Guardian of the Night Sky
The Hunter Police Station in Namsan District, Busan, was chaos inside and out.
Outside, reporters and YouTubers had set up camp in a tight circle. Inside, they were frantically investigating thirty-two caught smuggling criminal hunters and nineteen related accomplices.
But another rare scene was also unfolding. Even hunters from other districts were standing frozen at the entrance, completely blocked from entering.
“Joint investigation? Absolutely not.”
“Hey, Chief. No, Commissioner Won-tae Lee! Isn’t this within our jurisdiction? The seed of this case was Park Wonchang, whom we caught in Changwon!”
“Still not happening. Despite you naming Detective Kim Taesu as the suspect.”
“If it weren’t for you sending Detective Kim Taesu, Park Wonchang would still be alive! We caught those guys! So, how about we split them nicely into sixteen each?”
“I’m hanging up. As you know, I’m too busy right now.”
“So you won’t make it less busy if I—”
[Call ended]
“Ha… my head.”
“Chief, you absolutely cannot hand this over to other Hunterpol departments. There’s a possibility that the ‘Night Fang’ exists even within the Hunterpol. And we must find out who the top line is behind the customs officials involved in smuggling!”
“I know, I know. But, Manager Jo Chiyong.”
“Yes?”
Surprisingly, the once balloon-like giant body of Jo Chiyong now sported an appearance that was hard for anyone to recognize. 189 cm tall, around 75 kg, tall and lean with muscular build. Who would guess the extreme chubby Jo Chiyong was standing before them?
“The NIS is trustworthy, right?”
At the chief’s words, Kim Taesu flared up.
“Chief!”
“Stay quiet, man! How can we investigate fifty people among ourselves?! The NIS is at least better than that!”
Jo Chiyong’s reason for being here was much the same.
“This case has been under the NIS’s investigation for over three years. And, though it’s regrettable to say to Chief and Detective Kim, it’s ultimately a case being transferred to the NIS. The size difference is huge.”
“What? Those bastards said the bear does the tricks and the pig eats the beans. What exactly are you investigating for this case? You guys were probably just caught in our operation anyway!”
Kim Taesu fired back, irritated.
“Calm down, calm down. Mister Kim.”
“This idiot’s changing to the ‘mister’ concept now?”
“Concepts change when they need to. But Detective Kim, whose idea was this operation? Jesus Christ! The NIS even got fooled!”
Kim Taesu wondered if he should reveal that it was Lee Doosik’s work, but decided against it.
For now.
“Naturally, it was my idea.”
“Seriously? You bad ass.”
“Stop the concept crap. Really envious, man.”
“Okay. Got it. But if Mister Kim’s idea for this operation… would you ever consider coming to the NIS? As a special direct hire for experienced personnel.”
At those words, the chief clapped his hands in welcome.
“Please! Please take him, Taesu. Manager Jo. Please, please take this guy Kim Taesu with you, please!”
“Oh Chief, what kind of talk is that! Not at all!”
“Damn it, who’s going to feed you rice and soup? And this is all for your benefit. Win-win for everyone. Right?”
“Hyung!”
“Calm down, calm down. There are so many bastards out there to fight! We don’t need to fight among ourselves.”
Jo Chiyong stepped in to mediate.
“Actually, let me ask something. What do you mean the size of this case is different?”
Kim Taesu asked Jo Chiyong.
Jo Chiyong shook his index finger left and right.
“Top secret, but if you become an NIS agent, you’ll find out. Currently, Mister Kim is only a detective under the Namsan Hunterpol department. Not a level to share top secrets.”
Jo Chiyong’s teasing words made Kim Taesu’s blood boil.
“I know plenty too, you know?”
“You only planned this case to catch Bae Hyeongsin, didn’t you?”
“The main goal is catching Bae Hyeongsin, but actually, Bae Hyeongsin is at a level where he’s barely the tip of the iceberg.”
Jo Chiyong hesitated.
“‘Where is he knowing up to?’”
Kim Taesu’s momentum didn’t look like boasting.
“China, maybe even Al Babylon.”
“!!!”
Kim Taesu didn’t miss the sudden widening of Jo Chiyong’s pupils.
“Is it true? Is this case connected to Al Babylon too?”
