Chapter 98
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Leblanc the Peerless Genius
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Whirr
Jang Ha-jin picked up his smartphone to answer the call.
"Hey! Why the hell aren't you picking up?"
"Ah, sorry. So what's up?"
"Why haven't you sent the recording from that shoot? You did a live stream!"
"Huh? Did I say I was going live?"
He had no recollection of telling Jang Dae-hwi that he would go live.
So how did he know?
"Dude! I was checking if you uploaded the video properly and happened to catch the live by chance!"
"Ah, got it!"
"...Anyway, send the recording if you have it! I'll edit it for you again this time! And if you manage the channel like that, people won't subscribe, you know?"
Jang Dae-hwi planned to share his know-how generously.
But Jang Ha-jin's response missed the mark entirely.
"Hold on. Hoon hasn't told me to send the video yet."
"Huh? Then contact him quick!"
"Hmm... Just wait for now."
"Wait? Why are you so laid-back? Don't you know you gotta strike while the iron's hot? Didn't you start YouTube to grow the channel?"
"Huh? Not really that ambitious."
"Not... ambitious?"
"Nope."
Jeong Hoon had told him to manage the channel and said it was fine even if he went crazy with the revenue.
But Jang Ha-jin didn't want to do that.
Thanks to his friend, he'd had a ton of fun experiences lately.
He even had his own personal capsule now, and after getting gear from the Golden Temple, he no longer had any urgent need to make money.
Plus, the reason Jeong Hoon had gone live this time was probably so that Korean players could claim the honey pot of the Ruined City first.
Uploading the recording to YouTube would let foreigners watch it too.
'I should ask Jeong Hoon separately and upload it then.'
That way, he could upload with proper permission.
It would let him manage the channel without any guilty feelings.
This way, it wouldn't feel like he was running it however he wanted, but whatever.
As long as it sat right with him.
"Uwaaack!"
You have died.
The death message appeared, and the capsule door forced itself open.
Psssh
"Shit!"
Kim Bong-gu spat curses as he climbed out.
He'd already died twice.
Twice.
He hadn't died consecutively, so his ban hadn't extended from 24 hours to 48, but it was still 24 hours per death.
Another 24-hour suspension, and the time he'd promised Jeong Hoon was slipping away uselessly.
"It was an impossible promise from the start..."
How the hell was anyone supposed to clear this?
Kim Bong-gu replayed the video he'd transferred to his smartphone.
Jeong Hoon clearing the Ruined City, activating cheat keys as he went.
The problem was his movements.
"How do you dodge this like that?"
The deformed golem's attacks were too fast for the body to react.
Jeong Hoon had dodged them by a hair, moved efficiently, found the cheat keys, and dismantled the golems one by one.
This wasn't a tips video.
It was just a one-man army rampage.
"He expects me to watch this and clear it in a week..."
But if he gave up here...
"Shit, no way."
He couldn't even imagine what kind of retaliation that monster would unleash.
All he could do now was keep looping the video and drilling it into his head.
Legendary Enhancement Stone
- An enhancement stone that can strengthen Legendary-grade equipment.
- Can be obtained with low probability from hunting bosses Lv. 300 or higher.
- Success Rate: 10 (all enhancement values applied)
- On failure, 20 chance of equipment destruction.
Truly vicious odds.
Starting from 0, success rate was 10, failure 90, and on failure, 20 chance of destroying the gear.
No one in their right mind would slot an enhancement stone into Legendary equipment.
H-Hey... hold on. You're not thinking of destroying me with that, are you?
Mukho, who had been throwing a fit, suddenly went quiet.
"What? Want me to destroy you?"
I-If you destroy me, you'll regret it! You won't find armor like me anywhere!
"I'm not the type to invest in armor anyway."
A lie.
Before his regression, the armor Jeong Hoon wore was fully reinforced Legendary-grade.
But whether because Jeong Hoon's tone didn't change, Mukho fell for the bluff and urgently spoke up.
Honestly, you're the one who messed up! Not me!
"Me?"
Yeah! I didn't do anything wrong!
"Yeah. I know it's not your fault. Anyway, this'll be important material later. No other options."
...That serious?
"Yep."
Mukho fell silent at the sight of Jeong Hoon nodding with a serious face.
...Tch, fine.
Even recognizing him as his master, it didn't whine more and accepted it.
Jeong Hoon patted the chest of his mukbok once and headed to the alchemist district.
Unlike other territories, the Merhen Kingdom had a street where alchemists gathered.
Jeong Hoon was probably the only player who went around to every territory's alchemists.
The NPCs in this alchemist district only gave quests to players with the Alchemist job.
"Hmm? What's a non-alchemist outsider doing here?"
As he entered the street, an alchemist eyed Jeong Hoon unpleasantly.
"I'm looking for Alchemist Leblanc."
"Leblanc the elder? Sorry, but he's in no state to meet anyone right now."
Leblanc.
The peerless genius.
'Without meeting Leblanc, I never would have unlocked the recipe's secrets.'
