Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: 24. Waves (4)
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‘Mm.’
It was somewhat expected.
That the items the other side was offering wouldn’t be ordinary.
But this went two levels beyond even Youngwoo’s expectations.
‘A merchant selling Legendary grade items.’
The highest grade from any merchant he’d met so far had been Epic.
Even those couldn’t be bought no matter how much Karma one had. They required a trade for Legendary achievements only.
Yet this merchant wasn’t just selling Epic grade items for Karma—he even had Legendary grade goods.
This was an unprecedented deal.
3 ― 「Loom’s Floor」 - Legendary Sword Art
【Fights like a prisoner.】
◇ Local Martial Art
‘Loom’s Floor… But what does fighting like a prisoner even mean?’
Did it mean fighting viciously and dirtily?
Whatever it was, the phrasing suggested it wasn’t some elegant combat style.
“…….”
Soon Youngwoo’s gaze reached the price of the Legendary Sword Art, ‘Local Martial Art,’ and new text appeared in the previously empty space below.
Flash!
[Exchangeable] Gyeongbuk Sword Art – Unique grade
[Unexchangeable] Icheon Sword Art – Relic grade
[Unexchangeable] Yeongdeok Sword Art – Relic grade
…
…
…
[Unexchangeable] Gumi Sword Art – Relic grade
It was none other than the list of martial arts Youngwoo possessed.
The sword arts from Gumi, Gimcheon, Sangju Mun Kyung, Chungju that he’d personally collected, plus the Yeongdeok, Cheongsong, and Yeongju Sword Arts held by the Nameless Gyeongbuk First Sword (true), and even the Icheon Sword Art of Icheon First Sword Kim Byung-chul, who had been sacrificed to him.
“…….”
Seeing the sword arts listed out long like tombstones, Youngwoo felt a pang in his chest.
He’d thought he’d tried not to kill too viciously, but this showed the number of people he’d killed wasn’t small at all.
Nine sword arts that had served as guardians of their regions, plus the Gyeongbuk Sword Art obtained in the process of collecting them—for a total of ten martial arts in Youngwoo’s possession.
‘And among these, the only one exchangeable for that prisoner sword art is the Gyeongbuk Sword Art.’
Moreover, the Gyeongbuk Sword Art was Unique grade.
Two whole levels below the Legendary grade Loom’s Floor.
‘I thought the Gyeongbuk First Sword title was Epic grade, so the sword art would be too, but it was just a sub-option.’
Even in this moment, Youngwoo learned something new.
In any case, he felt he absolutely had to acquire that problematic sword art.
‘In an hour, the odds are high I’ll be clashing with the Gangnam First Sword. So I need to head into the meeting with every bit of power I can muster.’
He’d already used up all his friend summons for the day, so this transaction was practically his last chance to create a variable.
“I’ll take Loom’s Floor first.”
As Youngwoo decided on the sword art, the intermediary Kubu blinked.
―Confirmed. Would you like to see other items?
At that, Youngwoo’s gaze returned to the item list.
1 ― 「Broken Scales」 - Unique Ring
【Strength -30%.】
【Endurance, Sense +40%.】
◇ 680,000 Karma
Broken Scales.
As a Unique ring, buying this would let Youngwoo complete one achievement.
[Jeweler’s Touch]
|Equip Heroic grade or higher rings on both index and ring fingers. (3/4)
He just needed one more Heroic grade or higher ring.
‘But Strength’s value is too high. It affects movement speed too.’
Plus, the Sense boost from the scale ring was a stat that always gave Youngwoo an edge over opponents.
‘In total stats, it’s definitely a gain… but actual value? I don’t think it’s worth 680,000 Karma.’
At least not for him.
Youngwoo judged the Broken Scales a trap item and skipped it.
‘Then what’s left is.’
2 ― 「Masochist’s Proof」 - Epic Gem
【Slot: Strength +25% while bleeding.】
◇ 1,700,000 Karma
The final item, Masochist’s Proof.
In truth, the moment Youngwoo saw the item list earlier, he’d decided he had to buy the Masochist’s Proof.
His body regeneration was superhuman thanks to the slime core.
Of course, ending fights without bleeding at all would be ideal……
‘Against the Gangnam First Sword, that’s impossible. Plus, 25% Strength… even self-harm to bleed is worth it.’
If anything, he worried his fast regeneration might stop the bleeding too soon.
A gruesome idea, but Youngwoo was serious.
“I’ll take the Masochist’s Proof too.”
As he named his second purchase to wrap up the deal, Kubu blinked twice, eyes wide.
―Very well. Transaction confirmed.
With Kubu’s declaration, the black oil inside the pillar of light began bubbling furiously.
Then.
Flash!
Youngwoo’s Karma balance dropped from 5,046,500 to 3,346,500.
1.7 million Karma transferred instantly.
And then.
Rumble!
A bubbling pool of oil formed at Youngwoo’s feet, pushing up a palm-sized red gem onto the ground.
Swoosh.