Kim Taesu was surprised by that reaction.
If so, this case was definitely beyond what the Busan Namsan Hunterpol could handle. He couldn’t avoid transferring it to the NIS. Kim Taesu thought hard.
“If I become an NIS agent, I can lead the investigation of this case too, right?”
Kim Taesu knew intuitively.
Now he couldn’t chase after Bae Hyeongsin as a Hunterpol detective anymore. There in China… what to do.
He had to step into the big pond.
“Of course! Of course, that’s why I’m recruiting you. I’ll report it immediately, and the NIS will contact you soon. We’re dying to know all the facts you know.”
“Then there’s no reason to hesitate. Let’s go to the NIS.”
At Kim Taesu’s words, Commissioner Won-tae Lee clenched his fist without any shame.
“Yes!”
To him, clearing a troublesome case was good, and clearing a more troublesome team member was even better.
That day, the case was transferred entirely to the NIS. As expected, since it was a crime spanning national borders.
Coincidentally, Detective Kim Taesu also shed his police identity and transformed into an NIS agent. That was the best option to catch Bae Hyeongsin.
So Chief Won-tae Lee of the Busan Namsan Hunterpol cleanly washed his hands and handed the case over to the NIS with a light heart.
Still, there was a chance he would be specially promoted in recognition of this achievement. Perhaps Chief Won-tae Lee would be the biggest beneficiary of this incident.
Of course, Kim Taesu, who became an NIS agent through special hiring, would be treated as a long-term agent (6th grade civil servant) from detective (7th grade civil servant), so he would gain a bit of a promotion.
* * *
[Oryukdo Gate]
“Kahuru!”
As soon as he entered, the ground shook, and a rattling cough from Kalid echoed. Since that had become quite familiar, everyone was already used to it.
“Tummy… should be healthy.”
The steps heading toward the Breath of Steel workshop were light, almost like a run. Walking turned into running.
Jingling—
[Breath of Steel]
“Boss!”
“Ah, Doosik! Come quickly!”
Geunsik, Minsik, and Cheolsik immediately showed respect upon seeing him. Having become the senior skeleton line and now named ones, they had a proper presence.
“It’s finished?”
“Don’t be surprised, Doosik. The reverse masterpiece dropped. It’s a set, too. Ahem.”
There was a grade to artifacts.
They were divided into three stages: ordinary, premium, and reverse masterpiece.
Comparing to items, ordinary matched general to high-grade, premium rare to unique, and reverse masterpiece legendary to mythical.
Reverse masterpiece…
The heart fluttered.
Currently I had:
Weapon - (Legendary) Tigrial’s Bundle
Necklace - (Unique) Oculus’s Eye
Ring - (Rare) Crimson Luck
Belt - (Legendary) Throne of the Immortal King
Armed with such synergistic cost-performance items. But the artifact made by the boss this time was helmet, cape, and body.
No overlapping parts.
“Ready?”
“Yes! Of course!”
There was something in the shape of a person covered in black cloth. Intuitively, I knew that was my artifact, so I kept my gaze fixed.
Kim Cheolgeun, the blacksmith chief, smiled warmly and held the black cloth, dropping the bait.
“I made it thinking you’d wear it, son. It should please you…”
Once he said that, there was no way I could dislike it.
Even if it displeased, I had to at least pretend.
“Ready.”
At my urging, Kim Cheolgeun chief stripped off the black cloth.
“Oh…”
[(Creation/Reverse Masterpiece) Breath of Steel - Starlight Helmet]
[(Creation/Reverse Masterpiece) Breath of Steel - Starlight Cape]
[(Creation/Reverse Masterpiece) Breath of Steel - Starlight Robe]
“How is it?”
Insane…
“C-C-Chief… this is art…”
“Khh khh, right?”
Beyond cool, it was beautiful.
This was like
Curtain-like auroras of emerald green billowing in the cold night sky of the Arctic, with the point color matched to cool champagne silver, where the jet black stone sparkled nonchalantly like stars.
“Huh? But it’s not armor, is it?”
“Since you’re a summoner type, I weaved Runelite metal into very thin threads to make the robe. Hahaha, ahem, one stitch at a time, one stitch. It’s my robe woven without a single mistake. How is it?”
