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Chapter 2 一 Lucky Day (2)
一 The Aesir System has been downloaded.
一 The Status window could not be opened.
“It really won’t open.”
Even after trying it numerous times, the result was still the same.
‘The status window isn’t opening.’
一 There are a few damaged files.
一 Trying to recover the program with safe mode.
Together with the program rebooting, the system’s voice rang through his mind.
‘Damn… What the hell is happening?’
JaeHyun couldn’t hide his confusion.
Ever since he awakened at 10, the system had not crashed even once for the past 17 years.
It had never recovered the system with rebooting or whatnot either.
‘The voice I heard… there is a large possibility it is related to the system crashing.’
It was a rational conclusion. The system clearly said ‘an unknown presence’ had infiltrated it.
‘But why?’
He could not be certain about anything at that moment.
A system invaded by ‘an unknown presence’ leading to a crash. A message from the mysterious voice to follow the light.
JaeHyun tried to keep his calm and stared at the white light in front of him.
‘I’ve never read about a system crash on any forums for the awakened. Then… there might be some changes in the Aesir system.’
The Aesir System was a type of living system based on mythology.
The term Æsir, referring to the Norse gods of Asgard including Odin and Thor, is said to have been the origin for this system which was the last bastion of hope for humans at the end of despair.
Editor note: ‘Æsir’ (variably ‘Aesir’) is the plural form of the term.
<20 years ago, in 2011, which was called the Year of the Calamity>
An enormous tree with untold height grew in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
It sprouted overnight and covered the sky after growing for only 9 days.
The true name of this tree—which was said to be a sign of the end of the world by some and a blessing by others—was Yggdrasil. The world tree that appeared in mythology.
And on the 9th day, when the tree finished growing—
A tragedy began.
An unprecedented disaster of ‘monsters’ spread rampantly all over the world.
Monsters from mythology like giants and dragons appeared, and it took too long before people realized that all of these things had become reality.
Half of the population lost their lives, and half of those remaining were killed by famine and plague.
The monsters created more corpses than any epidemic or war.
Humans resisted desperately, but the monsters were too strong. All products of science—including weapons—turned to ashes, and the armies of most countries were eradicated in the fight against monsters.
But then all of a sudden, a small hope brewed in humanity that had fallen in despair.
Humans called ‘the Awakened’ with the strength of gods appeared.
Those Awakened held the power of the gods.
That is, they started to kill monsters with the basis of the ‘Aesir System’.
The Awakened. Those among them that hunted monsters were called raiders.
The strongest weapon used by the ones humanity considered heroes.
A system regarding which no one knew when and where it was from or which existence had created it.
That was the Aesir.
However—
‘A change is happening to that Aesir System? No matter what kind it would be, it was hard to think about it positively.’
As JaeHyun was organizing his thoughts—
Tak!
JaeHyun’s feet, which were trodding busily, suddenly stopped. Because the light that had been floating in the air stopped in one location and grabbed his gaze once again.
JaeHyun raised his head and looked forward. Then, shock was visible on his face.
“An enormous…… door?”
In front of his eyes was a huge, rusted steel door.
Giving off an unknown aura of intense pressure, it was a door covered in murals that were so old that they could not be identified.
“This is…… no way!!”
The corners of JaeHyun’s mouth started to turn up, and a grin soon spread on his face.
“It’s a Treasure Gate!”
***
Treasure Gate.
A room that hid treasure, with a low probability of appearing in high-rank dungeons. It was a place concealing a very special artifact or effective ingredient item.
‘They said an item from a treasure gate was at least a hundred million, I think?’
Editor note: 100 million won ≅ 90,000 dollars
JaeHyun placed his hand on the door with a delighted face and took a deep breath.
‘If an equipment item that’s at least A-rank comes out from here… I can get out of this horrible life right away!’
Normally, an A-rank equipment item’s price easily goes over a billion won. In Korea, it was an amount that would allow one to get a good jeonse* house and live the rest of their life comfortably.
[T/N: jeonse is a way of renting a house in Korea where you pay a huge amount of deposit to rent the house. Then you don’t pay rent while you’re living in that house. You also receive all or most of the deposit when you stop renting the house.]
“Please… if there is a god, please let an artifact of at least A-rank appear…”
JaeHyun started to put some strength into the hand he placed on the door, and the door soon began to open.
Creeeeaaak……
The interior of the Treasure Gate began to enter his sight through the half-open door.
JaeHyun carefully stepped inside.
“To think there was such a place inside a dungeon… what they talked about on TV wasn’t just an urban legend after all.”
Torches that lit up every wall and a mysterious altar could be seen.
The figure of a small sphere shining brightly on the altar flickered before his eyes.
“Any way you look at it, that should be the artifact.”
JaeHyun couldn’t stop grinning.
“So, let’s see how great this hidden item is, shall we?”
JaeHyun approached the altar without hesitation.
Whiiiiirrrrl……
A sound resembling a moving motor came from the rotating sphere that was emitting a white light. After taking a deep breath, JaeHyun stretched his hand out toward the sphere.
The moment JaeHyun’s hand touched the sphere, a clear voice rang out.
一 The system succeeded in recovering some functions.
一 A new equipment item has been acquired.
一 Would you like to appraise the acquired item?
“Things are working out well today.”
