The Right Arm Bargain
“Even in front of someone you’ve just met, you should still show basic courtesy!”
The two of them were bickering when Jang Inwi gave an awkward smile and waved his hand dismissively.
“If this is your first time meeting me, it’s only natural to be suspicious. It’s fine. I’m used to it.”
Jang Inwi extended his left hand toward Kang Yoonsoo.
It was an offer to shake hands.
“In any case, I will never forget this kindness. If you ever visit our clan later, I will repay you generously. Or, if you’d like, you could return to the nearby area with us right now.”
Kang Yoonsoo simply stared at the man without taking his hand.
He pointed toward the Winterkill Ruins behind them.
“I plan to conquer the Winterkill Ruins. For that, I need your clan’s help, Jang Inwi.”
Jang Inwi gave a faint smile and shook his head.
“I understand the desire to conquer an undiscovered ruin, but we have no intention of raiding that place at the risk of our lives. The monsters inside are far too dangerous for a medium-sized clan like ours. Instead, we plan to report the discovery to a larger clan and claim the reward that way.”
At that moment, Kang Yoonsoo extended his right hand.
Naturally, he could not shake with Jang Inwi, who only had a left arm.
When Jang Inwi looked puzzled, Kang Yoonsoo spoke.
“If you help with the ruins raid, I will give you a right arm.”
Jang Inwi looked as if he had misheard.
“If our clan helps you conquer the ruins, you’ll make me a prosthetic arm?”
It wasn’t that Jang Inwi had never considered wearing a prosthetic.
But a prosthetic that only looked decent often became an obstacle in battle.
In that case, it was better to simply live as a one-armed warrior.
Then Kang Yoonsoo shook his head.
“Not a prosthetic.”
He tapped Henrik on the shoulder.
Kang Yoonsoo pulled a human crafting tool from his backpack and held it out.
Henrik made a face like this was ridiculous, then let out a sigh.
“The moment I give you the keepsake, you start using it to the fullest. Rotten bastard.”
Henrik rolled up his sleeve, clenched his left hand, then opened it.
He brought the human crafting tool down across his left wrist.
Of course, Henrik’s left hand was cleanly severed.
“Ugh! What the hell is that!”
Durman cried out in shock.
Jang Inwi’s eyes were wide with surprise as well.
Kang Yoonsoo said, “It’s a magical tool that can replace severed body parts with those of a puppet. If you help me, I will give you a right arm. In return, I will take command of the ruins raid.”
Jang Inwi’s expression showed clear hesitation.
“May I touch that left hand?”
“Hearing that from another man sounds weird.”
Henrik handed over his severed left hand.
Jang Inwi examined it closely.
The texture of the skin and the cross-section of the muscle were astonishingly lifelike.
Jang Inwi asked Henrik, “What did you make this left hand from?”
“The bones were stolen from a graveyard. The muscle tissue was sewn together from a pig’s.”
“……”
“What? Still better than living as a one-armed man, isn’t it?”
“Well, that’s true. When replacing a lost body part with a puppet’s, are there any side effects?”
“Since it’s not your own body, it feels awkward at first. But once you get used to it, it’s bearable. The sensory nerves are connected, so you can move it as you wish. You barely feel any pain.”
Jang Inwi stared at Henrik’s left hand, lost in thought.
After a moment of silence, he asked, “What reason do I have to trust you?”
Jang Inwi was a cautious man.
Command of a ruins raid was not something he could hand over lightly.
“A ruins raid is not something to be undertaken casually. It requires personnel from various classes and a leader with overwhelming command ability. Unlike ordinary monster habitats, it can easily result in countless casualties. If you want our clan’s cooperation, you must prove you have that level of skill.”
He had seen Kang Yoonsoo’s swordsmanship with his own eyes and knew it was far from ordinary.
But a ruins raid was an entirely different matter.
Like the illusion magic on the slate or the gate that could not be opened from inside, the Winterkill Ruins were filled with all kinds of traps.
If they entered without sufficient investigation, there was a real risk that the entire clan could be wiped out.
Kang Yoonsoo said, “I am currently carrying out a legendary quest.”
“A legendary quest, you say!”
Durman shouted in astonishment.
Kang Yoonsoo nodded and pressed a button on his terminal.
Legendary Quest - Castle of the Dead
The terminal screen was not something that could be manipulated.
The man before them was truly carrying out a legendary quest.
Legendary quests were said to offer extraordinary rewards and even the power to change the fate of the continent.
At the very least, it was more than enough proof that Kang Yoonsoo was a skilled adventurer.
Jang Inwi let out a sigh.
“Very well. For now, I acknowledge that you have sufficient qualifications, Kang Yoonsoo. However, this is not a decision I can make alone. First, I will speak with the clan members.”
Then Durman slyly prodded him.
