Chapter 33
Episode 33
I opened my eyes and got up at four in the morning, before dawn.
"Ahh, I slept well. Si Ha-rin. Water."
『Yes, Sect Leader.』
I ordered water from Si Ha-rin, got up, and began my morning martial arts training.
Ever since I started training in external arts, my fatigue recovery had gotten so fast that four hours of sleep a day was enough to fully recharge me, so this was only natural.
When this hour comes, my eyes open on their own.
For a martial arts practitioner, having this kind of internal body clock is basic.
I wonder if hunters don't have that?
『Sect Leader, may I ask how you intend to proceed with today's schedule?』
Oh?
She even takes care of things like this?
I decided to tell her my schedule.
"Two hours of morning training, then I'll eat, then I'll enter the Tower. If there's time, I'll come out and eat lunch. If not, I won't eat."
『I have recorded your schedule. How shall I prepare breakfast?』
"Let's go with doenjang stew and five side dishes."
『Yes, Sect Leader.』
She's worth every bit of her price.
Big-Spender Ajusshi. Thank you.
An enormous contract fee and even a high-end secretary like this.
Actually, come to think of it, instead of a secretary, I could summon Jegal Yu-yeon and use her as a housekeeper... no, I guess not.
That one doesn't seem like she'd be good at housework.
I shook my head and then began my external arts training.
I prepared a secret medicinal water made by combining medicinal ingredients obtainable on Earth, and poured it into something like a drum that my body could just barely squeeze into.
In the past I did it alone, but preparing it together with the android Si Ha-rin made it finish in no time.
Next.
I performed external arts training as if doing muscle training.
Applying an enormous overload to the muscles through bizarre postures.
After that, I entered the prepared medicinal water.
There, while relaxing my muscles, I performed special breathing.
I could feel the Necromantic Mana inside my body wavering, as if it might move with my breathing.
Once I finished morning training like this, two hours had already passed.
After finishing training like that, I washed up and came out, and the breakfast table was already set.
"Good work."
『Thank you.』
Man, this is really good. When you live alone, cooking becomes such a hassle that you barely ever do it. It does make you develop a kind of longing for home-cooked meals.
While I was eating breakfast.
『Sect Leader. A call has come in from Mr. Kim Yu-han. Shall I connect it?』
A call from Big-Spender Ajusshi.
It's just past six in the morning, and he's calling at this hour?
"Connect it."
『Connecting the call.』
Beep!
Light shone from Si Ha-rin's eyes, and a holographic video call screen appeared in front of me.
『Have you been well?』
From beyond the hologram screen, Kim Yu-han greeted me in a composed tone.
"What is there to be well or not well about? It hasn't even been long since we signed the contract and talked."
I answered back with a light laugh.
『That is true. But I was surprised that you pulled off another complete clear in that short time.』
"Ah. That."
Come to think of it, that was true.
After signing with Haneulnuri, I went in for mining and ended up doing another complete clear of Floor 1.
From this gentleman's perspective, it might have been a bit bewildering.
"So what is the reason for your call?"
『I was thinking of proceeding with some negotiations with the government on your behalf, Lee Mu-seon.』
"Negotiations with the government?"
『Yes.』
I racked my brain for a moment.
Negotiations with the government? This is obvious.
"Is it because of the complete clear reward?"
『Exactly that.』
I could see Kim Yu-han smiling.
『You may not have paid it much mind, but the reward upgrade. This is actually a very significant matter.』
"Is that so?"
『It's already the second time, isn't it? Following the tutorial reward, now the Floor 1 reward.』
Come to think of it, that was true.
The rewards received by every awakened person in Korea had been permanently upgraded by two whole tiers.
From a national perspective, this was actually an enormous thing.
『At this level, the fate of the nation changes. The entire efficiency of Dimensional Tower climbing shifts.』
"That would be the case."
『In fact, the only countries that currently hold complete clear records are the United States and China.』
"Oh."
『You have already placed Korea in the ranks of those two countries, Lee Mu-seon. And with only two clears, at that.』
This gentleman.
Listening to his explanation, the things I had done felt more and more grandiose.
『So if you were to subtly let slip a threat along the lines of "I might emigrate."』
"You're saying I could squeeze all sorts of things out of the government?"
『Precisely.』
I could see Kim Yu-han wearing a sly smile.
Isn't this completely a blackmailer's mindset?
Well, still, from my position there was nothing bad about it.
If I stayed still, the rewards that should come in wouldn't come in anyway.
"If you handle it that way, I'm all for it."
I gave a shrug of my shoulders.
『Then I will proceed. First, I should be able to secure tax exemption benefits as a baseline.』
"Oh. Tax exemption?"
Tax exemption. Even the word sounds good.
『Yes. Tax exemption for awakened individuals is a policy Korea is already implementing, but in your case, the scope can be expanded considerably further.』
"That sounds great. I'll leave it to you."
