CH 9

“This has to be a scam, you punk!”

“Uncle, you’re the one who has scammed me right now, damn it! How can you send a cerberus like that out of nowhere! Thanks to you I almost peed in my pants at this age!”

“Ahem. Sorry about that but…”

His timing of apologizing wasn’t just late but more like he took a bus and flew a plane before doing so.

Uncle, who had a lot of conscience unlike his hair stealthily avoided my gaze and said.

“I didn’t know you would actually take down a cerberus. How did you do it?”

“As you saw, I just did a good job.”

I walked out of the connection module while sweeping my messy hair because of the helmet.

When I looked around, not only uncle but Yoo Su-yeon and all the researchers were looking at me as if they were asking ‘How did you do that?’.

You disgusting bystanders were all on the same boat as him!!

“Now you have nothing to say right?”

“Ahem…”

“If you don’t accept it even after I’ve done this much them I’m going to get mad.”

“…F-fine. Why are you suddenly making such a scary serious face? Do it, Do as you like. Be a player. I give you my permission. Happy?”

“Don’t you have something more to say?”

“…Ahem.”

Did you think I’ll let you get away?

“…If there’s any equipment you want then tell me. As promised, We will provide all the equipment belonging to the association free of cost. Damn it, only those who are A-class can get this benefit though!”

“A promise is a promise!”

Unlimited gift vouchers acquired!

Don’t they say every cloud has a silver lining? From now on it’s happy shopping time.

[Guardian deity, ‘Sung Hyun-sook’ is looking forward to the shopping with an excited heart!”]

Mom, you’re excited?

Because I’m excited too!

***

A while later.

I headed to the shopping mall on the 15th floor of the association building like a haughty VVIP customer.

…Together with uncle.

I didn’t expect him to tag along.

“Gasp. President?! What brings you here sir?!”

“Th-the president is here! What are you doing everyone?! Quickly come and greet him!”

“And bring some tea!”

Thanks to that, the employees had to rush around in a hurry as if their legs caught on fire to treat the higher person.

Add to that, my desire of shopping alone quietly had turned to nothingness.

“Uncle.”

“Hm?”

“I’ll do the shopping alone, so you go back up and carry on with your work.”

“How can I do that?! My precious little brat is going to choose the equipment he will use in the future, so of course, I’ll have to come along! I even have to recommend some nice pieces of equipment! So just trust me! Haha!”

Now that’s some incredible change of attitude for a person who was dead bent on not allowing me to be a player until a while ago.

Now that he has no choice but to give in, does he plan on going all out and supporting me in every way he can?

“Oh, but who is that person tagging along with the president…?

“He looks young…Could it be the president’s relative?

“Huh?! I know that person! He’s the one from the news this morning…!”

Everyone’s attention towards uncle slowly moved towards me.

There were quite a few employees who recognized my face through the articles and videos that circulated today.

And now they see me accompanying a high ranking person?

Even if they didn’t know exactly, they figured I was a customer that should be treated well.

“Hey, hey! Quickly go to the storage room and take that out! You kept it safe right?”

“Y-you mean that? But I thought we never display that item unless it’s a VIP customer…”

“We put it in the storage room to use it at times like this! Don’t talk anymore and just bring that!”

…What’s ‘that’? Can you let me know too instead of fussing amongst yourself?

‘Well, it’s probably special equipment prepared for VIP customers only.”

I’m sure it must be extremely expensive and high quality.

Also, it wasn’t only one shop that was giving emergency orders like this.

I could see each of them busy moving to take out their lethal equipment as if they were waiting for this moment.

Thanks to my and uncle’s surprise visit, the shopping mall quickly became full of commotion.

Everyone’s working so desperately and then there’s me. Haha.

“Jae-min, don’t listen to what they say and just follow me. There’s a secret area here that only high-ranking officials are aware of, you know? The items sold there are killer. I’ll especially let you in there.”

Uncle smiled in a shady way and whispered in my ear.

Also, why is he lowering his voice like a drug dealer or something, I’m getting goosebumps.

To be honest I was curious about this secret place.

For me, who only ever had types of equipment under level 4, I can’t even imagine what the benefits that only a ‘very few’ can enjoy are like.

