Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: What the Hell is That Bird Doing?
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Woojin swallowed dryly.
The "Goddess's Sword" right before his eyes was like a massive black hole.
The moment he touched it, the mana inside his body drained away like an ebbing tide.
"Ugh...!"
Flash–
Eileen scanned Woojin's complexion.
"You okay? Your face is pale."
Woojin didn't even have the strength to reply to Eileen's worried words.
He'd barely succeeded at +1 enhancement, yet his entire body felt drained.
Woojin collapsed backward onto the +15 sofa.
Thud–
"Haa... haa..."
If the sofa hadn't been pumping mana into him like a bellows, he'd have passed out right after that single +1 attempt.
Eileen's eyes sparkled as she watched him.
"The more I look, the more tempting it gets. Won't sell this sofa to me? I'll pay handsomely."
Woojin, steadying his breath, let out a chuckle.
"Would you sell it if it was yours?"
"...A pity. The world has plenty of things money can't buy."
An artifact with that kind of performance was worth any price.
Yet Eileen gave up coolly.
She valued her relationship with Woojin more.
A moment later, with his mana fully restored, Woojin rose again.
"Stop coveting my stuff and focus on yours. Round two."
Hum–
Flash!
Discharge. Recharge.
It was pure agony, wringing every last drop of mana from his body.
And at last.
Fwoosh–!
The living room was flooded with blinding holy radiance.
Yoo Jihyun stepped back involuntarily from the sacred energy pouring from the sword.
"Wow... been a while."
Just +3, yet its overwhelming presence made other S-rank weapons look like toys.
Woojin nodded, soaked in sweat.
"This is the limit. Can't push further."
"No chance for +4?"
Woojin shook his head, sweat raining down.
"Nope. It's my total mana capacity. Not enough mana to pour in at once. Need at least level 20 to even try."
"What's your level now?"
"Me? Level 10."
"Hmm... production class thing? Yoo Jihyun, you?"
"Me? Level 32."
"Oho, the Valkyrie of Storms lives up to the name. Two levels above me."
Yoo Jihyun flinched in surprise.
Even with her +3 Gale Roll, the level gap was tiny.
Regret lingered, but Eileen nodded.
This was plenty.
The Blessing skill unlocked at +3 alone made clearing tough dungeons feasible.
"Mind if I test it?"
"Go for it."
Eileen gripped the sword and uttered the skill name.
"Blessing."
Holy light from the blade enveloped her entirely.
"Kuhahaha! This is it—this rush! You did it, Kim Woojin! No one else but you. I'll get the contract notarized official and send it over."
Woojin eyed her.
"So, what's your net worth?"
Eileen smirked.
"Curious, huh? Hehe. What, think you can seize it?"
"Hey, knowledge never hurts."
"Let me check... personal assets, excluding family holdings—if I liquidate everything, about 20 billion dollars."
"Ah. 20 billion. Kinda..."
Woojin realized the currency.
"Dollars?!"
"Yep."
20 billion dollars. At current rates, just shy of 30 trillion won.
Woojin gaped at the surreal figure.
"Eek..."
Yoo Jihyun looked oddly envious.
Eileen, pleased, stowed the sword in her bag.
The two women showed no signs of leaving, though Woojin figured business was done.
"Not heading out...? All wrapped up, no?"
Eileen plopped back onto the sofa.
"Long time no see—gotta catch up. Flight's not for a while anyway."
"Why catch up at my place...?"
"We're battle buddies who suffered together. Fetch some drinks. Booze works."
She owned the place like a queen.
Battle buddies.
Yoo Jihyun had called Woojin that too.
The word oddly drew the three closer.
Woojin pulled canned beers from the fridge and set them before the women.
"These'll do."
Then Yoo Jihyun spoke up first.
"Come to think of it, my thanks are overdue. Gate clear was a breeze thanks to you."
Woojin cracked a beer casually.
"Glad it helped. Keep guarding Earth. I'll cheer from the rear."
"You bet. Woojin, you must stay safe. Absolutely."
Before long, Yoo Jihyun spoke politely to him; Woojin replied casually.
Age gap aside, instinct told them who held the edge.
"Anyway, business treating you well?"
"Huh? Decent enough?"
"Hit me up anytime you need anything. I'll help however I can."
