The side benefits I’d gain would be enormous. After all, Yu Yeonha displays extraordinary ability in business and cost-effectiveness—a woman destined to become the “King of Seoul” someday.
“I’m not curious. I already know.”
“What?”
Yu Yeonha narrows her brow and asks back. Rather than dumbfounded, she looks genuinely annoyed.
Seeing that, I made a decision. To buy Yu Yeonha’s interest with a piece of information that would eventually become public, and to plant an air of “mystery” around myself. When I considered the various benefits, including the SP I’d gain from it, it was a worthwhile deal.
With a serious voice, I delivered the information like a whisper.
“The hind heel is its vital point.”
“What kind of crazy—”
“A blue pattern is engraved on its hind heel. But whether it’s on the right foot or the left varies depending on genetics. That’s probably why the vital point has never been discovered until now.”
The Mountain Tyrant is a monster I designed myself. Its vital point was inspired by Achilles. That probably hasn’t changed either. Only the major details have shifted, while the minor settings remain intact.
“The Tyrant’s entire body is hard, right? But that part is soft. If you target the nerves there, you can take both hind legs relatively easily. That is the Mountain Tyrant’s vital... point.”
This is probably information worth billions. But considering my current credibility, it probably wouldn’t be worth even 100 won.
“...Crazy bastard.”
As expected, Yu Yeonha glares at me with scorn, as if looking at a bug. I followed her as she tried to brush me off and walk past.
“It’s true. Just believe me once.”
“If you were me, would you believe it?”
“...”
Of course, if I were Yu Yeonha, I wouldn’t believe it either.
“Believing it is your choice, but...”
I wish she would.
“Excuse me, sir?”
Just then, Yun Hyeok suddenly appeared and cut in between me and Yu Yeonha.
Yun Hyeok pushed me aside slightly and asked.
“Doesn’t it seem like your peer is annoyed?”
This slimy bastard is so annoyingly tall that I have to look up at him.
I looked at Yu Yeonha.
“Am I being a bother?”
“Obviously.”
Pfft.
Cold and immediate. Rage wells up at Yun Hyeok’s sneer.
“But you’re going to the afterparty too?”
My words grew shorter and shorter.
I shook my head.
“I’m not.”
“Then don’t bother people too much. Um, Yeonha-ssi...?”
But Yu Yeonha had already walked far ahead.
Puhut.
I returned the favor exactly as I’d received it. Yun Hyeok’s face twisted, and he hurriedly rushed after her. I stood still, watching the two of them from behind.
I had clearly given Yu Yeonha some very good information. However, whether it would actually be put to good use or flow in one ear and out the other was anyone’s guess. If the former, there was a high probability I’d gain a suitable ally; if the latter... then nothing would happen.
* * *
In late night shrouded by the deep darkness of late winter, Yu Yeonha sat clicking an innocent ballpoint pen, deep in thought.
Tomorrow, the elite team of the “Strait of Essence” guild would be sortieing to subjugate the Mountain Tyrant.
She had secretly purchased information about a Tyrant dwelling alone near Geumgangsan, and had already sent a scout to confirm its physique.
The estimated grade was nothing less than Upper-Intermediate Rank 1. Looking at precedents, Upper-Intermediate rank monsters had hide strength comparable to “Promethium.” Therefore, so long as the raid succeeded, it was certain they could obtain astronomical funding.
But Yu Yeonha had a concern. It was not worry for the safety of the elite team undertaking the raid. Currently, the “Strait of Essence” was under the tremendous sway of its vice-master—enough to make her, as the successor, feel threatened.
That was right. Yu Yeonha had a concern. The concern that, if she wanted to inherit the guild without incident later, she had to start building achievements now...
In the end, Yu Yeonha turned on her smartwatch. Using the call function, she dialed a number. Before long, the call connected and video bloomed upward as a hologram.
“...Um, uncle?”
—Yes, miss.
