Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Exclusive Equipment Creation
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Each and every one of them was extraordinary and superior—ten thousand treasures.
Amidst the dazzling treasures so brilliant they could steal away the viewer's very soul, Aheta had hidden three "masterpieces."
Hidden in such a way that those whose eyes were blinded could never find them.
Hidden so that no one but himself could ever discover them!
He had concealed them with time limits and all sorts of rules.
Thanks to that, it was impossible to gauge their equipment grades or abilities.
No better method came to mind than examining them with his own eyes and hands.
It was perfectly disguised.
Even if he possessed the "Magic Eyes" that could see magic patterns, he still wouldn't have found them.
But.
'He never dreamed I'd amplify the waves and read the patterns.'
Park Chan-woo could sense magic waves.
He had even figured out how to amplify those waves to discern the magic patterns.
All sorts of possibilities had converged, and he had finally found them.
"...It's definite. These three."
All three pieces of equipment bore patterns he'd never seen before.
Of course, roughly 1% of the treasures here also had patterns new to him.
But compared to these three, their magic wave intensity was negligible.
And that wasn't all.
When he amplified the waves, it wasn't just the patterns that appeared.
'Something is sealed inside them.'
Sealed equipment.
It wasn't nonexistent, but it was rare.
Powerful magic waves, never-before-seen magic patterns, and an unknown "seal."
With these three elements combined, he could finally be certain.
Aheta didn't want these to ever leave this world.
One of two possibilities.
Either they were so outstanding he had to hide them.
Or 'there was a reason they absolutely had to be hidden.'
Aren't you curious?
What's sealed inside them.
Why Aheta hid them so thoroughly!
Entering this "Hidden Treasure Vault" wasn't the end.
You had to enter the impossibly inaccessible "Hidden Treasure Vault" and perform an impossibly thorough search to finally reach these three treasures.
Park Chan-woo examined the three treasures once more.
One was a pair of shoes, one a belt, and the last a sword.
Armor, accessory, and weapon.
'They all show similar waves.'
It was a guess, but these three seemed to form a "set."
The kind where all three together fully release the seal.
However, only one treasure could be taken from this treasure vault.
...He couldn't help but agonize over it.
He had to choose the one most useful to him out of the three.
'Coincidentally, all three are exactly what I need.'
Currently, he was wearing "Hermes's Shoes (-92Lv, Ancient)" and "Squeak Belt (-95Lv, Unique)."
He did need a sword as well.
To fully utilize his Magic Swordsman abilities.
Even if his hidden trait "Eternal Sword" allowed him to borrow others' swords, there were limits.
He couldn't keep borrowing forever.
'The sword and belt are the most urgent.'
Hermes's Shoes were still useful.
They boosted movement speed by 50% and let him easily overcome obstacles.
In every way, they compensated for his poor stamina.
However, the "Squeak Belt" was useless except when drawing orc aggro.
He had the "World Tree Staff (-98Lv, Eternal)" as a weapon, but it fell a bit short for fully leveraging his Magic Swordsman role.
He really needed a sword.
Moreover, the World Tree Staff itself was nearing replacement time.
His current level was -84.
Replacing all gear every 20 levels or so was most efficient.
'I extended the staff's life a bit with the Latent Ability Scroll...'
With +10 Stamina and +100 Attack Power, it should hold up to around -70.
But eventually, the "World Tree Staff" would need replacing too.
No harm in preparing ahead.
Or securing a replacement outright.
'A sword.'
Among his possessions, he didn't have a single sword.
He couldn't wield it alongside the staff, but switching should be possible.
...Five minutes left.
He had to decide within that time.
It was truly an epochal dilemma.
Since they all had similar patterns and waves, whichever he chose wouldn't make a huge difference.
Plus, the moment he took it out, it would complete as "exclusive equipment."
In other words.
It meant one more round of enhancement.
Astronomical materials would naturally be required for forging exclusive equipment.
