Chapter 103
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: A Long-Awaited Visit
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ha-jin visited Jang Dae-hwi's company for the first time in ages.
It was because he'd gotten a call from Dae-hwi the moment he sent over the recording.
"Ha-jin, come to the company first so we can talk?"
"Got it."
The company had tight security, so you couldn't get in without an employee badge.
That's why Dae-hwi was waiting out front on the first floor.
"Ha-jin!"
"Hyung!"
"It's been a while since we've seen each other up close like this, huh?"
"Yeah. You doing well?"
"Well? I've been swamped. Anyway, you eat yet? If not, let's grab a bite first."
The restaurant was a Japanese place just outside the company.
It was famous for its udon and tonkatsu, so popular that you had to arrive early at lunchtime to snag a seat.
Luckily, it was only 11:20 a.m., still a bit early for lunch.
"Let's eat well."
"Yeah."
The crispy fried tonkatsu and steaming-hot udon came as a set, and it was definitely delicious.
After the meal, they moved to a café and took their seats.
"The editing on the video you sent is going well?"
"Yeah... But I've got a question."
"Yeah?"
"The guy who cleared the dungeon next doorhe's your friend, right?"
"Yep. My one and only best friend."
"This powerhouse is your best friend?"
Dae-hwi couldn't believe it.
Ha-jin was his precious cousin, but he wasn't the type who could hang out with someone like that.
"Why? We go way back."
"Huh?"
"You must've seen him before. Back when I was in elementary school."
"Wait a sec."
Dae-hwi slowly dredged up old memories.
And then one little kid gradually surfaced in his mind.
Ah!
No waythat guy?
The kid who seemed unbelievable as Ha-jin's elementary school peer.
It must've been around when Ha-jin was in third grade.
"What're you working so hard on?"
"Huh? Oh! Playing Black Demon."
"Black Demon? That brutal one?"
"Yeah! Hoon said he'd clear it today!"
Black Demon was a notoriously tough game.
You picked a character, hunted regular mobs, then bosses, and made it through eight rounds to see the ending.
Each character had unique weapons, regular skills, and finishers, which made it super popular.
But the regular monsters had high defense, and every boss had intricate attack patterns.
So, only top rankers had ever seen the ending.
"What the...? How's he so good...?"
But Ha-jin's friend breezed through rounds 1, 2, 3, all the way to 7 like a hot knife through butter.
It wasn't just raw physical skill.
He perfectly uncovered hidden cheat keys midway and took the shortest paths forward.
Insane play you wouldn't believe from a third-grader.
Dae-hwi forgot he was even visiting Ha-jin's house and got completely sucked in.
Zzzzt
Then a power outage hit. If the electricity hadn't cut out, he might've seen the end of round 8.
Anyway, that's how it ended with that kid.
Who would've thought the one who cleared today's dungeon was that same friend.
"Remember now?"
"Yeah... I remember him being freakishly good at games."
"That's not all. The guy's just nuts."
Ha-jin started bragging about Jeong Hoon.
By the time Dae-hwi heard it all, his jaw was on the floor.
"A guy that amazing, what's he doing hanging out with you? You sure he's not using you?"
"Nah, he's not like that."
The inexplicable plays he'd witnessed firsthand.
Maybe he had some info that let him do it, or a tracking-like skill to find things.
Otherwise, it made no sense.
Even with all those contrived moments unfolding, Ha-jin never asked Jeong Hoon about it.
Because after knowing him for so long, he was certain.
Jeong Hoon wasn't the type to betray him.
'He trusts him a ton.'
Seeing the look in Ha-jin's eyes, Dae-hwi decided to bring up what he'd planned.
"Phew... So, can I take full charge of HoneyTube editing?"
"Full charge?"
"Yeah. I'll grow it properly. Of course, I'll have to check with your friend too."
Secret Quest: Blacksmith Ruben
-Restrictions: Possess Reinforcement Skill Own recommendation letter stamped by Epic-grade or higher Reinforcement Artisan
-Reward: Reinforcement Artisan qualification
-Description: Gain Blacksmith Ruben's approval. You can learn some of a Reinforcement Artisan's abilities.
Strictly speaking, it could be considered a dual class.
Dual class meant acquiring a secondary class on top of your main one.
Right now, Reinforcement Artisan was treated as a full class, but down the line, it'd be demoted to a sub-class.
'No wonder most get weeded out unless they're unparalleled Reinforcement Artisans.'
It'd become a sub-class, plus the Unique-grade and above market was practically monopolized by Iwase...
Most Reinforcement Artisans wouldn't survive.
Jeong Hoon accepted the secret quest.
"You mean you can wield two different powers?"
"Yes."
Jeong Hoon nodded without a hint of hesitation.
Ruben let out a hollow chuckle at the confident reply.
"Fine. Come on in."
The door swung wide open, revealing the interior.
It was a simple mansion.
But in the center, a portal shimmered, with a few smithy tools placed beside it.
Jeong Hoon realized that portal connected to the smithy.
"We go through that portal?"
"Sharper than you look. That's right. No need to give you time to rest, then?"
Ruben felt an urge to smack that high-and-mighty nose.
At a glance, he was clearly a martial artist walking the path of the fist.
