Chapter 39
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Fragment of Interference
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“A simple horizontal slash... huh.”
[Simple Horizontal Slash Lv.1: Swings the sword horizontally. This skill can be developed further.]
The skill description was as simple as its name.
I drew the Emperor's Remnant and immediately tried to cast the skill.
[Simple Horizontal Slash]
But even when I muttered the skill's name in my head, nothing happened.
“Hmm. It seems to be a skill that only activates under specific conditions.”
No need to be disappointed.
After all, gaining a new skill was a plus.
Besides, though it looked simple, the description suggested it had the potential to improve later on.
As I was about to put down the Remnant Sword with these positive thoughts.
*Fwump.*
Something warm suddenly touched me.
The Sage was rubbing its bouncy body against my right cheek.
Right, it had also finished its analysis and was checking my skills.
“Are you done?”
[The Sage provides a partially analyzed concept of Interference.]
The Sage’s large eye met mine.
[Fragment of Interference]
[A residual wave of the Deterrent Force. In dungeons or gates where Interference is applied, the probability of unusual phenomena occurring increases. It is identified as a mutation phenomenon that appears when a Divine Seat, or some intelligent community, is involved.]
“Deterrent Force?”
Deterrent Force.
I had definitely heard that term before.
When was it…
“Ah.”
The Garden of the Abyss.
The Gardener of the Mother Goddess had said something like that.
That she wanted to sever the contract between me and the unidentified Divine Seat, even if it meant mobilizing the ‘Deterrent Force’.
She had also used the ‘Deterrent Force’ to convey her intentions more clearly.
“In that case, does Interference mean… a power that makes things like dungeons or gates deviate from their original form?”
*Fwump!*
The Sage shook its body from side to side.
It meant that wasn't quite right.
Come to think of it, if that were the case, the word ‘Interference’ should have come up in the Garden of the Abyss as well.
But even though the dungeon’s structure had changed, the word Interference hadn't appeared back then.
‘Then there’s only one criterion to distinguish them.’
The presence or absence of a purpose.
At that time, the Gardener of the Mother Goddess had altered the structure of the Garden of the Abyss to test me.
But the term ‘Interference’ was, ironically, different.
Turning the Amur Ant Kingdom into a burrowing fly den showed no discernible purpose.
If there was a purpose, it was chaos.
A chaos that jumbled the normal and abnormal into a complete mess.
I remembered the queen ant, wailing after losing her kingdom.
If there was an will behind it, it would be filled with malice. Or perhaps, a twisted purity born of ignorance.
I realized it instinctively.
Whether the entity performing this 「Interference」 was a Divine Seat or some massive collective…
It was dangerous.
This was the seed of a disaster.
“Sage. Can you call the Gardener of the Mother Goddess?”
There was only one being who would know the details of this situation.
*Fwump.*
The Sage flopped onto the bed like a sticky rice cake.
It must have been tired from working nonstop.
But soon, a bright light shone from its eye.
[The Beholder Sage attempts to contact the ‘Gardener of the Mother Goddess’.]
And a familiar voice echoed in my head.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess yawns and waves her hand.]
“It’s been a while, Divine Seat. I have something to ask you.”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess tilts her head.]
There was no reason to beat around the bush.
I asked directly.
“Do you happen to know about the concept of Interference?”
[...]
However.
“Divine Seat?”
No matter how long I waited, the Gardener of the Mother Goddess did not answer.
Ten minutes passed.
Just as I was wondering if this primordial emperor had fallen asleep.
A solemn voice echoed.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess states that she cannot speak of it, and that you have no choice but to find out for yourself.]
This was the Emperor’s voice.
She was mobilizing the Deterrent Force.
That’s how much she was emphasizing every single word.
[And she is curious as to how you came to grasp the concept of 「Interference」.]
“I didn’t grasp it. The Sage did.”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess’s eyes widen in surprise.]
It was strange.