The system even recovered at the right time. They did say that good things happen all at once, didn’t they?
He began to read the status window that appeared with excitement.
Then—
“……huh?!”
The pupils of JaeHyun who had been reading the item’s information contracted. Soon, a puzzled expression followed.
JaeHyun rubbed his eyes and dazedly stared at the status window that floated in the air.
[Equipment Item]
Name: Odin’s Lost Eye
Rating: Mythic
The eye given up by Odin, King of the Aesir, to gain wisdom at Mimir’s well.
When equipped, it can allow one to understand runes and use magic to disarm or destroy.
*The only Mythic item in the world.
*Warning! Bound once equipped!
[Effects]
Skill 《Universal Derivation》With a complete understanding of runes, all kinds of powerful magic can be used without incanting.Blank cards can be consumed to copy another person’s skills.
*When copying skills, penalties do not carry over.
Blank cards in possession: 1
The only Mythic item in the world.
A priceless item had fallen into JaeHyun’s hands.
He remarked in a voice filled with horror.
“……Is this real?”
He looked at it over and over again, but the description was still the same.
一 Rating: Mythic
‘The highest ranking that has appeared in the auction till now is S-rank. Even that easily went over tens of billions of won at the auction house. Items related to magic can especially be sold at whatever price you state…
But what? A Mythic Item?! And the only one in the world at that?’
“Ha… haha……”
The laughs burst out of JaeHyun’s mouth uncontrollably.
“I don’t have to go through all that suffering anymore. I don’t have to be insulted by various guilds or become a meat shield in dungeons! I can have whatever I want and eat whatever I want!”
Filled with joy, JaeHyun smiled broadly as he gazed at 《Odin’s Lost Eye》.
Finally, spring had come for him as well.
JaeHyun tried to calm his beating heart and put the item in his inventory.
As he was doing so, he suddenly had a thought.
“Since I got it, should I try equipping it?
……Sure. It’s not every day I get to try out a Mythic item.”
Traditionally, raiders all wanted to own high-ranked items.
The high rank of an item could be a raider’s pride. It could also save their life in a dungeon.
JaeHyun hardened his heart and opened his status window to equip the item.
Then—
一 Warning! The item 《Odin’s Lost Eye》 becomes bound once equipped. Would you like to equip?
“N-no! Cancel right away! Quickly!”
Not having read the warning because he was entranced by the Mythic rating, he calmed his surprised heart.
“Phew…… I almost blew away the Mythic item I obtained with difficulty.”
JaeHyun returned the 《Odin’s Lost Eye》 to his inventory and wiped his cold sweat away.
“I don’t have a reason to equip this. Just selling it will get me billions and billions of won.”
It was a Mythic item after all. How would there be a reason to equip it?
Over the past 7 years, JaeHyun had faced numerous enemies. There were many instances where he was frozen in fear and several times when he almost died.
For him, being a raider was something he had to do without a choice. He wasn’t continuing to do it out of any love for the job.
That was why he had no plans to equip 《Odin’s Lost Eye》.
‘A big house and a foreign car… I can do whatever I want now!’
JaeHyun left the Treasure Gate with a very light heart.
It was time to return.
***
“Ha, where did Min JaeHyun go? We have to start fighting again in a bit.”
“He will probably be back soon. It seems he went to the bathroom for a moment.”
Lee Myung-Ho frantically made excuses.
“Phew… Seriously.”
The raid captain, Park ChanHyeok, showed his impatience as he looked at his specially-altered watch.
The guild’s budget was already low, so the loss in power with just one person missing was not small.
Especially since those who stood at the rear were Magicians that were weakest at close combat.
If the monsters got even a little closer, the formation would be destroyed in the chaos.
“Let’s try waiting a little… Oh! He’s over there. JaeHyun, come quickly. We are continuing the mission now.”
“I’m sorry for being late.”
JaeHyun bowed his head with an embarrassed look. Park ChanHyeok scolded him as he sighed.
“It’s troublesome if you move by yourself like this. It would be best that nothing like this happens next time.”
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
JaeHyun apologized one more time.
Fortunately, Park ChanHyeok left without saying any more.
“Um, JaeHyun. Don’t feel too sad… huh?”
“Haha, it’s nothing, hyung. I’m fine. And I’ll pay for the drinks tonight. I can’t keep getting free stuff.”
“Huh? Uh…”
Lee Myung-Ho tilted his head at JaeHyun’s untypical reaction.
‘Did he finally go insane at the age of 27?’
Holding his shield in one hand and filing into formation, JaeHyun’s expression was bright.
‘Phew…… did he fall for it just now?’
JaeHyun did not say anything about finding a Treasure Gate.
He was still inside a dungeon.
It was a lawless area with no one outside ever knowing whatever happened inside.
Saying he found a good item in here was the same as saying he wanted to die, and JaeHyun was not stupid.
‘It won’t be too late to sell the item after clearing the dungeon as planned. It’s important not to needlessly attract suspicion right now.’
Lee Myung-Ho shook his head to express that he couldn’t understand, then he grabbed his shield as well and moved into formation.
After checking that the newly-formed frontline had no cracks in it, the raid captain shouted.
“Okay, since the frontline has been reformed, let’s start clearing…”
Boom! Bang bang bang bang!
In the next moment, a loud explosion almost burst their ears.
____