Chapter 45
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Disciple Request
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Yeo Min-ji returned to the guild two hours later.
Park In-tae, who had been handling paperwork, gave a wry smile at her early return.
Looks like it was a failure after all.
The novice Martial Artist who had taken down the instructor posted on the welcome board.
And the one who had boldly claimed first place in the capsule event that followed.
He was certain they were the same person.
He had tried to approach using the job change quest event, but in the end, they slipped right through his fingers.
Park In-tae realized the odds of finding that Martial Artist there were slim to none.
So truthfully, he hadnt held out much hope when she left.
I met him.
But Yeo Min-jis response defied his expectations.
You met him?
Park In-taes eyes widened as he asked again.
Yes. Though all I managed was to add him as a friend.
Add him as a friend? Could you tell me more?
Before he knew it, Park In-tae had set aside his work and sat down next to Yeo Min-ji.
She then recounted her encounter with the Martial Artist.
His nickname was Hoon.
He was a lower-grade Martial Artist who had reached level 51.
Lower-grade Martial Artist? Looks like you found the right one, miss.
A user with off-the-charts potentialenough to beat the instructor in a duel and take first in the capsule eventclaiming to be a lower-grade Martial Artist?
Even a passing dog would laugh.
It had to be a blind to hide his identity.
After all, the moment he completed his job change, an announcement had gone up about a hidden class for the Martial Artist job appearing in New World.
Its obvious, right? Even by your judgment, Team Leader?
Yes. He must be the Martial Artist who changed to a hidden class.
Park In-tae was 100 convinced.
From the duel with the instructor to the capsule event, he had only revealed himself anonymously, so the lower-grade Martial Artist moniker was clearly a mask.
As expected.
Yeo Min-jis lips curved into a wide smile.
Still, asking him to take me as his disciple was a bit too much.
It wasnt even a Hoyoung scouting offerjust begging a level 51 Martial Artist to accept her as a disciple.
It didnt suit her at all, Koreas top Martial Artist.
Seeing Park In-taes stiff expression, Yeo Min-ji gave an awkward smile.
I had no choice. I couldnt just scout him on my own accord.
Hmm. Should we push forward with a scouting offer from Hoyoung then?
No need. All I want is that one fist technique.
Even as a Hoyoung executive, she had zero interest in scouting.
Her sole focus was that one fist technique.
And with her keen eye for talent, she had no desire to force users into the guild using her authority.
So whats your plan?
For now, Ill try to get friendly with him.
Her first impression of the Martial Artist had been better than expected.
That might be tough, dont you think?
Why?
From what I heard, your first impression didnt land so well.
From the rough account, showing up out of nowhere and even swinging fists at him meant the first impression was pretty much ruined.
Heh heh, its fine. He accepted my friend request afterward, so I can turn it around bit by bit.
She was confident she could change his mind.
Truth be told, it was embarrassing to say it herself, but she had confidence in her looks.
Unlike others, she had barely touched customization, syncing her avatar to reality at nearly 95.
Keep at it like this, and an opportunity would surely come.
I wish you the best of luck.
The Magic Tower was layered with invisible mana barriers.
They were protective wards to block intruders.
Of course, they didnt apply to Jeong Hoon, who bore the mark.
As he entered the Magic Tower, the black diamond etched on the back of his hand glowed blue.
True to its name as a hub for mages, the interior bustled with NPCs and users milling about.
Ha Second job change is fucking hard.
Tell me about it. Just go for the normal one. Why chase a rare-grade?
And the Magic Tower was the holy site for second job changes.
If first job changes happened in Origin Village, seconds took place here.
Of course, reaching level 80 was required, so every mage here was over that threshold.
Unlike first changes, seconds offered a shot at higher grades, so most users invested heavily in quests.
The higher the tier, the more job grade mattered for mages.
But rare-grade changes were no easy feat, leading many to give up and settle for normal-grade before heading to the next village.
Probably over 70 of those guys would end up doing just that.
You could tell just by looking at their builds.
A hidden opportunity in a Magic Tower crawling with users like this.
As always, New World had prepared a little event for its players, and solving the tricky puzzle netted benefits for the lucky few.
And in this Edenhark Magic Tower, not a single soul had solved it yet.
Not anymore.
Jeong Hoon headed to the library on the ninth floor of the Magic Tower.
The vast space crammed with novice magic tomes was deathly quiet.
I found an opportunity here in Edenhark Magic Tower back then, too.
Before his regression, his comrade Lewis Verdant had broached the topic while staring into a crackling campfire.
Jeong Hoon had naturally listened in.
Never dreaming it would alter the future.
At this point in time, Lewis Verdant hadnt even started New World yet.
Jeong Hoon made for the librarys most remote corner.