Iwase Haruto had been stuck on the ancient recipe, wandering the streets by chance when he met Leblanc.
Leblanc had needed help at the time, and in the process of aiding him, the topic of the ancient recipe came up, leading to its solution.
"The reason?"
"Do I need to spell it out? Anyway, he's not seeing anyone. Go home."
NPC Info
-Nickname: Raigriner
-Level: 180
-Job: Alchemist (Enhancement)
Raigriner was poised to chase Jeong Hoon off immediately.
The other alchemists watched from their building windows, their eyes in agreement.
Hah, what the hell? Who's this flat-faced punk? Just shove him aside!
Mukho's bold words followed, but he couldn't do that.
"Enough, stand down."
Because an old man close to 80 was slowly approaching behind him, leaning on a cane.
NPC Info
-Nickname: Leblanc
-Level: 300
-Job: Alchemist (Common)
There stood the peerless genius.
Merhen's pride, Leblanc.
"Master! Your health is poorhow can you come out like this!"
Raigriner hurriedly supported Leblanc.
Leblanc had a kindly face, but he looked so frail he could keel over any moment.
His eyes lacked strength, and his body was skin and bones.
"It's fine. That's enough."
"Still! It's chilly out. Please go back inside."
"Then invite this guest in as well."
"...Yes. Follow me."
Raigriner was visibly displeased, but since it was Leblanc's order, he guided Jeong Hoon into the mansion.
Jeong Hoon sat across from Leblanc.
"Cough! Cough! So, what brings you to see me?"
Leblanc covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed.
'Back then, Leblanc was on the verge of death.'
Iwase had saved him.
Not by curing him, but by resolving his dire situation, extending his life a bit longer.
That's why Leblanc had passed away after decoding 98 of the recipe's secrets.
The remaining 2 was completed by his disciple here, Raigriner.
'I can't save Leblanc.'
The cause of Leblanc's death was a chronic illness.
Jeong Hoon only knew it was a long-term ailment; he didn't know the details and lacked confidence to treat it.
In such cases, continuous use of top-grade healing would be needed.
'Even with a temple next door, it's like this... so it's practically incurable.'
No matter how divine power was the source of healing, it couldn't defy the laws of nature.
But he could stimulate his curiosity.
"Would you like to see this?"
Jeong Hoon placed the ancient recipe before him.
Composed in ancient script and severely damaged, to the point decoding seemed nearly impossible.
"...This is?"
Leblanc's eyes widened slowly as he recognized the recipe.
At the same time, a red question mark blinked into existence above his otherwise empty head.
Hidden Quest: Ancient Recipe
-Restriction: Must possess the Ancient Recipe
-Reward: Decode the Ancient Recipe
-Description: Help Alchemist Leblanc decode the recipe.
Jeong Hoon accepted the quest immediately and got to the point.
"I want to decode this recipe. Is it possible?"
"...May I ask where you got it?"
Leblanc's eyes changed.
No longer weak.
It was the curiosity from long ago, when he first entered alchemy.
"Master, what is this that's got you so worked up?"
Raigriner, ignorant of the recipe, asked in bewilderment.
"Hush, I'll explain later."
Leblanc firmly brushed him asideit wasn't the time for interruptions.
Thanks to that, Jeong Hoon could speak freely.
"Do you know of the Ruined City near the Merhen Kingdom?"
"Of course... How could I not know that cursed city."
The cursed city.
Infested with evil spirits, impossible to purify, left abandoned to this day.
In fact, Leblanc had attempted to explore it in his youth.
He'd nearly died in the process, barely escaping, and suffered severe aftereffects for years.
"I got it from that city."
"...You went in there and came out?!"
"Yes."
"Hah... You're even crazier than I thought."
"Thanks for the compliment. So, will you decode it?"
"Heh, you're an interesting one. Alright. Maybe I've held on this long just to see this."
Leblanc took the recipe.
Raigriner's face went deathly pale as he shrieked.
"Master! Research in your condition? Absolutely not!"
"It's fine. If I wait longer, I won't be able to do it."
Leblanc was stubborn.
Leaning on his cane, he rose and headed to the second-floor lab.
Decoding begins.
0... In progress
It would complete at 100.
Jeong Hoon would wait in the mansion during that time.
He'd surely need the Legendary Enhancement Stone midway.
"It's because you came! Master's health is already bad enough!"
With Leblanc gone, Raigriner's ire turned to Jeong Hoon.
"Then would you decode it?"
"What?"
"I need that decoded. That's why I came. And I'll pay the price for it."
Jeong Hoon pulled out 100 gold.
Raigriner's eyes bulged at the pouch of gold coins.
"Y-You're saying you'll spend 100 gold just to decode that one thing?"
"I'll spend more if needed."
"...."
"And didn't you see Leblanc's eyes? They were sparklinghe really wanted to decode it."
"What...?"
Raigriner looked dumbfounded.
He probably didn't see it right. Looked like he has a bit of cataract; might need treatment.
'...Please be quiet.'
Thanks to Mukho's serious remark, Jeong Hoon nearly failed to keep a straight face.