A punk who only knew how to punch daring to take reinforcement lightly?
Fine.
He'd work him to the bone today.
Grinding his teeth, Ruben led Jeong Hoon to the portal.
'Sir, your face gives it all away.'
Jeong Hoon had already seen through him.
Whoa, trouble! You're in for a rough day?
'If it's too much, how about picking me up and threatening him?'
That could work.
As if.
Attacking Ruben would mean never getting reinforcement arts, win or lose.
'You two, quiet down.'
As Jeong Hoon paused to warn them, Ruben smirked.
"What? Suddenly scared?"
"Oh, no, not that."
"Good. I wasn't planning to let you leave even if you begged anyway."
"Yes. Looking forward to working with you."
Jeong Hoon followed Ruben through to the smithy.
And a few hours later.
Ruben couldn't close his gaping mouth.
"Youwhat are you?!"
"Yes? It's Hoon."
"That's not what I mean! Where did you learn Reinforcement Skill?!"
Ruben had planned to grind Jeong Hoon hard, so the moment they arrived at the smithy, he plunked down a box of equipment in front of him.
Beside it were reinforcement stones matching the gear's grades.
Normal: 400.
Rare: 100.
A Reinforcement Artisan's basic skill was Reinforcement.
He claimed to have the Reinforcement Skill, so basic reinforcing should be doable.
If not, he'd clean the entire smithy and use him as manual labor for swapping gear.
'I won't let him off easy.'
But Jeong Hoon started reinforcing the gear right there, one by one.
Golden effects bloomed, confirming he had the skill.
A martial artist with Reinforcement Skill.
It was absurd enough to draw a laugh, but Ruben held his poker face and watched.
He instructed Jeong Hoon to fully reinforce ten pieces of gear here.
And soon, his face filled with shock.
'What? Why... why no failure effects?! Why!'
Success and failure effects were distinctly different.
Ruben couldn't miss it.
'All done.'
And so, all reinforcements finished.
Result: Golden effects 500 times.
Black effects 0 times.
An impossible outcome.
'...Again.'
'Pardon?'
'Again! Do it again!'
Ruben brought another 500 reinforcement stones.
Normal 400, Rare 100, same as before.
Jeong Hoon grinned and nodded, then began reinforcing.
Golden.
Golden.
Golden.
Golden.
The next 500 were the same.
Ruben fetched another 500 stones.
"Again!"
"Yes."
Jeong Hoon reinforced once more.
Same result.
Damn it!
Why no failures!
Why!
And why did he look so damn happy?
The foreigner's face as he reinforced was pure joy.
Like he was enjoying the reinforcement itself.
Finally, Ruben couldn't hold back. He shook Jeong Hoon's shoulders and demanded the skill's origin.
"You know Ruined City?"
"...Of course."
Ruined City.
Located a bit away from Merhen Kingdom, bordering Caldera Duchy and Rades Marquisate.
Teeming with ferocious monsters, the entrance was completely sealed off.
"I got it there."
"What...?"
"Got the recipe, and thanks to Leblanc deciphering it, I acquired the skill."
"...Sorry, mind waiting here a bit?"
"Yes. Take your time."
Ruben left the smithy with a complicated expression.
Ruben excused himself and hurried to find Leblanc.
He'd heard his health was poor, but seeing him now, he looked more at ease than last time.
"Oh, right. The benefactor who resolved my long-standing regret."
It was all true.
"This is ridiculous..."
"But why'd that benefactor come to you?"
"...To learn my craft."
"Oh ho, I see. Well... Having Reinforcement Skill but not learning Reinforcement Arts would be a shame. If it'd been alchemy-related, I'd have taken him as my disciple..."
Leblanc muttered regretfully.
Raigrina, attending him nearby, looked shocked.
"Master...? Your disciple is right here..."
"What's wrong with having two? Cough! Ahem, anyway, Ruben. You came all this way just to ask that?"
Leblanc coughed and eyed Ruben.
Ruben rose slowly from his seat, dazed.
"...I'll head out. Take care of yourself."
Jeong Hoon was still beaming.
What's got you so happy...?
Muk-ho asked in a disgusted tone.
"There's a reason."
Reinforcement work was pure grind.
Yet Jeong Hoon gladly accepted Ruben's demands.
The more he did, the closer he got to 'Master Reinforcer.'
Master Reinforcer
-Normal (Full Reinforce) 4010,000
-Rare (Full Reinforce) 1010,000
Jeong Hoon tallied mentally.
Normals at full reinforce were 40, so 40 completed.
Rares 30, so 10 completed.
Sure, it looked grindy, but Iwase Haruto had proven how powerful this title was firsthand. For the performance, the conditions weren't too harsh.
"If things go as planned, it'll be quick."
Just supply the gear and stones, and the count would rack up fast.
'The exchange is for grinding counts.'
And the content he'd mentioned to Ha-jin would handle the 'promotion.'
Vrrr
Right on cue, Ruben returned to the smithy.
Unlike before, his face showed resolve.
"You want to learn Reinforcement Arts?"
"Yes."
Jeong Hoon straightened up and answered loudly.
"Good! But if you displease me during the test, you're out on the spotgot it!"
Ruben tried to intimidate him, but the smile on Jeong Hoon's lips only deepened.