Aheta would take another bone-crushing hit.
He was already losing one irreplaceable treasure, and on top of that, all the resources needed to complete it as exclusive gear.
Therefore, he needed to choose the type that would yield the highest efficiency.
'Sword or belt. One of the two.'
Hermes's Shoes were still useful.
If he replaced them and lost the movement speed option, it could even be a downgrade.
Once he grew enough that obstacle traversal and speed boosts were unnecessary, they'd be appealing—but not right now.
The final minute.
His heart pounded wildly.
This one choice would drastically shape his future.
Sword or belt.
Both were gear for desperately needed slots.
The agonizing choice dragged on.
He couldn't pick easily.
Even if it was a "set," there had to be slight differences.
Something that would help him even a little right now.
Something with even slightly better options.
Thud!
After all the agonizing, Park Chan-woo made his decision, clutched the chosen equipment, and hurled himself out the door.
Screeech!
Bam!
The door slammed shut simultaneously.
"......"
Moon's Lord Aheta.
Aheta's form was imperceptible, like a shadow itself.
The pitch-black darkness that stained him stood silently, surveying the 'Hidden Treasure Vault'.
Then he gazed at the two treasures left right before where the 'entrance' had been.
"...How did he find them?"
All three had been found.
And one taken.
Even if some absolute being helped, the moment they entered this 'Hidden Treasure Vault', all connections severed, preventing aid.
Even if possible, these three treasures shouldn't have been found.
If he realized what these three pieces meant, he'd surely return here.
But he couldn't move them elsewhere.
The rule was they must stay only in the Hidden Treasure Vault.
A rule even Aheta couldn't break.
That was when it happened.
A message appeared before Aheta's eyes.
This too was a rule set to cloud the eyes of those who entered the 'Hidden Treasure Vault'.
To tempt them with the promise of exclusive equipment, ensuring no regrets over hasty choices.
But...
He took the one treasure he absolutely shouldn't have.
"......"
Even the three treasure vaults were additionally looted.
The treasures Aheta had amassed over a lifetime.
Treasures procured through countless wars over eons.
All turned to dust in an instant.
Out of over a hundred treasure vaults he owned, three were completely emptied.
"...I can't leave this be any longer."
On the night of the full moon, "night" continues.
The first night failed, the second night too.
'The third night will be different.'
It hurt, but it had sparked interest and amusement.
It had been a long time.
No race had shaken him like this since the dragonkin.
A race that had so perfectly conquered his "night."
So.
For the third night, he'd prepare properly.
Make this second night feel like a distant memory.
Win thoroughly.
The issue was Hanshin.
Whether to leave Hanshin be or invest more.
'...Hanshin still has utility.'
This time, luck was on his side.
He revived with a sudden blessing at the brink of death.
Devoured the doppelganger and "evolved."
Hanshin.
The bastard was no longer clearly "human."
What results this would yield was unknown, but it created possibilities.
'I'll use you until the Racial War.'
Racial War.
There, Hanshin would serve his purpose.
Until then, investment was needed.
Without his help, Hanshin couldn't grow quickly anyway.
Mutual exploitation.
Such a relationship was fine.
But.
"......"
The stolen treasure still nagged at him.
Forged into exclusive equipment, it was gone for good.
No method could reclaim it.
...That was the moment.
"...?"
What?
What did this mean?
Exclusive equipment crafting great success?
He knew of it, but the odds were abysmal.
Less than 1% chance.
But he couldn't have misread it.
Even Aheta, who had lived eons, had never seen such absurdity.
10% of his treasures vanished.
Just for one "exclusive equipment."
"......"
Aheta was speechless.
Who the hell?
What bastard robbed his treasure vaults?
"I will never...
Forgive this."
Aheta's entire body flushed red.
He hadn't been this furious even against the dragonkin.
No matter what, he would find them.
And absolutely...
"...kill them."