But.

‘There’s only one piece of equipment that can be called killer here.’

No matter how Mugwort rice cake-like* my first life was, it wasn’t completely worthless.

Thanks to eating that, now I can finally enjoy some delicious glutinous rice cake.*

A sweet glutinous rice cake filled with a lot of honey known as, knowing all the information beforehand!

*T/n: In Korea, the term Mugwort rice cake or Ggae-tteok is used to refer to bad situations because the rice cake is usually green and not pleasing to the eye whereas, glutinous rice cake or Chal-tteok is much more popular and delicious.

“Ah, but that’s not bad too, Jaemin. I think it’s called ‘Rapier of Godmother Elias’? Looking at you earlier, I think you’re born with talent in swordsmanship. You’ll know once you use it but it has excellent piercing and slicing power. What do you say, wanna take a look later?

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ hurriedly warns “This old man doesn’t have an eye for things just like he doesn’t have hair!”]

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ strongly recommends “Instead of that the ‘Sword of the Moss Forest Commander’ over is much lighter in weight and better in power!”]

…Sigh, I’m just getting crushed in the middle from both sides.

I think my head is going to start hurting from all this commotion.

I coolly pretended not to hear it and started walking forward.

But soon I stopped at,

“Huh?”

A shabby store that was not caught up in the commotion earlier like the other shops.

Unlike other shops, even if a high-end person came, they probably didn’t have anything extraordinary they can present with confidence.

You could tell just by looking at the old store manager’s face.

Oh, and by the way, the “Huh?” earlier was not said by me, but by uncle.

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ tilts her head and asks “What is there to see here?”]

I guess mom’s curious too. But it’s probably better if I explain using my actions rather than words.

“Ah…! W-welcome!”

The store manager who was sitting spaced out was late in coming back to his senses and greeted me in a hurry.

“I saw a piece of equipment that I liked here…N-no, you don’t have to do that!”

I hurriedly waved my hands at the store manager who was bending down like a flip phone.

I get uncomfortable with too much kindness. Damn it, this is all because of uncle who came tagging behind me.

“Um….Jae-min?”

“Yes?”

“Is this really the right place?”

“Yes.”

Uncle showed a reaction as if he couldn’t understand as well.

But it’s understandable.

Even though I’m sorry to say it, objectively speaking, this was a very shabby place.

If other shops shone like gold boasting all their A+ pieces of equipment then this place was dull like grey.

But,

“It has to be this place.”

“H-hmm, Is that so…?”

This place shined in my eyes more than any other.

I walked inside across the shop to a mouldy corner.

And,

“I’ll take this.”

I chose the ‘Bastard Sword’ which was shabbily hanging in the display case like pork hanging at the butchers.

The grip of the handle was the worst and the blade was so rusty, it looked like it would crumble with a flick.

The store manager and uncle’s eyes opened wide at the same time.

“Th-that’s not for sale! I kept it separately to dispose of it later…!”

The store manager earnestly shouted.

Well, I don’t care.

“Dispose of it you said? That turned out great. I’ll dispose of it for you instead.”

I said while holding the sword high like some warrior pulling out a holy sword.

It was so badly rusted that even the white light from the tube lights seemed to avoid the blade.

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ scolds “Have you gone crazy?!”]

I understand what you feel but isn’t the a bit too harsh, mom?

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ puts her hand on her waist and says “Put that sword down immediately before I sponsor you a pair of glasses using god coins!”]

Calm down.

Don’t waste your hard-earned god coins like that…

I want to explain the whole story to her but I’ll do it later.

“Uncle, I’ll go with this.”

This is what I think.

A true ‘genuine item’ cannot simply be judged by its ‘price’.

This rusty sword, which is firmly held in my hand, is one such case.

In order for this sword to show its true value, there is a place I must visit.

But I’m tired today so let’s go tomorrow!

“I-it’s an honour from my side if you wish to choose it but are you really sure?!”

“Jae-min! Come back to your senses! After you defeated the Cerberus with so much effort, in my opinion, this just isn’t right!  Are you upset about something, hm? If so, I’m sorry…!”

[Guardian deity ‘Sung Hyun-sook’ has started to look for the best pair of glasses in the ‘Hall of Fame’!]