On the screen was Gim Sangho. A battle-hardened veteran now well past forty, and her father’s most trusted right-hand man. He was someone Yu Yeonha had trusted and followed like an uncle since she was young.
—What is the matter?
Though she had made the call, Yu Yeonha was too embarrassed to bring herself to speak.
A blue pattern on its hind heel? Targeting there could take both its legs?
What kind of spectacle was this, being swayed by absurd information from an unverified lunatic.
“Um, if I may...”
But there was a saying, “just in case,” and it wasn’t as if telling him would do any harm. That crazy bastard was like a psycho, but he had always had his reasons whenever he was so confident. Rationalizing to herself in this manner, Yu Yeonha caught her breath.
—Yes? Miss?
“W-well, this might be crazy talk...”
She squeezed her eyes shut, clenched her fist, and finally spoke.
“If you struggle during the raid, please take a look at the soles of its hind legs.”
—...The soles of its hind legs?
Gim Sangho’s brow narrowed in doubt.
She knew how ridiculous that sounded. But if it could help, and if by any chance this information was correct...
“Yes. The hind sole... the heel. Right or left. It might be... on one of the two.”
Yu Yeonha overcame her shame and continued to the end.
“If, if by any chance there is some kind of blue pattern there, try targeting that spot.”
────────────────────────────────────
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For Growth (3)
A late night when an owl cried out.
Having finished exercising as well, I returned to the dormitory and lay down on the bed.
Ever since falling into this world, I haven’t been able to sleep well. My body is tired, but all sorts of stray thoughts constantly arise in my head.
How should I survive here? How should I act? A helper who secretly assists the protagonist? Or rather, should I become a complete villain and cut the throats of the bad faction from within? Like the gangster noir movie I’d been deeply impressed by long ago...
Then, suddenly curious about my current stats, I found my laptop.
===
▶ Stats
* Variable Stats
[Strength 1.735]
[Stamina 1.745]
[Agility 2.15]
[Perception 2.605]
[Constitution 1.65]
[Mana 1.3]
===
As expected, my stats were rising quite well. All stats except Mana had surpassed the adult male average (1.5), and in the case of Perception, I had reached a level that could be called beyond what an ordinary person could contend with.
But it was still far from enough to head out into the field. I needed money right now, and the day the Lord of Bokma makes his appearance is not far off...
Suddenly, a flash of insight streaked through my mind.
Certainly, the most honest and efficient way to earn a lot of money right now was running the field. Until now, I had put it off due to insufficient stats, but thinking about it carefully, there had been no need.
Couldn’t I just cover my lacking stats by reinforcing weapons with my laptop? Like Gim Suho from the distant future, who once cleaved a mountain range with a single holy sword...
It certainly seemed like a method that could yield ultra-high efficiency in the shortest amount of time.
But it was a waste. SP was far too precious.
To give a rough example, say there is a training pistol and the “Desert Eagle,” a masterpiece among handguns. Currently, I possessed a training pistol and about 380 SP obtained from my relationship with Chae Nayun falling apart.
If I invested all my SP here to reinforce the training pistol? At best, it would only become a weapon on par with the Desert Eagle.
This meant the base performance of the weapon being reinforced had to be good for SP efficiency to rise.
“Hmm...”
Now that I’d brought up the Desert Eagle, I was suddenly curious. It was the only firearm I had designed. The motif was obviously the Desert Eagle.
Lying down, I turned on my smartwatch and connected to a weapon sales site.
The site name was Essential Armory.
It was an armory operated by the “Strait of Essence” guild, and since weapons of Relic-grade and above were sold at auction houses, it ranked first in the field of ready-made weapon sales.
[Welcome to Essential Armory.]
As expected of a number-one site, it was very well designed. On the main page, new weapons showed off their attractive forms, and in the top bar, general categories such as swords, spears, bows, and rapiers were lined up. Guns didn’t seem to be neglected either, probably because mercenaries were a main customer base.
