Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Gave Graduation Gear to a Retiring Uncle
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Top guild in the country, Mitu Guild's strategy conference room.
A single word circled in red smack in the middle of the whiteboard.
[Always-On Activation]
"Why the fuss over a single F-grade weapon?"
The team leader sighed at the rookie analyst's question.
"Just strap it to your waist, and the skill activates constantly. Now imagine wielding an S-grade main weapon on top of that."
"......It increases your skill slots."
"Exactly. That's not gear—it's a strategic asset. We need to secure that blacksmith first."
Then the door burst open.
"Emergency! The Great Success Blacksmith just announced more stock!"
Great Success Blacksmith here. Been waiting?
[Blacksmith's First Dagger]
[Blacksmith's First Spear]
[Blacksmith's First Staff]
...
Total 100 items listed.
No auction this time—5 million won each.
First come, first served. Get ready, folks.
Whoa... check these options. Dagger has [Stealth] and [Weak Point Scan]? Honey pot stats.
Staff with [Heal]? For real? I'm a warrior, but with that I'd be a healer?
Yo, healers with that cut mana cost in half? Speedrun parties incoming lololol
Arrow with [Auto-Correction]? Turns aim-dumpers into sharpshooters.
All with [Always-On Activation] for 5 mil? Insane value, for real.
In truth, these weapons were all mass-produced automatically, but deep down, there was another reason.
A post from the gallery a few days ago kept nagging at him.
Title: My friend died.
Content: Got surrounded by goblins while hunting them. It was just an F-grade dungeon... If only his gear had been better, he might've lived. So sad. How do I go on without you?
In hunter life, a single bad block, a second too slow, triggers a butterfly effect that ends you all too often.
If these weapons he made could save even one life...
5 million won.
A steal for any F-grade hunter who scrimped a bit.
He hit register without hesitation.
[All items registered in the shop]
The moment he clicked, notifications exploded like crazy.
A quick glance away, and they were all sold out.
Registered items sold x100
Great Success Blacksmith gear acquired by jobless guys—cheers lol
Me first lol
Perennial F-grade porter here. Emptied my bank for a dagger.
Test run in a dungeon just now—soloed 3 goblins lololol
Swept 'em all, for real. From today, I'm the Goblin Slayer.
Lololol hilarious fr, good luck
Wow... trash-tier porter wins 1v3? Gear changes people, but this is nuts.
Wanna buy one too, drop more pls ㅠㅠ
Active hunter here. Dungeon mortality seems down thanks to this guy. Hyped.
One-shot Hobgoblin with Great Success weapon—video
[Video playback]
[Stealth] approach, [Weak Point Scan] stab.
E-grade boss monster drops dead without a scream.
Whoa... E-grade assassin one-shots a Hobgoblin?
[Stealth] option is legit—went full invisible. Perfect stats.
This tier means he needs a rank reassessment, right?
Weapons are straight-up busted, fr.
Watching the reactions brought a proud smile to his face.
His bank balance was dancing right along with it.
[Settlement pending: 500,000,000 won (500 million)]
"......Five hundred million."
He'd made 500 million in an instant.
To withdraw, he'd need official hunter registration and a linked account.
"Guess I gotta go."
Hat pulled low, he arrived at the Hunter Association lobby, which buzzed unusually with chaos.
Whispers everywhere.
"Heard? The Great Success Blacksmith's coming to register today."
"That's why staff are on high alert. Spot him, call the guilds—memo came down."
'It's all because of me.'
He minimized his presence, sinking deep into a chair.
But then a middle-aged man beside him spoke up.
"You here to register, son?"
Worn leather armor.
Cheap long sword with chipped teeth.
The look of a perennial F-grade hunter on the verge of retirement.
"Yeah, something like that."
"Hoho, nice to meet ya. Name's Hans."
He flashed a kindly smile to ease the tension.
Lee Do-ha started guarded, but the friendly uncle vibe wore him down.
Eventually, curiosity won out.
"Uncle, what's with the vibe today? Great Success Blacksmith? Everyone's freaking out over him."
Hans's eyes turned deadly serious.
He launched into a spiel.
