meant, but I could guess.
It had to be the experience toward becoming a Destruction Dragon.
The question was how the hell he'd ended up creating something like this...
"Truth be told, I acquired a new elixir crafting skill after reaching SS Grade."
Ji Do-ik's skill went like this.
[Skill: Desire-Fulfilling Elixir]
[Grade: SS]
[Effect 1: Crafts an elixir that grants the wish of the being nearby with the greatest desire.]
[Effect 2: Consumes 100 Vitality, 30mL pine tree sap, 100g Pa-geuk-cheon, and 1 S-Grade or higher dish.]
"Huh."
I let out a gasp of admiration.
An elixir that fulfills desires?
Was it something like the "Wish-Granting Scroll" from the old Delaila trial?
'And moreover.'
If that Effect 1 led to creating the Destruction Dragon elixir...
'That guy...'
I pictured Bina-sa, wailing "Krawala-".
His destructive urges must have been overflowing.
I should talk to Delaila soon.
With her hopping dimensions via World Link, maybe she'd have some ideas?
In my view, the Destruction Dragon needed to play in bigger waters.
'Wait a sec, though.'
My brow furrowed as I looked at Effect 2.
"What's this about an S-Grade or higher dish? The ingredients seem kinda random."
Well, pine tree sap was plentiful around here.
Pa-geuk-cheon was another name for gaejangpung, a herb that looked like ginseng.
"...Actually, that's the reason I came all the way here."
Ji Do-ik wore a complicated expression.
"As you know, there aren't many hunter chefs who can make S-Grade or higher dishes to begin with."
"Ah."
Right.
There were a tiny number of cooking hunters, but even the best topped out at A Grade.
S-Grade chefs were practically nonexistent.
There might be one or two, but I'd never heard of any.
"...So how did you make this one?"
When I asked, Ji Do-ik nodded and spoke.
"I have an older sister I know. She's the best cooking hunter I know. Even that Michelin three-star chef from the invitation back then would weep before her. I got a small portion from her."
He began explaining in detail.
To sum it up:
He knew an S-Grade cooking hunter.
He wanted to raise the proficiency of his SS-Grade skill.
And I needed the Destruction Dragon elixir, too.
So let that chef into Mulung Do-won!
No—make her a member of Byeolcheonji!
"The higher the proficiency, the better the elixirs' performance. Experience gain will increase, and additional effects will stack on. What do you say? Looks like you want to grow your Destruction Dragon, too. This way, we both win, right?"
"Of course, I'm all for it. But wouldn't the sub-guild master have handled something like this already?"
I'd delegated all guild management to the sub-guild master.
"Haha, you know how she pathologically hates requests like this. And don't tell me you didn't know?"
"Pardon?"
"She's blocked all ranker recruitment applications for Byeolcheonji."
Oh, really?
News to me.
Kim Jin-ah had come babbling about something last time, but I hadn't really listened.
I was busy training.
And even now,
an old man was glaring at me with a look that said [How long are you gonna drag this out resting? 12 hours is too short!]
Hmm, just three more hours to go?
"Hahaha, Elder. I'll consult with the sub-guild master on that today—positively."
"...Thank you."
Ji Do-ik bowed his head awkwardly, at a loss.
I bowed back.
* * *
Soon after finishing training, I headed to the guild castle.
The castle, the grandest structure in the city's center, was ornate and stunningly beautiful.
Even the Baroque masterpiece, the Palace of Versailles, might pale before Demir's 「Guild Castle」?
At its peak center was a space made just for me,
and below that, the sub-guild master's office.
[Skeleton Emperor: Sub-guild master, can we meet in your office for a bit?]
I'd arranged to meet her there.
[Kim Jin-ah: Whoa]
[Kim Jin-ah: What's going on?]
[Kim Jin-ah: If it's time with the guild master, I'll make it happen! Wait there!]
I sat resting on the cozy sofa.
Clunk!
Kim Jin-ah burst through the door.
Sweat beading on her forehead,
and dressed in a suit instead of her usual tracksuit—she must've really cleared her busy schedule.
"What's this about? Asking to meet face-to-face isn't like you, Guild Master."
"......"
Oops.
Not like me, huh.
What did she think I was like?
Some deadbeat with zero interest in the guild?
Of course, I knew it was her way of showing she was pleased.
In a way, even my training
was all for the guild.
I asked her point by point what I'd heard from Ji Do-ik.
From the elixir's performance, to the existence of an S-Grade chef, to blocking guild applications.
"Once the guild started growing, ranker inquiries poured in. But I turned them all down. No SS-Grades anyway, and most were on that association blacklist from the raid."
"...Blacklist meaning."