It’s worthy of becoming a reverse masterpiece.
Weaving metal into threads.
One stitch, one stitch…
That dedication was immense.
“Chief…”
Having something this cool in front of me, I felt awe rather than gratitude or praise. This was truly art.
“Amazing. I respect you.”
The word ‘reverse masterpiece’ was insufficient.
Perhaps because that emotion was conveyed fully, Kim Cheolgeun chief coughed awkwardly.
“Ahem, it’s embarrassing, but wear it. Since it’s a set, there are also set effects. The set options should have come out exactly as you wanted.”
Kim Cheolgeun chief gestured to Geunsik, Minsik, and Cheolsik, and the guys approached solemnly carrying one piece each.
They were about to put it on me.
Naturally, I spread my arms left and right.
“The helmet has a built-in mic and speaker. It can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and when you lift the front mask, it will show your face as you wanted. Since you’re smiling, it can give a reversal appeal.”
“Oh oh…”
In the full-length mirror, the helmet showed an imposing skeletal shape. The texture of the metal, not bone, was properly captured, and the embossed decorations were stylish.
“Wow. Chief.”
“Ahem. The starlight robe can be worn like a light coat. Although it looks like cloth, as I said, it’s woven from thin Runelite metal, so it has weight. The buttons and epaulets have points with jet black and black sapphire…”
The robe was the most pleasing.
This was a thing you could wear outside. But in summer…
“The lining is made of Thermosteel for temperature control…”
“Hah, amazing.”
No matter how hot the summer or cold the winter. Best.
Next was the cape.
“The cape can serve as a hood or raincoat, and can wrap the entire body like a robe to hide the splendor. It’s also quite stylish when wrapped around the neck. With 80% Thermosteel, the temperature control is excellent. Above all, when wearing these three pieces—”
[Set Effect Night Sky Guardian activated]
“The Night Sky Guardian set effect activates, with a faint emerald aura drifting around.”
“Oh oh…”
Night Sky Guardian
[Luck +30]
[5% chance to nullify attack upon being hit]
“G-Great… Luck 30?!”
“How is it?”
“This is a level that transforms your whole body, Chief!”
“Hehe, really? Hahaha. I think the decisive reason this became a reverse masterpiece is the ‘5% chance to be invincible upon being hit’ effect.”
Invincible effect.
It didn’t feel real, but amazing.
Meaning you have one extra life with 5% probability?
Moreover, the set effect was just the icing on the cake.
Combining the effects of three artifacts: MP +5,000, MP recovery +5/s, and when resting HP and MP recovery effects 5 times increased. Plus set effect Luck +30. This was an item made for me.
“Thank you, Chief. I don’t know what more to say in thanks. If you wish, I’m willing to pay extra…”
“It’s fine. Thanks to you, I, as a blacksmith, have taken a step up. And you already gave me over 2 billion won worth of mithril as payment. That’s enough.”
I couldn’t tear my eyes from the full-length mirror.
The words ‘clothes become wings’ were a hundred times right.
It radiated aristocratic dignity.
This was my first time seeing this form, and it felt unfamiliar.
“But Doosik, I have one small request.”
“Yes, say anything. Anything.”
“Um… I’m planning to go to the US for a month…”
I had mentioned it before. Once this job was finished, I was going to meet the family. Now it was clear why Kim Cheolgeun chief looked a little excited: the excitement of meeting the family.
“While I’m away, could you look after the Breath of Steel?”
“Huh? Me?”
“No, actually, it’s fine if Geunsik, Minsik, and Cheolsik operate it. They now memorize even ordinary production recipes. Plus, when the three work together, they can do synthesis, enhancement, and repair.”
Suddenly my eyes sparkled.
“Enhancement!”
Meaning, while the chief was away, I could use this blacksmith shop as I liked?
“In return, you get 30%, no, 50% of the sales that occur while you manage the Breath of Steel. Winter won’t have many customers, though.”
“Really? That’s fine?”
“Hehe, of course. Ahem, ahem. Actually, this place runs thanks to you. Hahaha.”
“By the way, could we expand this place a bit?”
“I’m fine with that!”
I wanted to lie down and worship.