I pressed “Category—Guns.”
There were many types—pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles—but a pistol without movement restrictions suited me best. The “Desert Eagle” was a popular product, so I found it easily.
>>>
‘Desert Eagle’
—Experience a power that surpasses all imagination for a giant handgun. A magic engineering amplifier that magnifies the destructive force of magic bullets is built in. However, the recoil is also tremendous; recommended only for skilled marksmen capable of controlling it.
?Weight: 3.5938kg (1.2938kg with added weight-reduction magic effect)
?Overall Length: 333mm
?Identification and a pledge required.
The Desert Eagle. Its design in the photo had been advanced far more beautifully than the original. A noble gun barrel plated with platinum, an eagle pattern engraved on the grip. Rather than a weapon, it was like a work of art, boasting a weight and size so burdensome it was difficult to hold in one hand.
No doubt it would demonstrate destructive power as outstanding as its appearance, but...
“It’s too expensive.”
It was expensive. The base price was 20 million won, and if you selected the “full parts” or whatever, it jumped to a whopping 40 million won. I was trying to hunt monsters because I needed money; it was a case of the belly button being bigger than the belly.
“...Ugh.”
I tried to think it over, but my thoughts wouldn’t connect. My consciousness grew hazy and my head foggy. It seemed sleep was slowly creeping in. Let’s postpone this worry until tomorrow.
I turned off my smartwatch without hesitation.
...And so, when I closed and opened my eyes, it had become Wednesday.
A fresh blue light of early morning poured through the curtains.
It was a color I hated no matter when I saw it.
A tiresome day was beginning anew.
“Huu.”
Every morning, I shook off the wretched emotions that wrapped around my entire body with a single sigh. I shuffled to the bathroom, washed myself roughly, got dressed, and headed out of the dorm. That routine took only 10 minutes.
Outside, many cadets were preparing to leave for class. Even though it was a damn morning, they were each laughing and chatting. Watching their seemingly joyful appearances, I couldn’t help but realize the reason for my lethargy.
Here, I did not have a single friend. No, not even anyone to talk to. School life had been tedious, but I had been able to enjoy it because there were many like-minded friends...
Should I just grab someone at random and befriend them?
No, that was a hassle too. If I wasted emotions needlessly on interpersonal relationships, I felt my condition would only worsen.
I should just go full lone wolf.
I headed toward the Hero Hall where classes were held.
* * *
“As you know, each guild’s database contains a great deal of useful information. But for the most part, the rank hierarchy permitted to peruse that information is divided very strictly, so...”
Even as I half-heartedly listened to Professor No’s lecture, I thought about weapons. The elegant figure of the white eagle drifted before my eyes.
How could I earn the money to buy it?
First and most intuitively, there was selling information.
I had designed most of the monsters myself. So I roughly knew their vital points and attributes. Since each guild possessed different data, if I sold information on monsters whose vital points were unknown to each guild...
No, this was no good.
First of all, it would take a full five years to build credibility as an information broker, and I wasn’t keen on needlessly throwing the world into confusion by haphazardly selling off everything I knew just to earn a bit of money.
“...Then let’s take a short break now.”
In the meantime, break time had already arrived. Immediately, I turned on my smartwatch. I was about to connect to Essential Armory again when a message arrived in real-time.
[Excuse me.]
The sender’s name was familiar.
Rank 7, Yu Yeonha.
Since all the cadets’ smartwatches were connected to Cube’s intranet, communication like this was possible even without separate contact information. Though I had never once made use of it until now.
Staring at the back of Yu Yeonha’s head as she sat in the very front row, I replied.
[Why.]
[What are you?]
She suddenly said something completely out of the blue.
[What are you talking about?]
There was no reply for a while. Just as I was wondering what was wrong with her, one thing immediately came to mind. I glanced at my watch. It was 1 p.m. I had given her the information just yesterday evening, yet she was reacting this quickly?