Those who didn't follow Bright Moon Goddess's orders,
or followed at first but fled at the sight of the dragon.
"It's hilarious. They badmouthed you whenever, but now that the guild's booming, they sneak peeks. They have no idea their names are jotted down in my notebook like this."
She pulled a notebook from her pocket and flipped through it with a rustle.
A list of rankers in her neat, tiny woman's handwriting.
I stuck out my tongue in amazement.
"You didn't actually track down and write all that, did you?"
"Only the ones who trashed you or stirred up public opinion. Investigations turn them up easy. Kapu archived all the footage from back then."
Wow.
Impressive.
I knew she was thorough, but this level?
"We have to be sure. Those types would do it again in a similar pinch. Even rankers—no way we're letting them into Byeolcheonji."
As I made a face of respect,
she smirked and said proudly.
"And above all, we haven't even bonded with the second batch of newbies yet? Third batch recruitment announcement comes after that."
As expected.
Kim Jin-ah handled everything perfectly.
That's why I could tune out her reports.
Just yell 'okay,' and she'd nail it.
Harvard valedictorian wasn't won on high-stakes poker for nothing.
"How should we handle Elder Ji Do-ik's request?"
"Hmm, an S-Grade chef... Probably Yang Jeong-ae from Jeongneung-dong in Seongbuk-gu."
"Yang Jeong-ae?"
"Yes. The nation's sole S-Grade chef, recently entered the rankings at 940th. Wanna see?"
She swiped through a large tablet and showed me.
There, under Byeolcheonji's top-secret files, was neatly organized info on Ji Do-ik.
Yang Jeong-ae was listed under the [Rankers Connected to Ji Do-ik] tab.
"...You organized this, too?"
"Essential. Lifetime exclusive to Byeolcheonji means family forever—can't have dirty backgrounds."
Huh.
I skimmed the short summary in admiration.
- World Ranking 940th, Mother Yang Jeong-ae.
- The only ranker chef added after the recent raid incident; many guilds are eyeing her.
- Longtime friend of Medicine Venerable Ji Do-ik.
- Possesses heavenly culinary skills but hasn't started a company or joined a guild.
- Currently runs a restaurant in a slum.
"Restaurant?"
In the world.
An S-Grade hunter and ranker, settling for a restaurant?
Something I couldn't have imagined in the old days.
And living in a slum?
Like a Joseon-era scholar preaching integrity and frugality despite talent?
"Tops the restaurant app rankings in Gangbuk. Limited seats—line up from morning or you're out. Oh!"
Kim Jin-ah suddenly exclaimed and gave me an odd look.
"Wanna check it out while we're at it? Grab some delicious food, scope out who she is?"
"...Shall we?"
I was curious.
What 'heavenly taste' even meant.
Plus, it involved our Bina-sa, so I wanted to confirm.
Of course, the old drunk limited my time.
"Yes! Awesome. Wait here! I'll change into civvies!"
Whoosh!
She finished speaking and vanished like a shot.
Wait, civvies all of a sudden why?
* * *
Jeongneung Valley in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, sits in the North Han Mountain area.
Precisely, a slum.
A kind of shantytown, poor village.
But don't think the land here's cheap.
Prime redevelopment zone—investors flock there, for one.
And after Heavenly Demon God Church settled near North Han Mountain, already high land prices soared further.
Residents believed living near a strong guild guaranteed safety.
Same reason Uiwang-si housing jumped tenfold recently.
Of course, the folks living there were poor, sure.
Post-cataclysm, orphans ran wild.
Those ousted to the streets with mediocre unique abilities struggled to survive.
They barely scraped into the cheap rentals investors offered—that was Jeongneung Valley.
And there stood Jeong-ae Ru(正愛樓).
The nation's top restaurant.
"Hey, long time no team dinner?"
"This Jeong-ae Ru?"
"The taste is killer. Prices fair. Only trap is the long line, but man, how does that granny make every dish delicious?"
Not one or two dishes.
Over a hundred.
And they changed constantly.
Meaning not a specialist in any one—not an artisan, just someone who cooked masterfully.
"Who knows, maybe drugs in the food? We're hooked without knowing."
"For real. Gotta suspect it. In this world, could be rare hallucinogens from dungeons."
A place you suspect but can't turn away from.
Folks braved the steep slopes to head to Jeong-ae Ru.
But.
"What?"
"Temporary closure?"
"Has it ever closed before?"
"...Far as I know, not in nearly ten years."
Already, crowds turned away with disappointed faces.
An ancient pine tree and babbling stream.
At the mountain temple entrance sign between them:
「Jeong-ae Ru(正愛樓)」
「Temporary Closure」