Chapter 25
Chapter 25
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: The Third Skill
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A rare moment of time all to himself.
Ever since returning from the game world, he'd been running nonstop without a chance to catch his breath.
He'd reunited with his little brother, established his company, and escaped that godforsaken basement apartment for a brand-new high-rise.
Of course, this wasn't the end.
The road ahead was still nine thousand miles long, but at least he'd redrawn his starting line.
His rock-bottom life had flipped 180 degrees.
Woojin let out a chuckle as he pushed open the convenience store door.
Ding-a-ling-
Along with the cheerful bell, an unpleasant shout assaulted his eardrums.
"What do you mean, no tab?!"
Bam!
At the counter, a booze-soaked old man was throwing a fit with five bottles of soju lined up in front of him.
"I said I'd bring the money right back, so why the hell not!? Huh? You run a business like this? Should I spread the word all over the neighborhood? That this store doesn't give a damn about the locals?"
"S-Sir. I'm not the owner. It's my first time seeing you today, and you ask for a tab right off the bat—I can't do that."
She looked just barely twenty.
The petite convenience store clerk was refusing firmly, her voice trembling.
"Do you know who I am? You gonna look down on me over five bottles of cheap soju? You think I'm a pushover? This punk's asking for it?"
The nonstop barrage of curses had gotten to the clerk, too.
"When did you ever see me to keep cussing like that!? Keep this up, and I'll call the cops!"
"Cops? You said cops, you little shit? Call 'em! Go ahead, call 'em!"
A breathless standoff between the troublemaking customer and the store clerk.
Woojin's brow furrowed as he watched the scene.
Some people are just like that.
Back when Woojin had worked at a convenience store, he'd dealt with plenty of jerks like that.
Especially these 'tab villains'—the worst of the worst.
They'd scream their heads off for a single bottle on credit and terrorize every store in the neighborhood.
Once you gave in, they wouldn't pay up and later come back whining, "You did it before, so why not now?"—the height of shamelessness.
Some even insisted they'd already paid and called the cops themselves. Human trash.
Old memories stirred, making his stomach churn.
Woojin stepped between them without hesitation.
"Hey, mister. Cut it out and leave."
A low voice, laced with power.
As a Player, Woojin knew how to wield mana.
Infusing just a hint of his 'aura' into his words sent an instinctive fear into ordinary folk.
Flinch-
The tab villain recoiled and stumbled back.
"Wh-What? Who the hell are you!?"
A tall, well-built young man glared at him with murderous eyes, and the drunkard's bravado deflated in an instant.
"You know who I am? Why you talking down to me? I said get lost. You deaf or something?"
Reason and politeness didn't work on types like this.
Show them kindness, and they'd walk all over you—that was their nature.
Woojin's sharp rebuke made even the clerk beside him flinch.
"No tabs here, so get out. What? Can't understand when I'm being nice?"
Overwhelmed by Woojin's presence, the man finally backed down.
But his pride lingered—he kicked the door open on his way out, spewing petty curses.
"Ptoo! May this dump go bankrupt! What kind of store won't tab five bottles of soju!? Disgusting! I'll make sure everyone knows—this place is done for!"
"Can't even buy five bottles with your own cash, yet you got a mouth on you. Stop harassing the poor clerk and scram."
Truth be told, Woojin wasn't the type to meddle in others' business.
Life was a cesspool; best to steer clear—he'd learned that the hard way.
But things were different now.
He had the strength not to put up with it, the leeway not to bend.
"Damn you punks! Just you wait!!"
Woojin clicked his tongue at the fleeing troublemaker's back.
"Idiot."
With the situation sorted, the clerk approached hesitantly.
"Um... thank you. You saved me."
"No big deal. Tough job, huh? Bet that scared you pretty good."
"N-No, sir. If it weren't for you... I'd have had to call the cops and it'd be a mess."
The clerk's voice still quivered faintly.
Woojin chuckled and grabbed an enhanced energy drink from the shelf, ringing it up.
Of course, he didn't forget to enhance it on the sly.
"Here, drink this and hang in there."
"I-I'm the one who should buy you something!"
"Clerks don't got money to spare. It's on me, so drink up. World's not all assholes—don't get down. Keep at it, and sunny days'll come."
Woojin's casual encouragement hit the clerk right in the heart.