“Come on, Boss. Is there anyone in our group who would turn down a fight this juicy? Besides, you’d get your right arm back in the process. There’s no reason to refuse. I know you’re cautious, but sometimes you think too much.”
“You certainly have a way with words, Durman.”
Jang Inwi sighed and guided Kang Yoonsoo’s group to where the Blood Martial Clan members were waiting.
He informed the clan about the discovery of the Winterkill Ruins.
“You found a ruin?”
“Then shouldn’t we claim it before other bastards set their eyes on it?”
“The leader’s getting a new right arm? We can finally repay the favor he showed us when we joined the clan.”
Just as Durman had said, the members of the Blood Martial Clan burned with fighting spirit.
They looked ready to draw their weapons and charge straight into the Winterkill Ruins.
Jang Inwi waved his left arm to calm them.
“We will participate in the ruins raid, but I will not be the one leading it.”
“What?”
“If not you, Boss, then who…?”
Jang Inwi pointed at Kang Yoonsoo standing behind him.
“This man will command the ruins raid in my place. He is currently carrying out a legendary quest.”
“A legendary quest?”
The clan members looked at Kang Yoonsoo with shocked faces.
It was only natural to be surprised that an unfamiliar man would lead their ruins raid and was even on a legendary quest.
One woman raised her hand and asked.
“What is this man’s name?”
He answered in a dry tone.
“Kang Yoonsoo.”
The clan members did not particularly object to Kang Yoonsoo taking command.
It wasn’t that they trusted a man they had met today.
They simply trusted Jang Inwi’s judgment that much.
If he had entrusted this command to Kang Yoonsoo, there had to be a good reason.
Jang Inwi led Kang Yoonsoo’s group into an old tent.
“First, we will distribute rewards according to individual contribution. After conquering the ruins, achievements will be ranked, and the person with the highest achievement will claim the ruins’ treasures first. This is the usual way items are distributed in ruins raids. Do you agree?”
Kang Yoonsoo nodded.
Jang Inwi rubbed his right shoulder, where the arm was missing, with his left hand.
“I will receive my right arm after the ruins raid is over. After all, attaching a new puppet body will require some adjustment. I am still accustomed to fighting with one arm.”
It was a statement filled with a one-armed warrior’s pride.
“To form an expedition for the ruins raid, we need extensive preparation.”
Jang Inwi spoke calmly.
“Currently, our clan’s top personnel number two hundred. Their levels are roughly between 150 and 200. Most of our classes are swordsmen, spearmen, and archers. We will need support classes such as healers and blacksmiths. Sorcerer classes are excluded since the hiring cost is too high.”
That wasn’t all.
“We will also need a considerable amount of healing potions. We must hire blacksmiths to repair equipment, thieves to disarm traps, and runners to scout ahead. When you calculate all that, the initial cost and preparation period will be substantial. Depending on how you command, even more troops and supplies may be consumed.”
Ruins raids required significant investment of both money and time in proportion to their rewards.
They were places that demanded far greater risks than ordinary monster habitats.
Jang Inwi asked, “Pardon me, but what is your level?”
“I cannot disclose it.”
Jang Inwi nodded as if he understood.
For travelers, level was precious personal information.
Many were reluctant to reveal their levels to others.
“My apologies. Still, if you are capable of a legendary quest, you must be high level. I only asked for reference.”
The old Kang Yoonsoo would have calmly revealed that his level was 131.
But now he had to make the best choice in every situation.
If it became known that his level was lower than an ordinary clan member, Jang Inwi’s trust could drop sharply.
There was no reason to reveal the truth and cause unnecessary confusion.
Kang Yoonsoo said, “There is no need to bring blacksmiths, thieves, or runners.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will handle those roles myself.”
For a moment, Jang Inwi looked speechless.
“You intend to take on equipment repair, trap disarming, and terrain scouting all by yourself?”
“We won’t need a healer class either. I will prepare an appropriate amount of healing potions.”
Kang Yoonsoo spoke as if it were obvious.
Jang Inwi looked like he could hardly believe it.
Henrik chimed in from the side.
“Look, friend. I understand it’s hard to believe, but this guy really can do it all alone.”
“No matter what, that doesn’t make sense. How can one person handle so many different classes?”
It was a natural reaction.
Kang Yoonsoo said, “I will prove it later. More importantly, we need to increase our numbers further.”
“I am aware we are short on personnel. Are you suggesting we hire mercenaries?”
When manpower was lacking for battle or hunting, one could visit a mercenary guild and hire them.
Mercenaries were ranked gold, silver, and copper, with higher ranks demanding higher fees.
When hiring large numbers, copper rank was usually chosen.
But Kang Yoonsoo shook his head.
“Hiring mercenaries would take too much time and money.”
“Then how do you plan to fill the ranks?”
Kang Yoonsoo said, “I will replace them with undead.”