Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Intruder (1)
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“Whoa, check this out.”
I stared at the colorful array of items laid out on the table.
“A necklace that lets you experience the life of an ant for 10 hours when used? No way something like this exists?”
“Hoo. Is this a modified Polymorph skill? In our world, only dragonkin can use that technique... Even if it’s just for ants, that’s impressive, Master.”
“Impressive...? It’s just some insane gimmick. Who the hell would even...?”
For reference.
All ten weapons I’d bought this time were completely unhinged.
From a self-harm staff that unleashed ‘Lightning Storm’ (B-grade) every time you cut off a finger.
To a belt that boosted stamina instead of strength during weight training.
“...?”
Stamina?
Hmm.
This one might actually sell for a good price?
I placed my hand on the belt.
[Item: Man’s Belt]
[Grade: C]
[Type: Belt]
[Description: A magic belt for protecting the waist during heavy lifting.]
[Effect 1: Increases composure instead of strength. Note that this is mental fortitude (定力), not physical vitality (精力).]
‘Mental fortitude, not physical vitality...?’
A quick dictionary search revealed it was something like the Buddhist concept of concentration and resolve, not the usual connotation.
“Damn, total garbage.”
Just looking at the effect made my sanity waver.
“Who makes items like this?”
“Of course they do, Master.”
Demir grinned and gathered the items together.
Then he started hammering them wildly.
“Crazy items need a crazy beating. You know what they say? Even weapons need a good smack to come to their senses.”
“...”
Boom! Clang!
He pounded relentlessly until the leather mashed and the metal crumpled into one mass.
A clear aura of madness emanated from Demir as he did it.
“As expected... To make crazy items, you have to become a crazy bastard yourself?”
“Get started, Master.”
“Me too?”
“Like last time. Visualize your intent. Infuse it with courage.”
“Suddenly courage...?”
I tilted my head.
Demir kept hammering as he continued.
“Simply put, go crazy. A courageous master is the maddest bastard who won’t lose to anyone.”
“Huh?”
Our Demir.
What kind of cute nonsense was that?
It felt strangely off-putting.
A summon calling its master a crazy bastard... This was starting to feel a bit sad...
That’s when Demir grinned and spoke again.
“The definition of a madman varies from person to person, or even race to race on a grand scale. For us rock folk, gathering these bizarre items and melting them down to synthesize is the height of madness...”
As I thought.
He wasn’t just acting crazy for no reason.
“The people here call challengers like you mad bastards—ones who could give up but don’t, who could stay put but throw themselves forward without holding back, charging toward their goals to the end! We call that courage.”
“...”
“Well, if that’s how humans measure madness, we can just play along! Come on, hammer with me! Hammer with courage! Hammer like a madman!”
I stared at Demir in disbelief.
This guy.
Had he always been so good at spouting bullshit like it made perfect sense?
Anyway.
It felt like a compliment, so I’d let it slide.
Still.
“Will this really make a proper item?”
“Why tell you? It’s embarrassing to brag, but... I was a master smith who dominated an era.”
“...Okay.”
Fine.
No more thinking.
When did I ever think first?
I act first, think later.
I was kinda looking forward to it anyway.
What kind of item would be born from this?
Clang! Clang!
I circulated the Azure Purity Heart Method, infusing courage into every hammer strike.
‘Challenging that old man in the unidentified dungeon.’
‘Facing the Trial of the Sun head-on.’
‘Confronting the Giant Dragon.’
And so on.
Ah, yes. I finally understood what Demir meant.
‘I really am a madman, huh?’
Not even a ranker.
Yet every step I took was spectacular.
If I told other hunters about grabbing one on the street and going through all this, who’d believe it!
“Perfect! Master! This is going to be an amazing creation! Great! Got any more dynamic memories? No, no need! This intent is plenty! Just focus on making it more vivid!”
[Completion: 2%]
Alright, here we go again.
Focus.
This is a marathon now.
Pour my utmost concentration into crafting the best item possible.
Clang! Clang!
Scribble scribble!
The second floor of the workshop filled with two sounds.
Demir’s hammering.
And Kim Jin-ah’s ledger work.
Scribble! Clang! Clang!
Simple sounds.
But filled with passion, they formed a beautiful melody.
* * *
Thud thud.
A man walking through Apgujeong’s streets turned his gaze to one building.
More precisely, to the building of 「Demir Workshop」, the current hot topic.
A man radiating an ominous aura that couldn’t be ignored.
He was none other than Ranking 720, the Shadow Walker.
“A workshop, huh.”
He smirked.
“Burning 30 billion just to kill one production-class hunter... What a chaebol. All for that damn pride.”
Oseong Group’s spoiled brat, Shin Jong-oh.
Tasked by him, the Shadow Walker had spent two days thoroughly scouting the area.
‘No real threats.’
No ranker-level presences nearby.
The so-called Demir Workshop owner didn’t give off anything particularly noteworthy either.
Stronger than average hunters, sure.
‘The world is vast, and the walls are high.’
He was a ranker.
The gap with non-rankers was too vast to explain.
“Time to handle it.”
The Shadow Walker manipulated shadows as a spellcaster.
He preferred moderately lit environments.
No light, no shadows.
Ssssh!
Kicking off the ground, the Shadow Walker infiltrated the building.
Clang! Clang! Scribble!
Hammering echoed through.
‘They’re focused on something else? This’ll be even easier.’
He gripped a forearm-length dagger in reverse.
Up to the second floor, sever the neck in one go, and vanish.
Staying in the shadows meant no CCTV issues...
Ssssh!