She took the drink with both hands and replied brightly.
"Yes, sir! Thank you!!"
Back home, Woojin sank into the living room sofa.
A 15+ 'Sacred Sofa of Repose,' naturally.
"Ahh... heaven on earth."
He cracked open a fresh beer can from the store.
Hiss—clink!
After a refreshing gulp, Woojin called up his status window for the first time in ages.
Name: Kim Woojin (Lv.10)
🛠 Skills:Enhancement (Lv.7), Imbue (Lv.3), Inheritance (Lv.1), Advanced Mana Manipulation (Lv.8)🔒 Locked Skill:Breakthrough (Lv.1)
Furniture enhancement frenzy had leveled up his skills nicely.
The bed enhancements were pure hell. They refused to stick no matter what, forcing him to bounce between sofa and bed like a circus act.
But the payoff was sweet.
The +11 bed had become a 'dream bed' in every sense.
'Dream Manipulation' let him design dreams at will, while 'Experience Sharing' brought some dream-world EXP into reality—a cheat option.
He couldn't omnipotently control everything in dreams yet, but it was still insane.
A power to do something even while resting in sleep.
A combat class would've lived in dream training halls, but for Woojin, reality chopstick work was more profitable—kinda bittersweet.
He'd figure out bed uses later...
The real prize: skill levels.
Player skills unlocked special abilities at levels 3, 6, 9, and 10.
Level 10 body, skill level 7? Growth speed was nuts.
Normally, he'd barely catch up halfway.
Woojin checked his main skill, [Enhancement].
Unlocked Abilities
1. Reverse Enhancement: Definitely lowers enhancement level by one step.
2. Multi-Enhancement: Enhances multiple items at once.
Woojin's lips curled up to his ears.
Multi-Enhancement.
What a beautiful word.
The era of painstakingly enhancing chopsticks one by one like a craftsman was over.
Now, stack dozens in a pile, shout "Multi-Enhance!" once, and done.
Production efficiency would skyrocket.
'No crits is the downside...'
Might even be a plus.
For mass-producing uniform quality products, inconsistent enhancements were a headache.
Next, Imbue.
Unlocked Ability
1. Category Expansion: Expands the types of items that can be imbued.
He'd have to test it, but no way it was bad.
And Advanced Mana Manipulation.
Unlocked Abilities
1. Manipulation Boost: Increases the physical force of manipulable mana.
2. Mana Interference: Interferes with others' mana flow.
"Ahh! Mana Interference!"
Basically an attack skill.
Tangle an enemy's mana circuits or disrupt skill casts—advanced tech. A game-changer in PvP.
Not that a pacifist like him needed it much, but it had uses.
"Heh heh heh..."
Full even without eating.
And finally, the third skill he'd been dying to check.
Gulp-
[Notes]
1. Material item is destroyed regardless of success. 2. Only between same-category items. 3. Transfer to higher-grade item lowers enhancement level relative to material. 4. Transfer to lower-grade item raises enhancement level relative to material.
"!!!"
Simple description, but the implications were mind-blowing.
Enhancement levels can be transferred!
This was a revolution.
The +15 sofa's 'Comfort' became 'Absolute Repose.'
So what if he transferred +15 to a sofa with 'Laziness'?
'Absolute Sloth'—a devilish skill might emerge.
Or make a +10 trash item and transfer to luxury gear?
Instant high-end enhancements without the hassle.
Endless potential.
But weird—no Unriworld extra effects?
No clue why, and dwelling wouldn't help.
This Enhancement skill might be different from back then.
Woojin grinned in satisfaction and downed the rest of his beer.
"That's enough for today."
Time to savor sweet rest.
Sangjin was out doing homework—perfect solitude on a holiday.
As he lounged on the sofa...
Ding-dong—ding-dong~ ♪
The clear doorbell shattered his peace.
"Who is it? Didn't order delivery."
Jihyun maybe?
Woojin dragged himself up and checked the wall pad.
"...?"
Sure enough, Jihyun Yoo was there.
Standing shyly with a massive Hanwoo gift set in hand.
"Tch, we just moved in—how'd she find us so quick..."
Big corp intel at work; tracking one guy was child's play.
But.
"A foreigner?"
Beside Jihyun stood an unfamiliar foreign woman with silver hair and blue eyes.