Chapter 69
“Wow, look at this.”
I stared at the colorful assortment of items laid out on the table.
“A necklace that lets you live the life of an ant for ten hours when used? Who the hell makes stuff like this?”
“Oh? A variant of a Polymorph spell, perhaps? In our world, only the dragonkin could use such magic. To think something like that exists here… impressive, Master.”
“You call this impressive? It’s just a crazy item. Who’d even use something like this?”
For the record, all ten of the items I’d bought this time were completely insane.
From a self-harming staff that triggered ‘Lightning Storm’ (B-rank) every time you cut off a finger, to a belt that increased stamina—but not the kind you’d expect.
“…Huh?”
Stamina?
Hmm.
This one might actually sell for a lot.
I placed my hand on the belt.
[Item: Man’s Belt]
[Rank: C]
[Type: Belt]
[Description: A magical belt designed to protect the waist during heavy lifting.]
[Effect 1: Increases willpower instead of physical strength. Note: ‘Willpower,’ not ‘virility.’]
“Willpower… not ‘that’ kind of stamina?”
I quickly looked it up. Apparently, it wasn’t the kind of stamina I thought—it referred to mental focus, a kind of Buddhist concentration.
“Damn, that’s useless.”
Just reading it made my brain hurt.
“You’re really going to use these to make an item?”
“Of course, Master.”
Dmir grinned, gathering all the items into one pile.
Then he began pounding them with his hammer.
“Crazy items deserve to be beaten. Did you know? Even weapons need a good beating to come to their senses.”
“…”
Bang! Clang!
He kept hammering until leather and metal were crushed into one unrecognizable lump.
There was definitely a deranged aura coming off him.
“So… to make a crazy item, you have to go crazy yourself?”
“Master, you should begin as well.”
“Me?”
“Like before—focus your spirit. Breathe courage into it.”
“Courage? All of a sudden?”
I tilted my head, and Dmir kept hammering as he spoke.
“Simply put—lose your mind. A courageous master is always a madman who fears no one.”
“What?”
Did my skeleton just call me crazy?
That was… weirdly insulting.
Or maybe flattering? Hard to tell.
But Dmir just smirked and kept talking.
“The definition of a madman varies—by person, by race. For my kind, the Dwarves of Stone, melting and fusing bizarre items like these is the height of madness. But for humans, someone like you—a man who keeps moving forward despite every reason to stop—is what they’d call insane. Our kind would call that courage.”
“…”
“Well then, if that’s what humans call a madman, we’ll go along with it! Now, strike! Strike with courage! Strike like a lunatic!”
I stared at him blankly.
This guy had a talent for making nonsense sound profound.
But fine.
I’d take it as a compliment.
Still…
“Can you really make something out of this junk?”
“Master, must I remind you? I was once the greatest blacksmith of an age.”
“…Okay.”
Yeah, I gave up thinking.
Thinking came ‘after’ doing.
And honestly, I was a little excited.
What kind of item would come out of this mess?
Clang! Clang!
I activated the ‘Supreme Azure Mind Method’ and began channeling my focus into his hammer blows.
‘Challenging that old man in the unknown dungeon.’
‘Facing Sunny’s trial head-on.’
‘Standing before the ancient dragon.’
All those memories resurfaced.
Ah, I got it now.
‘So yeah… I really am crazy.’
I wasn’t even a ranker, yet my life was a nonstop string of insanity.
If I told a random Hunter about this, they’d never believe me.
“Excellent! Master! A fine masterpiece is taking shape! Good! Do you have an even bolder memory? No? Then never mind! This will do! Focus on refining it!”
[Completion Rate: 2%]
Alright.
Time to concentrate.
This was going to be a long process.
I’d pour every ounce of focus I had into crafting the perfect weapon.
Clang! Clang!
Shuffle, scratch.
The workshop’s second floor was filled with two sounds—Dmir’s hammering and Kim Jina’s note-taking.
Scratch, clang, clang!
Simple sounds—but when filled with passion, they formed a strangely beautiful rhythm.
—
Step, step.
A man walked down the streets of Apgujeong, his gaze fixed on a particular building.
To be precise—on the now-famous ‘Dmir Workshop.’
He radiated an unmistakably dark energy.
He was none other than Shadow Walker, ranked 720th in the world.
“So this is the workshop.”
He smirked.
“Three hundred billion just to kill one production-type? Typical of the rich—throwing money away over pride.”
Oseong Group’s spoiled brat, Shin Jongoh.
Having accepted his request, Shadow Walker had spent two days scouting the area.
‘No particular threats detected.’
No ranker-level energy nearby.
And the so-called workshop owner didn’t emit anything remarkable either.
A bit stronger than a typical Hunter, maybe, but nothing noteworthy.
‘The world is vast, and the wall’s always high.’
He was a ranker.
The gap between rankers and normal Hunters was beyond comparison.
“Well then, let’s get it over with.”
As a shadow mage, he thrived in dimly lit areas—light was needed for shadows to exist, after all.
Whoosh!
With a kick, Shadow Walker slipped into the building’s shadow.
Clang! Clang! Scratch!
The rhythmic hammering echoed through the workshop.
‘He’s distracted. Easier than expected.’
He gripped his short sword in reverse.
He’d sneak up to the second floor, slit the target’s throat, and vanish.