『Understood. Then I will contact you again next time.』
Beep!
The hologram screen turned off cleanly.
I sat still in front of the table and sank into thought for a moment.
"Hmm... Is it really right for someone who's a Platinum Ten Stars to personally handle trivial matters like this?"
He personally called about something he could have left to his own secretary or subordinates.
While I was thinking that.
『Wouldn't that mean the Sect Leader is simply that valuable a talent?』
Si Ha-rin, who had been clearing the table beside me, answered calmly.
『It seems he judged that you have enough value for the chairman of Haneulnuri to personally attend to.』
"Now that you put it that way, I suppose so..."
Well, when you think about it, that's true.
The Martial God of a past life and a super rookie in this life.
And on top of that, I even received a Genesis Grade class.
"Right. Where else would you find a talent as great as me?"
I opened my mouth with a light laugh.
"Alright. Then please take care of the cleanup. I'm going back into the Tower."
『Yes, Sect Leader.』
Si Ha-rin gave a neat bow of her head.
I got up from my seat, straightened my external arts training clothes, and tidied my appearance.
"Dimensional Tower entry."
The system responded according to my will.
Flash.
Along with light, my body was transported to a familiar space.
The Dimensional Tower Lobby.
It was a pure white space with nothing in it.
But then.
-You've come, Mad Martial Sovereign.
There was a voice that came through spiritual communication.
Jegal Yu-yeon must have detected me from the Subdimension.
Interesting.
"Summon."
Jegal Yu-yeon appeared from my shadow with a soft sound.
"You've come at a good time. While you were away, I activated the buildings and made some items."
"Already?"
So this is what they mean by having someone handle everything smoothly on their own. As expected of someone from the Jegal Clan.
Her work is clean and reliable!
"This much work is nothing."
"Impressive. So. What kind of items did you make?"
"Check the warehouse."
I did as she said.
And what I saw were three items.
[White-Bone Longsword]
Grade: Normal
A longsword made of white bone.
There's nothing particularly impressive about it.
[Adhering Flesh]
Grade: Normal
When applied to a wound, it adheres and heals it.
There's nothing particularly impressive about it.
[Vengeful Spirit Orb]
Grade: Normal
An orb that can hold vengeful spirits.
Imprisons 100 ordinary souls.
Common grade, huh. I've been seeing nothing but Legendary and Genesis Grade lately, so this grade looks way too underwhelming.
However, while the grade was underwhelming, the effects could not be ignored.
The White-Bone Longsword was trivial junk, but the Adhering Flesh and Vengeful Spirit Orb were definitely good items.
Especially the Adhering Flesh.
Isn't this a recovery potion?
Recovery potions are expensive in the Dimensional Tower. Thanks to that, hunters with the alchemist class and healers make a living, but...
"I can make various other things besides these, but I made these as samples for now."
After saying that, Jegal Yu-yeon explained the additional items she could make.
First, in the case of the [White-Bone Workshop].
She said it could make most equipment.
Armor. Helmets. Gauntlets. Even longswords and axes.
In the case of the [Flesh Workshop], she said it made various utility items.
Curse dolls (made of flesh), healing flesh (like what she brought now), and apparently it could even produce vassals.
The [Soul Workshop] was a bit different, she said it could make various consumables, from things like the Vengeful Spirit Orb for resource gathering.
Interesting.
"Wait a moment. I need to look up the price range."
"I already looked into it. The Adhering Flesh is trading at a price of 100 to 120 DP on the market."
"Good work."
"Don't mention it."
She gave a soft smile.
As expected, you're capable, Jegal Yu-yeon!
Anyway. The Adhering Flesh was an item worth over 1.5 million won each?
It's a bit cheaper than the lowest-grade potion at 2 million won, but honestly speaking, isn't this an insanely good product?
For example.
If I go to Floor 1, harvest goblin corpses in bulk, turn them into materials at the [Corpse Processing Plant], and produce that healing item at the [Flesh Workshop]?
I could make a thousand a day.
Then how much money would that be?
"If you turn undead that don't go into the Necron Ossuary into resources, you can make an enormous amount."
"Huh..."
This. Other necromancers couldn't do this.
Indeed.
This is the result of a Genesis Grade reward.
Amazing.
Well, I was the first in the world to completely clear the tutorial, so I suppose this level of reward is only natural?
"But rather than that, I think it would be better to make implements that can strengthen your jiangshi."
"Implements that can strengthen them?"
"Yes. The Flesh Workshop can be promoted, apparently. If it's promoted, it can make more diverse things."
"Hmm... For example?"
"It said it could make something called transplantable muscle."
Transplantable muscle!
In other words, it seems you could transplant the muscles of an orc, lizardman, or even a dragon onto a human body.
That's pretty amazing, but... it doesn't suit me.
If I transplanted muscles like that, my body itself would become distorted and it would become difficult to use martial arts.