"Newly awakened blacksmith, but his weapon options are insane. I've been hunter trash for 10 years, and I've never seen options that good. Swear on my life."
"Ooh, that good?"
Lee Do-ha played dumb, nodding along.
Hans balled his fist with conviction.
"Damn right! I reckon he'll represent Korea. Hell, he might save the country."
Lee Do-ha thought he was overhyping.
"What's got you thinking that big?"
Honestly, he'd just been in it for the cash, not some grand salvation.
"Korea's got villains, sure, but monsters are the real issue. I've rolled for 10 years, and they're getting stronger yearly. How many humans can keep up?"
Ah.
Like a hammer to the head.
Hunter death rates climbing yearly—news stats hit home hearing it live.
"If that blacksmith floods the market? Even us F- and E-grades get better survival, higher clear rates."
His options were survival-focused, for sure.
"O... that makes sense."
"Villains aside, at least one worry off our backs."
He gazed at the ceiling like reminiscing distant past.
Indescribable sorrow in his eyes.
"So what brings you here, sir?"
"Haha, just keeping newbies like you from stressing!"
Sounded like a hasty cover.
"Nah, truth is, I'm here to help out."
His dozing buddy nearby chimed in.
"Huh?"
"This guy's got a friend he couldn't greet once. Gate that day, vanished."
"You idiot! Don't go spilling that—puts pressure on 'em."
Hans waved it off embarrassed, but Lee Do-ha got it.
He truly didn't want to see another death. Praying for nameless rookies after 10 years here.
"So we hand out magic stones from our hunts as lucky charms. F-grade, cheap."
"Take one, son."
He pulled a crudely carved stone shard from his pocket and pressed it into Lee Do-ha's hand.
It was warm.
Warmth lingering in this cutthroat hunter world.
"Uncle, don't you need anything? That gear looks beat."
Hans's kit tugged at his heart. Ten years with scrap like that? Near-miraculous.
"Haha, wanted a Great Success weapon, but sold out in seconds. Would've been great, but... I'm retirement age now."
He smiled bitterly.
Like a sunflower facing sunset, resignation and regret mingled in his eyes.
He's famous among F-grades: Newbie-wrangler Hans.
Secretly looks out for prospects, first to rush for the missing.
"I got help from a guy like you once."
"Customer 32! Customer 32, to the counter!"
That moment.
The clerk calling his number.
Go now, might never see him again.
Maybe cross paths later, but things change.
"Uncle."
Decision made. This guy might be different.
"Yeah?"
"Take this. My gift."
He handed over the spare shopping bag.
"Hoho, no need for that... save it for school, kid."
Hans was curious, suddenly.
"Sorry, but... did you make this?"
What intent behind that question?
Lee Do-ha chuckled lightly.
"Who knows? Maybe."
Like it was hard to say straight.
"It's better than it looks."
"......"
Hans felt bad.
"Just think of it as payment for the lucky charm."
Lee Do-ha gave a quick bow and hurried to the counter.
Behind, rustling as the uncle opened the bag.
He'd resisted to the end, but once he saw inside...
He probably had no clue then.
This chance encounter's ripple on Hans's life.
"Huh?"
"What's up, lad?"
"This... this... look at the options."
They were stunned.
That polite young man chatting beside them moments ago... was Korea's game-changing blacksmith?
His words replayed.
No reason to gift a 5-mil item unless you're the maker.
'Asked if he made it, and he said maybe...'
Timing of the blacksmith hunt plus handing over the item? Reasonable suspicion.
And better than standard stock, too.
They stared blankly at his retreating figure, like a mirage.
"Th-that means... he's the one?"
"Hoo, what a twist."
They weren't young anymore.
Hans, 54.
Charlie, 55.
Lifetime F-grades, mocked, scammed, betrayed—packing to quit.
But now, dream weapons in hand.
"Thanks, nameless blacksmith."
Hans gripped the hilt with trembling hands.
Fading embers in his eyes reignited hot.
"Charlie, one last run?"
"Yeah... with this, we might make it."
Hero for the weak? Or final blaze?
No one knew yet.
One thing certain:
Warmth returned to his cooled hands.
Lee Do-ha knew.
Every time he stepped in,
The world lost options.