[Ah, is it that? Looks like you actually believed me.]
[What did you say?]
[How was it? I was right, wasn’t I?]
To be honest, I was curious too. Whether the Mountain Tyrant’s setting had remained the same. If the co-author intended to change all the information I knew, then I would have to get through some pretty hardcore things in this place.
[······Yes.]
“Phew.”
Fortunately, it seemed even this much had not changed. Inwardly, I breathed a sigh of relief.
[How on earth did you know?]
[Do you think I’d tell you?]
Yu Yeonha’s shoulders flinched. Then a short message came back.
[No.]
A laugh slipped out of me. I was about to end the conversation there. But then it suddenly came to mind. The Desert Eagle, its elegant and haughty form resembling a bird of prey.
I had almost forgotten. The reason I had given Yu Yeonha information was all for this kind of practical benefit······.
And, quite coincidentally, Essential Armory was also operated by Yu Yeonha’s guild, “Strait of Essence.”
[More importantly, since you benefited from me, I’d like to be repaid too.]
Yu Yeonha suddenly turned around. Perhaps she had noted where my seat was from before, because she looked straight at me. Her brow was rather sharp, but it didn’t carry the same weight as before.
How should I put it? She looked like a money source.
────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────
For Growth (4)
[What do you want?]
As expected, I knew Yu Yeonha would accept. With her personality, reciprocity existed, but one-sided debts and grudges could not be tolerated.
But now the question was what I should ask for, and that was giving me trouble.
Asking for cash was a little much. No matter how Yu Yeonha she was, she was still a minor. She probably couldn’t just casually give and receive cash on the level of tens of millions of won.
[Simple. Give me one weapon.]
After sending that reply, I added the link to Essential Armory’s website, where the Desert Eagle was on display.
After checking the item I requested, Yu Yeonha turned back to look at me again. There was no hostility on her face.
[I think that’s more than cheap enough.]
[······Fine.]
As expected, she was decisive.
[But can you do it by tomorrow?]
The sooner it came, the more time I would have to earn money. Even if tomorrow was impossible, at least within this week······.
[Understood.]
Her reply was perfectly crisp, without the slightest sign of difficulty. Guild affairs should still be far more under her parents’ influence, yet her decisiveness was enough to make me marvel.
“Now, take your seats.”
Just then, break time ended, and the old professor returned. After taking a sip of bottled water, he resumed the lecture.
* * *
Wednesday’s theory class ended. Then, at 3 p.m., one-on-one combat training began.
In the spacious sparring hall, the cadets each found and met with the partners they had arranged beforehand. They prepared for their sparring like that, while I pitifully wandered around alone looking for an instructor.
“Hey.”
A sharp monosyllable flew from behind and stabbed at my ears. It was clearly a call aimed at me, so I turned around. In that instant, my body trembled on its own. Chae Nayun’s terrifying eyes were glaring at me.
She said to me.
“Do it with me.”
The hostility contained in her tone bordered on killing intent.
Gulp. I swallowed.
By a logic similar to the saying that one word can repay a debt of a thousand nyang, I had created an enormous enemy with a single sentence. Chae Nayun was certainly far too dangerous a person to have as an enemy. For the sake of a smooth life, I would have to fix this no matter what, even if it meant getting on my knees.
But as I faced Chae Nayun, I thought. Could I apologize now for my rashness, which she must have felt as a tremendous insult?
When I kept my mouth shut, Chae Nayun pointed first at my handgun.
“Draw it. Your gun.”
The handgun that had been smashed that day had been newly issued to me. It was the exact same model as the one I had used before. After glancing at the holster on my thigh, I looked back at Chae Nayun.
“I don’t want to.”
“······You scared?”
The resonance carried by those few short words was unusually great, and in an instant, the attention of the sparring hall gathered on us.
“Hmm······.”
I