Chapter 13

<The Prayer of Inevitability>

After selling a few items on the Exchange, I started to get the hang of it.

How much I should list things for.

There was no need to get scared off by a price that made me think, ‘Would anyone really buy this?’

Because there were far more people in Fantasia willing to pour in huge amounts of money than I had thought.

To get a sense of the market, I kept an eye on EasyLife, who had bought Magi Purification Water for 3 Gold.

Now that hunting Corrupted Monsters had become easy, watching a stream while hunting wasn’t a problem.

Poof!

“Oh, two!”

And one thing I learned while hunting was that Luck applied even to the tiniest, most unexpected things.

Sometimes, when ‘Luck’ triggered, the Monsters I killed would drop extra items.

I picked up two Corrupted Mana Stones at once, crafted Magi Purification Water using the Holy Water I had bought, and listed it on the Exchange.

I didn’t put too many up at once.

I watched the market, and when it seemed like someone was about to buy, I played a little tug-of-war over the price.

It was a fresh and fun experience.

To think bargaining was possible without even meeting face-to-face.

To be able to compromise from a position of power and sell for an even higher price.

It seemed like EasyLife didn’t buy the last one, but the outcome didn’t matter.

The fact that someone, whoever it was, bought it for 3 Gold and 31 Silver meant there were even more potential buyers.

That was how I sold 15 Magi Purification Waters over three days.

I only stopped because a competitor appeared, probably because someone else had obtained the way how to craft it.

“So sweet.”

[● Amount Held: 49 Gold 50 Silver 21 Copper]

Not only had I recovered the cost of my impulsive +12 Enhancement spree in the Land of Golden Light, but I had nearly quadrupled my funds.

“It’s time for me to give it a try.”

Making money was always good, but Magi Purification Water wasn’t selling well on the Exchange anymore.

Competition had appeared, and it seemed the people who had been buying it had learned to make it themselves.

When it comes to seasonal business, you have to know when to get in and when to get out.

Even though I’d never even been to a valley in my life, I felt like I finally understood the people who run those valley-side restaurants selling whole chickens every summer that you see on the news.

“The First Subjugation still hasn’t been announced.”

I slowly began getting ready to hunt the Cursed Ferocious Bear.

The bear’s attack patterns had been revealed through various streams, so I was already familiar with them.

Han Youngwoong supplied the Magi Purification Water for Gold.

EasyLife used that water to reveal the boss monster’s patterns and traits.

Wasn’t this what you’d call mutual benefit?

After receiving the day’s support items from the temple, I was about to leave and join a group challenging the Field Boss.

“Hero, you said you could see the Land of Golden Light, correct?”

“Huh? Yes.”

The beautiful priestess stopped me again today and started talking.

“I heard it from the High Priest. The Legendary Lucky Hero can see the Goddess’s authority and even wield it freely.”

“Ah, really?”

“Yes. Would you like to find out whether you possess that power, Hero?”

[Class Change Quest]

[Legend of the Lucky Hero (1)]

[● Grade: Unique (Hidden)]

[● According to the legend of the Lucky Hero, he can see the ‘Land of Luck,’ the Goddess’s authority, and even wield its power freely. Prove to the High Priest that you are the successor to this authority, albeit an inexperienced one.]

[● Craft ‘Blessed Magi Purification Water’ (0/1)]

[● Reward: 1 Gold, acquisition of the authority ‘Prayer of Inevitability’]

“If you can see the Land of Golden Light, then go there and create a miracle. The High Priest will teach you a prayer that will let you wield the Goddess’s authority with certainty.”

“A Class Change Quest…”

I had reached Level 10 by hunting nonstop to gather Corrupted Mana Stones.

The level where other users were beginning their Class Changes through Class Change Quests.

There was no reason to refuse.

“I’ll definitely make it.”

If it was an authority that let me control the Land of Luck, the Land of Golden Light, then I had to get it no matter what.

Wouldn’t that be the very prayer that could rake in money?

“If you craft the Magi Purification Water in the Land of Golden Light, then depending on your Luck, a Blessed Magi Purification Water will be created. I wish you luck, Hero.”

Sometimes, flashes of golden light would appear in Moina Forest.

The duration was short and the area was small, so it wasn’t enough to do much.

But once, I had fought a goblin inside one, and I had felt the effects of the Land of Luck very clearly.

Twice in a row.

‘Lucky Strike’ had triggered against two goblins that came charging at me.

“Shall we go?”

It wasn’t some vague mirage I had to search for blindly.

Since I had seen it before, my steps were light as I headed to Moina Forest.

I focused on places where there were no people.

Secret, dark places.

And the moment I found a tiny patch of golden light after searching for several hours—

“Found it!”

I ran toward it, eyes blazing.

But someone was already hunting there.

“…Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

Calming his urgency, Han Youngwoong asked politely.

“This spot.”

“…Pardon?”

===

Himalaya was hunting in the contaminated Moina Forest.

He was the user who had posted on Fantasia Life a few days ago about Han Youngwoong carrying a Boing Hammer.

Ever since then, hoping to score another hot post, he had been roaming the hunting grounds while leveling.

– What do you think Han Youngwoong is doing these days?

– Since he ranked first in the Tutorial Tower, you’d think he’d challenge the First Subjugation.

– There are a lot of posts saying people saw him in the hunting grounds, but nothing special.

If he could post about Han Youngwoong’s activities on Fantasia Life again while people were still interested, he might attract attention.

While hunting with that lingering regret in mind, Han Youngwoong suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“…Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

He had been struggling to kill a Corrupted Goblin when the man appeared without a sound and spoke in a somewhat urgent tone.

“This spot.”

“…Pardon?”

His delight lasted only a moment.