Eileen, listening in, cut in.
"Business? What kind?"
"Oh, nothing big. Selling enhanced goods."
"What goods? Proxy enhancements for hunter gear?"
"Nah. Everyday stuff."
Eileen's blue eyes widened instantly.
"What? Earth's items can be enhanced?"
Woojin flinched under her intensity.
"Y-yeah. Chopsticks, that sorta thing..."
"Show me."
"Huh?"
"Show me what you've made."
Her gaze dead serious.
No hiding it anyway—they had Player's Eye too.
Woojin shrugged and gestured around the house.
"Look around. Stuff's everywhere."
That's when the women's home inspection kicked off.
And the shocks kept coming.
"My god... the fridge has a Freshness Maintenance skill!"
"What's with this washer? Contamination Removal Lv.3? A skill like that exists?"
"Whoa, this is Ingredient Handling. This kitchen knife alone makes me a chef?"
"Frying pan with Anti-Stick? No clinging?"
Every household item might as well have been an artifact.
Even the smallest tools enhanced to +3 or higher.
Eileen returned from her lap around the place, face grim.
She sat before Woojin and spoke gravely.
"Kim Woojin."
"What? Why so stiff?"
Even his jokes didn't lighten her expression.
"This is an incredibly dangerous power... You aware?"
Woojin sobered a touch.
"Yeah. Doing my best to stay under the radar."
"Under the radar?"
Eileen snorted.
"Selling these openly online? Too late. Word'll spread fast. Got a plan?"
"......"
Woojin was at a loss.
He'd only vaguely pondered it—no real defenses.
His eyes drifted naturally to Yoo Jihyun.
She'd promised protection.
And behind her loomed Korea's top conglomerate, DH Group.
Eileen followed his gaze to Yoo Jihyun.
Then asked icily.
"You're DH Group's youngest daughter, right?"
"Y-yeah?"
"Your pull in the group? No—on the government? Can you sway politics?"
"......"
Yoo Jihyun went silent.
She was the baby of the family.
Unlike her management-track siblings, only her hunter talent had awakened.
Her voice in the group was negligible. Political influence? Forget it.
Maybe that's why she obsessed over gates and levels—to carve a place with raw power.
"Th-that's..."
Yoo Jihyun hemmed and hawed.
Eileen turned away, as if that said enough.
"Got it. No need for words."
She locked eyes with Woojin.
"Kim Woojin, DH Group is too small for you. She can't protect you."
"What...?"
Eileen leaned in closer.
"Straight talk. Got a fiancée?"
The out-of-nowhere question flustered Woojin.
"Wh-what the hell is that bird doing??"
His dad joke fell flat; Eileen didn't flinch.
"Lame pun. I mean fiancée or girlfriend. Need me to spell it out?"
With humor bombing, Woojin laughed in disbelief.
"As if. Been too busy scraping by since I got back. It's only been a few weeks."
"Oho... single?"
A sly smile curved Eileen's lips.
She rose and closed in on Woojin.
Then dropped her bombshell like a declaration of war.
"Perfect. Become our family son-in-law. Gain the family's blessing, then marry me in five years."
"......Pardon?"
Woojin's brain short-circuited; honorifics slipped out.
Yoo Jihyun's jaw dropped beside him.
"C-crazy? Son-in-law?!"
Eileen pressed on regardless.
"The Benedict family can shield you completely. A background second to none worldwide, endless wealth, and..."
Eileen swept back her silver hair with a sultry smile.
"Immodest as it sounds, I'm no slouch as a woman, right? Pedigree, wealth, looks, connections, power. All top-tier. Good luck finding better anywhere."
America's premier heiress proposing to a rags-to-riches enhancer.
After barely an hour together.
Woojin stared blankly at her.
Her pitch didn't stop.
"And I can fulfill what no one else could."
Woojin edged back from her advance.
"Wh-what're you saying."
"I'm a woman who's known perfection in a man. I know everything about them. No one understands men like I do."
"Wh-what happened for that."
"Not getting it? Only I, out of every woman on Earth, can fully grasp those twisted urges of your masculinity."
Yoo Jihyun and Woojin were floored by her bold words.
They just gaped, blinking dumbly.
'What the... this madwoman?'