…I thought of going tomorrow but looks like I’ll have to go as soon as I can.

***

“There is a player called Lee Chan-hyuk.”

After completing the shopping.

I thought mom would really sponsor me with glasses if this continues, so I decided to explain to her why I chose this nameless rusty sword.

“He’s not that known now, but 1 year later he’ll be an outstanding A-class player.”

[Guardain deity ‘Sung Hyun-sook’ carefully listens to ‘My Son’s ♡’ story!]

“He’s a player who mainly focuses on swords like me, but his sword skills are very poor. Ironically enough, the fact that he rose to an A-class player doesn’t change.”

In that case, what do you think helped him become successful?

The public’s judgment was this,

“His item.”

Lee Chan-hyuk got his sword for, that was going to be disposed of, because he was an acquaintance of the store manager.

But ironically, that’s what made him, who was once insignificant, rise to success.

“An unknown player quickly climbed to A-class just because he got a brilliant item.

Which is this single sword. Isn’t it funny?”

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ is suspicious and says “A player’s true power comes from the body, not the equipment.”]

“You’re right. You’re one hundred percent right. That’s the truth. But what can I do when that’s what really happened? Doesn’t that mean this is sword is huge enough to overturn that truth?”

Some even sarcastically made comments like it isn’t Lee Chan-hyuk who is wielding the sword, but the sword is wielding Lee Chan-hyuk instead.

“But as of today, this sword belongs to me so that kind of future will never come, haha.”

Sorry about that, Mister Lee Chan-hyuk. Keep up the hard work.

Of course, it’s still a terrible sword right now.

I doubt whether I can properly cut a radish with it, let alone a low-grade monster like a goblin.

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ tilts her head and says “I’m still not sure about it.”]

It’s because you didn’t see it for yourself, mom.

I bet I’m the only person out of the 7 billion who knows the reason why I chose this sword.

That’s why from now on I’ll show you.

[‘Sung Hyun-sook’ asks “But why are you hiking since a while ago?”]

“That’s a great question, mom.”

I was hiking up a mountain trail carrying a metal case with the rusty sword in it.

Gaewoon Mountain.

It is a mountain standing tall behind a university built in Seongbuk district.

It is not very far from the association located in Yeouido, but for now, I came here in a car driven by Yoo Su-yeon.

‘Because I can’t use public transport with my face spread everywhere on the media!’

I saw an article on the internet just before coming here.

An article that said well-known guilds, which would make anyone go ‘Oh! This place’, are desperately longing for me.

Perhaps even at this moment, they are looking for me with eyes open like a hyena looking for its prey.

‘Me walking outside freely in such a situation? Not a chance.’

Just then.

Di-ring, Di-ring!

“Ah damn it. They’re doing this again.”

I don’t know how did they come to know my phone number again, but they’ve been bombarding me with messages since a while ago.

-Hello, how are you? This is ‘Arc’ guild’s…

-Hello, Mr. Hwang Jae-min, how are you? I’m from the ‘Azure Sky’ guild…

-Hello, how are you?

-Hello, how are you?

I’m not fine, you damned people. Would you be fine if you were bombarded with messages like this?!

I neatly solved the problem by switching off my phone.

When I came outside after shopping earlier, the sun was already about to set.

The mountain path was steep and dark but thanks to the power of the vitamin pill, I was easily able to reach my destination.

“Hm…it’s supposed to be definitely somewhere around here in the middle.”

I didn’t evaluate Lee Chan-hyuk as an insignificant player for nothing.

No matter how many questions the reporters ask you, how can you just disclose your one and only secret to success to the media like that?

Well, thanks to that I’m reaping the benefits though.

“Oh, found it.”

There are times.

When a gate that isn’t a ‘normal gate’, but a ‘variant gate’ with special elements like shape, formation, the impact of mana, etc. appears at random locations.

An example of that is a tree with a cross-shaped hole in front of me right now.

“This, this is it.”

There is a gate inside this hole.

I could also clearly feel the impact of mana.

It was a hole small enough to barely fit a fist, let alone my whole body but that’s okay.

Because the gate will absorb me on its own when I simply reach my hand out…

“Stop right there, you punk!”