Youngwoo bent down to pick up the ‘Masochist’s Proof,’ and judging the item safely delivered, Kubu blinked and spoke.
―All transactions completed successfully.
“Yes, thanks for your hard work. Both sides.”
Youngwoo said this while looking toward the merchant, but the now-still oil mass showed no reaction.
* * *
Masochist’s Proof and the Legendary Sword Art Loom’s Floor.
After buying both items from the origin-unknown prisoners, Youngwoo used the gem item first as soon as the deal ended.
Piiing!
「Frightened Cat」 - Epic Compass
【Points to threatening targets.】
【Strength +25% while bleeding.】
The gem slotted into the empty spot on his Epic compass ‘Frightened Cat,’ adding a new tooltip line, just like with the Kekidade.
From now on, as long as he was bleeding, his Strength would rise 25%.
‘But does this really work?’
An outrageous effect befitting Epic grade.
Youngwoo glanced at the now-irreplaceable Frightened Cat, then belatedly pulled up the title tooltip.
Flash!
Sure enough, the Gyeongbuk Sword Art was gone, replaced by unfamiliar text.
「Gyeongbuk First Sword」 - Epic Title
【Prestige of the First Sword】
【Voting Rights Holder】
【Loom’s Floor】
‘An Epic title with a Legendary Sword Art.’
He wouldn’t be using the Gyeongbuk Sword Art anymore—could he still call himself the Gyeongbuk First Sword…?
The doubt crossed his mind briefly, but it didn’t matter. Far better than coming to Seoul and ending up a corpse.
‘Now, just how to spend this money.’
* Available Karma: 3,346,500
Youngwoo now had about 3.34 million Karma in cash.
Equivalent to 3,340 stat points.
Finally, he could pull his average stats up near 2,000.
『Character: Jeong Youngwoo07』
[Strength] 1,300 (19+1,281)
[Endurance] 950 (21+929)
[Durability] 1,150 (13+1,137)
[Sense] 700 (24+676)
‘Top priority stat is Strength… then Durability and Endurance.’
To properly wield great Strength, he needed balanced Durability and Endurance to control it.
Normal movements were fine, but in a First Sword duel requiring sustained max output, it consumed massive stamina and stressed the body heavily.
‘Sense I can steal from opponents anyway, so it’s not urgent right now.’
Plus, in real combat, Masochist’s Proof would boost Strength over 25%, so Youngwoo invested 1,500 points into Strength, splitting the rest evenly between Endurance and Durability.
『Character: Jeong Youngwoo07』
[Strength] 2,800 (19+2,781)
[Endurance] 1,850 (21+1,829)
[Durability] 2,050 (13+2,037)
[Sense] 700 (24+676)
* Available Karma: 46,500
His Strength, originally just 19 base and 1,300 total, skyrocketed to 2,800 in an instant, leaving him inexplicably nauseous.
‘I wasn’t human before, but now output’s doubled. How much stronger can I get like this?’
Moreover, Youngwoo’s current stats slightly exceeded Seoul’s Day 2 First Swords.
Thus, the First Swords who’d monopolized mutators up to Day 3 would have at least 2,000 more points each.
‘At this level, the real threats aren’t mutators—it’s the First Swords. Walking bombs in the city.’
Maybe that’s why Gwanak First Sword Jo Sang-ik distrusted the Seoul Alliance.
“…….”
Finishing stat allocation wrapped up all his business in Gwanak, so Youngwoo naturally looked north.
As if reading his intent, Negrig approached, snorting fiercely.
Snort!
Now it was truly time to meet Seoul’s First Swords.
* * *
2:23 PM.
First Swords across Seoul were tilting their heads.
They were preparing to head to the meeting when a bizarre message arrived from the Gangnam First Sword.
《If you spot an out-of-towner riding a horse, please bring him alive to the meeting hall. I beg you.》
This was the function of Gangnam First Sword’s signature gear, ‘Wave.’
「Wave」 - Unique Ring
【Voice transmission to First Swords in acquired region.】
|Region: Seoul
An unrivaled item that let him send his voice to any Seoul-affiliated First Sword.
The reason Jeong Hyun-sik was central to First Sword meetings was entirely thanks to this item.
But the message’s absurd content split the First Swords’ reactions sharply.
“Riding a horse? Has the First Sword gone senile?”
Some mocked Jeong Hyun-sik behind his back.
“Jeong Hyun-sik saying ‘I beg you’…? What the hell happened?”
“Ask Gwanak—they’ll know. Something blew up there today.”
Others sensed something serious from the sender’s position.
Even those not yet at the meeting.
“Things are getting interesting.”
“No way someone’s deliberately riding a horse around? Why……?”
“What’s going down at the meeting?”
Began seriously considering attending.
They could tolerate anything but a ‘horse-riding out-of-towner.’
And the protagonist of the ‘mounted rider urban legend’ that spread instantly across Seoul, Youngwoo, was.
Roooar!
Riding Negrig at full gallop toward Dongjak Bridge.