After all, the Sage had originally belonged to Sargon.
Yet she was extremely puzzled by the fact that it had grasped the concept of Interference.
The reason was revealed shortly after.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess says that’s impossible.]
[She says that the Beholder experienced 「Interference」 several times while with her, but never once grasped it.]
“Perhaps it’s because of this?”
I pointed to the silver-rimmed glasses the Sage was wearing.
In the first place, ‘Interference’ was a concept it had uncovered by using ‘Sage’s Special Analysis’ while wearing the item.
But once again, the Divine Seat denied it.
[She states that it is not a concept that can be identified with such a toy. She says it means a being of a higher class than herself has influenced the Beholder.]
“Hmm.”
I stared at the Sage, sprawled on the bed.
I thought deeply.
What had made it change?
If not the Sage’s glasses, then nothing much had changed from when it was under the Divine Seat to now.
The only real difference is that it has synchronized with ‘MonMonMak’.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess informs you that the Deterrent Force has been exhausted.]
But my thoughts were cut short.
A stiff, dry voice suddenly echoed in my head.
The exhaustion of the Deterrent Force meant that detailed communication was no longer possible.
In that case, perhaps I should put aside my thoughts on ‘Interference’ for now.
Just then, the Divine Seat suddenly flew off the handle.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess looks at the Sage with pity.]
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess looks at you and bursts with indignation!]
The reason this emperor was suddenly lashing out was obvious.
I smiled faintly and gently patted the Sage's plump buttocks... or what I assumed to be its buttocks.
“I understand. I won’t overwork it from now on, so don’t worry.”
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess glares.]
I shrugged.
What was I supposed to do? The little guy was a workaholic.
The Divine Seat seemed to have thrown in the towel at my shameless attitude.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess turns around.]
“Farewell, Divine Seat.”
*I’m making good use of your abilities, Divine Seat.*
I didn’t say it out loud.
Well, I’m sure the message got across.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess, with her back still turned, shows her back and raises two fingers in a wave.]
...I think it got across.
Seeing her exit in such a cringeworthy fashion.
“You worked hard, Sage. Really.”
I said, stroking the Sage, which was now stretched out on the bed after the Divine Seat had left.
It looked up at me while lying face down and bounced.
“Okay, okay.”
It seemed its academic passion was ignited by the fact that it had only grasped a tiny fraction of the information.
A workaholic summon, indeed.
As cute as it was, a Sage was still a Sage, I guess.
Soon, a status window cautiously appeared.
[The Beholder Sage's efficiency will likely increase if provided with a separate workshop. !(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑]
“Yeah, just use my desk.”
This little thing, subtly pretending to be a status window to push its demands on me.
I think I need to teach it a little lesson.
I smiled and looked at the Sage.
“Or. I could build you one in the Lord’s Castle. Want to go check it out?”
*Fwump, fwump.*
The Sage's sparkling eyes slowly drooped downward.
* * *
I woke up with the Sage in my arms a full day later.
At first, seeing that only ten minutes had passed since 11 PM, when I last checked, I thought I had reached a state where I could even control time.
But then I belatedly realized the day of the week had changed and let out a hollow laugh.
“I guess I really was tired…”
The intense fight with the queen ant had taken its toll, it seemed.
*Fwump.*
Even the Sage was still drowsy, its eye only half-open as it rolled around.
I left it be, got up, and checked the status window first.
[Workshop construction complete.]
The pixelated window announcing the completion had been blinking.
I activated the MonMonMak screen and checked the room built next to Barracks 1.
The Workshop was structured with a magic crafting table and a cauldron bubbling with a suspicious liquid.
When I tapped the room with my finger, an information window scrolled down.
[Workshop]
[You can craft various consumable items and structures using the byproducts obtained from defending against waves.]
[List of Owned Byproducts - Wyvern Bones x20, Half-Dragon Scales x10, Half-Dragon Heart x5, Skeleton Powder x500, Undead Lich's Heart x1]
Consumable items, huh.