A dusty nook overflowing with ancient, untouched tomes.
Ancient magic formulas were notoriously long and inefficient.
Over thousands of years, countless mages had refined them into modern magic.
That was why no one bothered with ancient books.
Which is why users ignored them too.
The mages visiting the tower were too fixated on job change quests.
Jeong Hoon pulled a book from the corner shelf.
It was a massive tome, easily over 2,000 pages thick.
Musings on Growth
Author Richel
For the record, this book contained no magic knowledge.
Back then, I was parched for growth. I started way later than everyone else.
Lewis Verdant had been a fiercely competitive guy.
Of course, that drive sometimes backfired in weird ways.
But it had also led him to uncover six opportunities.
Choosing the much-maligned Edenhark seemed foolish at first, but he unearthed the secret and skyrocketed from there.
Could I borrow this?
Jeong Hoon took the book to the librarian.
The librarian at the desk adjusted her crooked glasses and shook her head.
Ah, sorry, but only mages can borrow.
Even with this mark?
He showed the diamond mark on his hand, but the librarian didnt budge.
Yes. That mark is just for entry.
I see.
Yes. If you want to read, sit over there.
Looks like borrowing was off the table.
He had wanted privacy, but no choice.
Got it.
Returning to the ancient books section, Jeong Hoon opened the tome.
It was rarely browsed, but to be safe, he needed to finish fast.
I confess: the title and all that preceding nonsense were a ruse.
The second line on page 280.
Exactly as Lewis Verdant had described.
Filling 280 pages with growth ramblings to hide the opportunity. What a mad bastard.
The books owner was Richel, a mage active 600 years ago.
Shunned as a heretic among mages, he was said to have gone into seclusion.
The reason? He wielded both mana and holy power.
Back then, mana users became mages, holy power users priestsbut Richel, born with both, fit nowhere.
Probably jealousy.
Not just dual affinity, but hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius.
Jeong Hoon flipped ahead to page 521.
What if something accelerates growth? Seize it by force, no? Very well, Ill share the secret. Hmm, growth. Such a mysterious thing.
Skipping from 280 to 521 revealed the next clue.
Followed immediately by more drivel to throw off solvers.
Now to page 991.
If only someone could wield both mana and holy power.
Then page 997.
What if we infuse those two essences into this book? Might unlock the secret.
Next, page 1,522.
Seeker of growth: take the wondrous elixir I devoted my life to crafting.
Finally, page 1,794.
Take it and give those mage scum and priest bastards a beating for me.
Richels rage bled through the final words.
Yet it carried a hint of wry amusement.
Jeong Hoon chuckled.
He might not thrash mages and priests as instructed, but still.
Ill put it to good use.
With resolve to wield the power rightly, he activated mana and holy power simultaneously.
The books text glowed, forming a small magic circle.
Just stick my hand in here?
Plunging his hand into the circle summoned a message above it.
Retrieve all items?
This was Richels hidden vault.
Retrieve.
Affirming the command, his inventory filled rapidly with new vials.
Advanced EXP Potion x29
Advanced Mana Potion x35
Advanced Holy Power Potion x35
Richels Research Journal
Elixirs to boost EXP, mana, and holy power.
Perfect.
Now he could accelerate his growth.
Earth Korea Management Team.
The office had fallen eerily silent once more.
Just 30 minutes ago, it hadnt been this baduntil one employee activated real-time monitoring, drawing all eyes to the screen.
And there it was.
A user entering the Magic Tower library, pulling a book, reading itand triggering a reaction.
Is this even possible?
A magic circle formed over the book; the user reached in.
Moments later, the circle vanished, the ancient tome reverting to normal.
But how did he solve it?
Who knows.
If we knew, we wouldnt just be standing here dumbfounded.
The staff were speechless.
He had strolled into the library, straight to the ancient section, and picked a 2,000 page behemoth.
Then, somehow, the book reacted, yielding its hidden opportunity.
Its getting downright scary now.
Team Leader Oh Jin-su had watched the playthrough and felt chills multiple times.
Team Leader, are we really just going to watch?
One employee sidled up and whispered.
Whats that supposed to mean?
This users play is way too abnormal, isnt it? Shouldnt we report to Earth HQ.
The Management Teams role was real-time user surveillance to detect irregular play.
While programs were tightly controlled by HQ, humans required overseers due to their intellect.
Truthfully, HQs tech made overseers obsolete, but they maintained the team to monitor users.
You think this users doing abnormal play?
No, not that.
The users feats were outrageous but strictly legit.
Captivating the team through pure, normal play.
Then stay neutral, whatever happens. Its all his own skill.
At this rate, a record-breaking ranker was inevitable.
Oh Jin-su was certain of it.