Did I hear him wrong?

Himalaya looked around.

The contaminated Moina Forest was vast.

Even though many users had come to collect Corrupted Mana Stones, it wasn’t so crowded that they had to fight over monsters.

Monsters were wandering around right next to them, so why…

Anyone could see he was trying to pick a fight.

Himalaya frowned.

It didn’t matter if he was the number one ranker from the Tutorial Tower. This was still too much.

“I was about to leave anyway.”

“…Pardon?”

“There’s no sun here.”

He made up an excuse and quickly gave up the spot before Han Youngwoong could say anything else.

He didn’t know why, but it felt like he had to.

‘He’s gotten even more vicious.’

The leopard-print boxers stood out even in the shaded forest thick with trees.

Not to mention the red Boing Hammer he carried, and the flashy Title floating above his head was even more eye-catching than that.

And then there was the thick, well-built upper body he now had compared to the last time Himalaya had seen him.

‘Why is he shirtless?’

He was needlessly handsome and muscular, which made me feel intimidated for no reason.

His height, which made me have to look up at him, and his small face.

After subtly putting some distance between them, Himalaya started filming Han Youngwoong.

“What’s he doing?”

Instead of hunting, he pulled something out and started making something.

He was a little too far away to see clearly, but it looked like he was sprinkling something bright onto a dark stone.

“It’s done!”

He even looked ecstatic.

And while he was grinning from ear to ear in celebration, their eyes met.

“Huh?”

He had stared too intently.

Himalaya quickly averted his gaze, but Han Youngwoong was already standing in front of him.

“…Excuse me.”

“…Yes? No, I wasn’t staring…”

“Just a moment.”

Then he swung his Boing Hammer at the head of a Corrupted Goblin lunging in from the side with a worn sword.

Boing!

“……!”

He hit it with a Boing Hammer, so why was there a heavy thud after the boing?

It was horrifying to watch him sigh in relief as the goblin’s neck bent at a grotesque angle and its head drooped.

“Phew. It didn’t burst. Hit this.”

“Pardon?”

“Try hitting this. It gives money.”

“……”

He couldn’t refuse.

Not if he didn’t want to end up like the goblin that had been knocked senseless by that Boing Hammer.

Holding his flimsy wooden shield and the iron sword he had paid quite a bit for, Himalaya stabbed the goblin and secretly glanced to the side.

Is this really okay?

But then he saw a gloomy stone fall from the dead goblin.

It was a Corrupted Mana Stone with a 5% drop rate.

He covered his mouth.

“This is…”

“It’s payment for the spot. Good luck.”

Himalaya stood there for a long time, watching Han Youngwoong coolly walk away as if it were only natural for it to drop.

Then he opened Fantasia Life and started writing a post.

– Sharing the story of how I almost got PK’d by the Boing Hammer Butcher.

===

Thanks to the user who willingly gave up the spot, I managed to craft the Blessed Magi Purification Water for the Quest in a single try before the Land of Golden Light disappeared.

It would have been a huge pain if he had snapped back with something like, ‘You mean your burial spot?’

That was why, although I had asked politely, I paid him back for his kindness with a Corrupted Mana Stone.

Thankfully, it dropped on the first try, so I was able to return.

[Blessed Magi Purification Water (Heroic)]

[Purification water created by mixing Holy Water and the Magi of a Corrupted Mana Stone in a perfect ratio. It purifies Magi more powerfully and grants a purified effect.]

[● Neutralizes Magi within a 100M radius for 120 minutes.]

[● All Stats +5 for allies within the purified range.]

“Kyah.”

Even if the price of ordinary Magi Purification Water was falling, Blessed Magi Purification Water was a different story.

At a point when fighting the Cursed Ferocious Bear was getting easier and a subjugation was finally in sight, this was Magi Purification Water that also granted All Stats +5, even if only once.

“It should be worth at least 5 Gold.”

In fact, if I put it up for auction, I felt like it might sell for even more.

“It is remarkable that I managed to craft this.”

And besides, they had only told me to craft it, not that they would take it from me.

“High Priest, may I use this to hunt the Cursed Ferocious Bear?”

“Hoho, of course. Did you not make it yourself?”

“Thank you.”

[Quest Complete!]

After confirming the Blessed Magi Purification Water, the High Priest led Han Youngwoong deep into the temple.

It was not as large as the main hall, but there was a huge statue of the Goddess inside.

It was spotless, with no sign that it was ever used, and despite being a small room, it was filled all around with what looked like expensive gold.

“The Lucky Hero of legend is known to wield the Goddess’s authority at will. Though it is a blessing that a priest—or any human—might receive once in a lifetime, he can bring it forth when he wishes and use it wherever he pleases.”

The High Priest stroked his beard as he looked Han Youngwoong over.

He still seemed doubtful of his qualities as a Hero, but compared to when they had first met, his expression was unbelievably benevolent as he slowly recited the words like an old tale he was telling his grandson.

“Once is a coincidence, twice is a divine blessing, and three times is inevitability. As Luck is with me, my gesture becomes the Goddess’s authority. I believe and follow, and thus inevitability follows.”

“…Pardon?”

“Once is a coincidence…”

Wooooong—

A room filled with gold.

As the High Priest repeated the words, the faint golden light hovering near the Goddess statue drifted weakly over and gathered at his fingertips.

He repeated it over and over.

Ten times, twenty times.

And after gathering the golden light through such repetition, that hand reached out toward Han Youngwoong.

“…May inevitability bless you.”

Fwoosh!

A pure white energy mixed with a faint golden light burst forth and was absorbed into him.

[The Class Authority ‘Prayer of Inevitability’ has been added.]

A brilliant Land of Golden Light filled the room.