The shadows would hide everything—not even security cameras would catch him.
Rustle!
“Hm?”
Sensing movement, he turned sharply.
“A skeleton?”
A long-spear-wielding skeleton stood before him.
He frowned slightly.
Had a mere skeleton detected his stealth?
And then—it spoke.
“State your purpose for entering this place—especially with such murderous intent.”
“A talking skeleton… I’d heard rumors, but seeing it in person is something else.”
Shadow Walker’s eyes glinted with amusement.
There was no tension in his expression.
These things weren’t even worth fearing.
He drew his sword from the shadows.
“So, you’re one of the undead he summoned?”
“You mean my lord? Rather bold of you to intrude here. Hmph. Were it not for your tricks, you wouldn’t have lasted a second.”
“Heh. Pretty bold talk for a pile of bones.”
He chuckled.
How absurd—a skeleton talking back like a human.
“Die.”
Slash!
Shadow Walker’s blade, wrapped in shadows, split into two and lunged at Sunny.
“Intruder detected. I heard the alarm, Sunny.”
A woman’s voice rang out.
And then—
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Dozens of arrows flew toward Shadow Walker.
“Hm?”
He deflected them all with ease, but his expression darkened slightly.
The energy in those arrows wasn’t normal.
If he’d taken a hit, it would’ve been bad.
“I cast an enchantment. If one hits, the surrounding area will be filled with light.”
“…”
What kind of ridiculous skill was that?
Light—of all things.
The one thing a shadow user like him was most vulnerable to.
‘Something’s off.’
He felt a prickling unease.
These skeletons were supposed to be mere summons from a B-rank Hunter.
But something about them felt… wrong.
Their power was weak, yet there was a feral, predatory presence inside them.
‘Let’s end this quickly.’
Even so, they were nothing he couldn’t handle.
[Skill: Clone (S-rank) activated.]
Whoosh!
His body split into two within the shadows—a perfect duplicate, capable of dealing real damage.
[Skill: Shadow Strike (A-rank) activated.]
Slash!
From behind Sunny and Eldrin, Shadow Walker’s clone lunged, blades aimed at their necks—
“Hm?”
He frowned.
They’d dodged—just barely.
Their power was weak, but their technique was flawless.
They deflected his killing blows with minimal force.
‘So they can control their strength that precisely?’
“Impressive. Still, how vexing it is to be forced to flee from such pitiful foes.”
“I know. Even after all that training, I’m still far from my former strength.”
Their tone bothered him.
Why did it sound more like calm analysis than bluffing?
No matter.
Whatever tricks they had wouldn’t save them.
‘I’ll finish this fast.’
He stomped down, shadows surging forward again.
—
“Hmm.”
I deactivated the ‘Supreme Azure Mind Method’ and stood up.
[Summon: Sunny dismissed.]
[Summon: Eldrin dismissed.]
Both summons had vanished.
Meaning, they’d already been defeated.
And on top of that—
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[Security Protocol (A-rank) activated!]
[Intruder detected!]
I’d already heard Eldrin’s security alarm ringing, so I knew something was wrong.
“Master, the alarm’s sounding.”
“Yeah, Dmir. Whoever it is, they’re not ordinary.”
Sunny and Eldrin had been taken out.
Whoever did that—
“At least S-rank… possibly a ranker.”
Rankers.
The very goal I aspired to reach.
Beings who stood beyond the limits of humanity—and Hunters.
Gulp.
Tension rippled through my body.
This wasn’t like a dungeon encounter.
The presence of a ranker was suffocating in itself.
“Jina, go to the third floor and hide.”
“O-okay.”
Eyes wide with fear, she dashed upstairs.
Then—
I froze.
Thanks to the ‘Supreme Azure Mind Method,’ I could sense the flow of energy nearby.
Someone was watching me.
I turned toward the corner.
“What’s your business here?”
“Well, well. You noticed? As expected from the master of those freakish skeletons.”
Whoosh.
From the shadow of the second floor, a man emerged—a dagger of pure darkness in hand.
“Too bad. The two you summoned? They’re already broken. That’s what you get for picking a fight with someone rich.”
“…”
Just from those words, I knew exactly what had happened.
Shin Jongoh.
That bastard had finally crossed the line.
And this guy—Shadow Walker.
A ranker mercenary known to work for Oseong Group.
Of course I knew him. I followed ranker info religiously.
Then—
Killing intent surged.
“—!”
Clang!
I instinctively drew my sword and slashed.
The impact rang out as I deflected his strike.
“Oh?”
His eyes widened.
Genuine surprise.
Honestly, I was just as shocked.
I’d actually parried a ranker’s blow?
‘Slash’ (B-rank).
My self-developed strike technique.
Even at B-rank, it worked.
‘So this is the power of the Legacy of the Ten Thousand Arts…’
But that was only the start.
Against a ranker, I couldn’t let my guard down for even a second.
I quickly resummoned Sunny, Eldrin, Bone One, Bone Four, and Bone Five.
“Master.”
“Sorry, we should’ve bought more time.”
Sunny and Eldrin reappeared.
“…”
I cleared my mind completely.
The man before me was a ranker.
I had to focus.
Fully immerse myself.
Because this opponent—
Even if I gave everything I had—my chance of surviving was less than one percent.