A good feeling already washed over me.
Alright, the list! Let’s see the list!
And the moment I checked the list.
“Whoa.”
The sound escaped my lips on its own.
[Currently Craftable List]
[Highest-Grade Poison Resistance Potion, Curse Resistance Potion, Flame Resistance Potion, Anti-Undead Enhancement Scroll]
“These are all highest-grade potions?”
These were items that went for ten million won per bottle at current market prices.
And the scroll would apply as a group buff, so it was worth at least 100 million.
I can make consumable items like these?
It consumed byproducts to craft, but it wasn't like I had worked hard to get them myself.
I was basically getting consumable items worth hundreds of millions for free.
[Crafting Anti-Undead Enhancement Scroll x1.]
As a test, I tried crafting the item that required the most byproducts.
After a brief image of a hammer banging away.
*Vwooom!*
A rift opened next to me.
The same small rift that had spat out the orb.
*Thud!*
And from the scar-like tear in space, a rolled-up scroll fell out and rolled across my studio apartment floor.
A scroll with a market value of 100 million won was rolling around in a room with a 5 million won deposit and 450,000 won monthly rent.
My body froze for a moment at the surreal scene.
Two months ago, I would have fainted.
“MonMonMak, you damn god-tier game!”
I picked up the scroll, uttering a line that sounded like it came from a Hollywood movie.
There was no need to wake the Sage to check it.
This was undoubtedly identical to the undead resistance scrolls registered on the exchange.
“With just this one workshop, I won’t have to spend any money.”
I nodded, looking at the pixelated room that laid golden eggs.
I’d checked the consumable items.
Lastly, what were structures?
There was only one structure I could build with my current materials.
And to craft it, I had to use up all of my most precious ‘Half-Dragon Hearts’ and the ‘Undead Lich's Heart’.
[Tower of the Baleful Eye of the Half-Dragon and Undead]
But that thing…
[This is a consumable structure. It allows you to check the time remaining until the next wave and information about the wave's monsters.]
“Ah, I can’t pass this up.”
It was more than worth it.
An item in a defense game that lets you see information about the next wave in advance?
It was a must-craft.
[Crafting the Tower of the Baleful Eye of the Half-Dragon and Undead. A minimum of 3 days is required.]
After confirming the information window, I closed the connection with MonMonMak.
Then I stared at the scroll in my hand and muttered.
“So the problem now is how to handle the items I’ve crafted.”
The number of potions I could make right now was substantial.
Since using too many of these consumables at once causes side effects, I had no reason to use so many potions or scrolls by myself.
Which meant.
“I’ll have to sell them.”
Crafting consumable items.
This ability might have presented a new path for my future endeavors.
Let’s think about it slowly.
It’s not like these potions are going to disappear.
It was then.
*Vzzz.*
My smartphone, lying on the bed, vibrated.
Only then did I check my phone.
My phone had been blowing up with messages, most of them from my most rabid viewer.
[Asha: Hey hey, give me your account number. I'll deposit the money from selling the burrowing fly byproducts.]
[Asha: Yo what r u doing? Should I just keep the money?]
[Asha: Duuuuude give me your account numberrrrr]
[Asha: Asleep?]
[Ma Dongpal: Hello,,, Mr. Kim Hanul~^^ We can do it,,Aegis,,! I am the guild master,,^^ Yesterday,,was quite,, good,,^^ If you have time,,soon,,, how about a~~ warm,,cup of tea~~?haha]
[Bald is the Strongest: Still sleeping? Why are you unreachable all day TT]
[Bald is the Strongest: (`⌒*)O-(`⌒´Q) If you're ignoring me, I'll punch you]
...Seems like a weird old dude got mixed in there, but I'll ignore that for now.
Asha was being particularly intense.
When I didn't answer her messages, she even sent a private message through the streaming platform.
There were several missed calls, too.