“What?”
A sudden presence made the Shadow Walker whip his head around.
“A skeleton?”
There stood a skeleton wielding a long spear.
The Shadow Walker was slightly flustered.
Had a mere skeleton detected his stealth?
And worse, the skeleton was speaking, which creeped him out.
“How did you enter this place? And with such concealed killing intent, no less.”
“A talking bone... Heard about it, but seeing it in person is wild.”
The Walker’s curious gaze fixed on the Sun Spear.
His face showed no tension.
These things couldn’t match him anyway.
Ssssh!
Emerging from the shadow, the Walker thrust his dagger.
“You one of the undead from the workshop owner’s skill?”
“Our lord, you mean? More like, what a bold intruder. Tsk. A weakling who couldn’t last a single exchange dares to invade.”
“Keuk, skeletons and their bravado. Entertaining, though.”
The Shadow Walker snorted.
Wasn’t it ridiculous?
An undead talking like a real person.
“Just die.”
Flash!
The Shadow Walker elegantly swung both hands.
His shadow-infused dagger split into two streams, charging at the Sun Spear.
“You’re the intruder. Heard the alarm and came, Sun Spear.”
A woman’s voice rang out.
At the same time.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Dozens of arrows flew toward the Shadow Walker.
“Hmm?”
The Shadow Walker paused, deflecting all the incoming arrows.
He could’ve ignored them, but the internal energy in their trajectories was no joke.
It felt like getting hit would spell disaster.
“I’ve cast a spell on them. In short, if they hit, the area gets flooded with light?”
“...”
What kind of skill was that?
Shadows were weakest to all-encompassing bright light, his specialty’s bane.
‘...This is off.’
The Shadow Walker felt a chill.
Just summons from some B-grade hunter.
Yet something felt wrong.
Their power was weak, sure.
But it felt like vicious monsters lurked within.
‘Finish quick.’
Just a bad vibe.
Taking down B-grade skeletons was child’s play for a ranker.
[Using skill, ‘Clone’ (S-grade).]
Ssssh!
The Shadow Walker’s form split into two within the shadow.
One dummy—a decoy.
But no ordinary one.
It dealt full damage too.
[Using skill, ‘Shadow Strike’ (A-grade).]
Slash!
From behind the Sun Spear and Eldrin, the Shadow Walker’s elegant sword strike targeted their napes.
‘Hm?’
The Shadow Walker frowned.
They’d dodged by a hair.
Weak power, but insane skill.
Deflecting greater force with minimal effort.
‘As expected.’
They knew how to control their strength?
“Hmm, definitely still too tough for us. Bitter, having to retreat against such trash.”
“Indeed. We’ve trained hard, but regaining our full power is still far off.”
The skeletons’ words felt off too.
Why did their bravado sound like composure?
But one thing was clear.
No matter what they tried, they couldn’t touch him.
‘End it and bail.’
Ha!
The Shadow Walker kicked off again.
* * *
“Hmm.”
I canceled the activated Azure Purity Heart Method.
And stood up.
[‘Sun Spear’ summon released.]
[‘Eldrin’ summon released.]
Their summons had been canceled.
Meaning they’d already been taken down by someone.
Of course, beyond that.
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[‘Security Setting’ (A-grade) activated!]
[Intruder detected!]
I’d known thanks to Eldrin’s security alert blaring earlier.
“Master. The alarm’s going off.”
“Yeah, Demir. Doesn’t seem like an ordinary guy.”
Sun Spear and Eldrin were down.
Anyone who could unsummon both that quickly.
“At least S-grade... Worst case, a ranker.”
Ranker.
My goal, transcendent beings... beyond hunters.
Gulp.
Tension swallowed me whole.
Different from dungeon nerves.
The sheer intimidation of the name ‘Ranker.’
“Jin-ah, head to the third floor and hide.”
“O-okay.”
Kim Jin-ah, trembling and glancing around, bolted upstairs.
Flinch.
I shuddered for a moment.
Having mastered the Azure Purity Heart Method, I could sense qi flows around me.
So I easily detected someone watching me.
I muttered toward the corner.
“What’s your business?”
“Whoa, you knew? As expected of the guy commanding those weird skeletons.”
Ssssh!
A figure emerged from a shadow on the second floor.
A dark dagger gleamed in his hand.
“But bad luck. Those two summons of yours are already scrap under my blade. Why piss off someone with money?”
“...”
That one line.
And I knew the situation.
Shin Jong-oh, that bastard.
Had crossed the ultimate line.
Emerging from shadows? Had to be the Shadow Walker.
‘Oseong Group’s pet ranker.’
No way I, obsessed with rankers, didn’t know him.
That instant.
Killing intent surged from afar.
“Hup!”
Clang!
I instinctively drew my sword and swung.
The heavy impact repelled him once.
“Hoo?”
The man’s eyes widened.
Genuine surprise.
Yeah, I was shocked too.
Even a casual swing blocking a ranker’s strike?
‘Slash’ (B-grade).
Born from grueling training, my personal cut.
Even at B-grade, this power.
The greatness of mastery, indeed?
‘But.’
That’s all.
To face a ranker, I needed full focus.
I quickly resummoned Sun Spear, Eldrin.
Bone One, Bone Four, Bone Five.
“Milord.”
“Sorry, we should’ve bought more time.”
Sun Spear and Eldrin reappeared.
“...”
At the same time, I cleared all stray thoughts from my mind.
The being before me was a ranker.
Focus.
Immerse.
He was the kind of existence where even pouring everything I had gave less than 1% survival odds.