[Me: yeah just woke up]
I shot back a quick reply.
The notification that just rang was probably a text message from Asha since her DMs and platform messages weren't getting through.
With that thought, I listlessly opened the message window.
“Huh?”
A completely unexpected name was displayed.
The time was just five minutes ago.
[Yoon Sua: Hello, Hunter Kim Hanul. I'm sorry to bother you so late at night....]
The message that had just arrived was from Yoon Sua.
* * *
There was a very good reason for this.
Yes, there was a good reason.
“No reply, right? See, Sua? I told you he doesn't check his messages.”
The 16th ranked Hunter in Korea and the leader of Pungbaek Guild's Operations Team 2.
Yoon Sua decided to believe that.
“Just call him up, boom! And be like, ‘Hey, you asshole! After all we've done for you, you're giving us the cold shoulder?! I don't care about anything else, just get your ass over to our guild by tomorrow!’ And if he still doesn't listen? Then just pour flames into his scalp pores and burn out every last hair follicle...”
“Vice Guild Master.”
“Huh? Oh, what is it, Sua? We’re off the clock. ‘Vice Guild Master’ is so formal. Just call me Oppa.”
“I'm working overtime thanks to you, Vice Guild Master. So I will address you by your title. And I'm sorry, but I would appreciate it if you could be quiet for just one minute.”
“Uh, well, um…”
It was, for all intents and purposes, an order to shut up.
Yoon Suhyeok sullenly shut his mouth.
Yoon Sua, on the other hand, sighed, her face cold as ice.
Right.
How could she trust the Vice Guild Master when he was like this?
That was why she, not Yoon Suhyeok, had contacted Kim Hanul.
[The Great Warlord of the Heavens plucks a grape and eats it, a smile playing on her lips.]
But whether she knew of Yoon Sua’s inner turmoil or not, her Divine Seat seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation.
Of course, the fact that Yoon Suhyeok, the avatar of 「Trampling Flame」, was rendered speechless probably had something to do with it.
[She giggles, wondering how 'that thing' chose such a simpleton as its avatar.]
The Divine Seat displayed her feelings more openly than usual.
It was strange.
Normally, she showed little reaction to anything and mostly left Yoon Sua to her own devices.
But she showed open interest only when the topic of conversation was Kim Hanul.
Yoon Sua didn't know why.
Even if she wanted to, she hadn't had any private time with Kim Hanul since the rank assessment.
“...”
Yoon Sua’s eyes fell to her smartphone screen.
Honestly, it was a little bittersweet.
Especially after learning that Kim Hanul had gone on a joint expedition with Aegis.
And that he had played a huge role in a gate that had transformed into a semi-correlative dungeon, a fact not reported by the media.
That was probably part of it.
The reason she had stopped a fuming Yoon Suhyeok and contacted him directly like this.
‘It’s too late. I think I was too hasty.’
11 PM is when most people are asleep.
In her mind, Kim Hanul was someone who lived a disciplined life.
That was her first impression of him.
Someone who went to bed at 10 PM and started his day with a workout at 6 AM.
That kind of upstanding man.
She might have committed a huge discourtesy.
[The Great Warlord of the Heavens smiles subtly, telling her to wait and see.]
Just as she was about to say something about her Divine Seat’s slyness.
*Vzzz.*
The smartphone she was clutching tightly vibrated.
Yoon Sua instinctively checked the screen.
“Oh, what’s that? Is it Kim Hanul?”
“Yeah.”
“What’d he say? Is he coming right over? Of course, he should. After our Pungbaek Guild has courted him so earnestly, he’d better…”
“No.”
“?”
Yoon Suhyeok, who had been chattering excitedly, froze stiff.
And Yoon Sua said sullenly.
“He said he has to establish a business connection first, and that he'll contact us after he takes care of that.”
“...What business connection? Is he in business now, too?”
Having no way of knowing, Yoon Sua and Yoon Suhyeok could only exchange puzzled glances.