Episode 28
028. Butterfly Effect?
“Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword… Creator: ‘Golden Hand’. Based on his activities so far, the probability of him being a solo player is high. An individual possessing both immense potential and sensational appeal simultaneously….”
She quickly scrolled through the report.
Complex calculations were already unfolding in her mind.
“This isn’t just a simple weapon. It can become a ‘symbol’. The first legendary-grade item created by a player? If we provide this item to a top-ranked player sponsored by our group….”
Cha Yoo-kyung’s mind raced.
She valued the ‘symbolism’ more than the item’s abilities.
The impact of the ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’ would undoubtedly exceed imagination.
This was a perfect opportunity not only to elevate the group’s image but also to secure influence in the Lepion item market.
Cha Yoo-kyung, pushing up her glasses, made a decision.
“Prepare an emergency budget allocation! The target amount… has no upper limit. Have the legal team prepare an exclusive contract proposal with the player ‘Golden Hand’, and the marketing team should develop a strategy to maximize the use of this issue. From now on, commence ‘Project: Gold Hunting’.”
With massive capital entering the fray, the value of the ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’ was skyrocketing to unimaginable heights, unbeknownst to its creator, Golden Hand.
However, they all missed one thing.
The fact that at the very moment Golden Hand finished the creation…
He had frowned, just for an instant.
Golden Hand, who had created the Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword.
His mood upon reading the item’s information didn’t seem very good.
Even though it was a legendary-grade item, just like the equipment he was wearing.
‘My target was around Unique grade….’
Legendary grade.
It was a good thing that the crafted item received a high-grade evaluation.
But that was separate from this; it was a matter of the blacksmith’s skill and pride.
The fact that he couldn’t accurately create an item of the intended grade.
That in itself was a problem.
‘It might cause unforeseen issues later… I guess I need more practice.’
It wasn’t just because of the blacksmith profession.
The sub-profession, Magical Engineering.
In Magical Engineering, components of a uniform grade are often needed.
But if unexpected grade components like this keep appearing?
Ultimately, inconsistent component quality only results in lowering the overall grade of the final product.
‘Still… should I be satisfied that at least it isn’t soulbound?’
Unlike when he crafted items for his own use, this one was not soulbound.
Meaning, it was created as a sellable item.
For now, he had to be content with just that.
Moreover, the completed ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’ was a flawless greatsword, lacking nothing in terms of attack power and even special effects.
Especially the ‘Lightweight’ effect perfectly compensated for the greatsword’s biggest weakness: its slow attack speed.
His thoughts didn’t seem like mere self-praise, as the moment he shared the ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’ information, the broadcast chat exploded.
└ Wha, legendary? For real?
└ Insane… A player made a legendary item?
└ Is this fake?
└ Nah, how do you fake a share message? The fact that a player made a legendary item is legendary in itself.
└ Max attack 350, is that for real? That alone would melt a boss.
[Kang Moo-jin Fanclub President] has donated 1,000,000 won: Hyung!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!! Sell that to Moo-jin hyung’s guild!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Asura13] has donated 2,000,000 won: Golden Hand-nim, we will pay any price you name. Please, to us…
[Mirae Group Planning Office] has donated 3,000,000 won: Golden Hand-nim, please sign an exclusive contract with us. We will match the contract deposit to any amount you desire. Just please meet with us…
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.
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As if in competition, the donation amounts kept rising.
There were even messages promising donations just for a single meeting.
An atmosphere he couldn’t get used with at all.
In his past life, Golden Hand had never received this kind of sponsorship even once.
Furthermore, the number of concurrent viewers had already surpassed 100,000.
Golden Hand still couldn’t fully grasp the reality that he was at the center of all this commotion.
‘This… is this really okay?’
Suddenly, he felt worried.
The more he stepped into the public eye, the more the future would change.
The so-called ‘butterfly effect’.
There was no telling what kind of result this single broadcast, which didn’t exist in the past, would bring back.
Perhaps even the future Golden Hand knew could change.
But he quickly dismissed that worry.
‘What do you mean, not okay? Of course it is!’
Golden Hand gritted his teeth.
It is.
Of course it is.
No, the flutter of a butterfly’s wings is insufficient.
He needed to create a typhoon.
‘If things continue as they are, it’s ruin anyway, right? But… screw ‘not okay’.’
A predetermined result: ruin.
To prevent ruin, he had to shake things up.
Shake them? He needed to overturn them completely.
He had to stop the complacency and the petty power struggles, the fights over interests and bowls of rice.
On the contrary, infinite competition.
He needed to foster competition to an almost excessive degree.
So, a broadcast like this was merely the beginning.
‘I’m trying to change the future… yet I’m afraid the future might change?’
Golden Hand chuckled dryly at his own misstep.
Then, organizing his thoughts, he spoke.
“That’s all for today’s broadcast. This ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’… will be listed on the auction house soon, so please keep that in mind if you’re interested. Thank you for watching.”
He could have dragged it out a bit more to encourage donations, but Golden Hand ended the broadcast cleanly.
Without hesitation, he pressed the ‘end broadcast’ button.
His tone was as casual as saying he was going to eat.
His remarkably composed attitude only made the viewers more frenzied.
└ Ah, no! Don’t go!
└ Brother! You have to show us gameplay footage before you leave!
└ I want to see hunting with that sword!
└ Auction house? I’m going to wait endlessly from now until that sword gets listed!
└ Golden Hand Brother is so cool… Is this the true dignity of a master?
Even after the broadcast ended, the fervor showed no signs of cooling.
The displaced viewers began occupying Repion official community, ‘Repinet’.
[Title: (Breaking) Player-crafted legendary item appears! Creator is ‘Golden Hand’!]
[Title: [Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword] Spec Analysis.txt (Data Warning)]
[Title: (Pilgrimage) Hand raise if you watched Golden Hand’s live broadcast. I’m buying a lottery today.]
[Title: So who is Golden Hand? Is he really that guy who mined after messing around and broke pots?]
[Title: (Info) Viper’s Dagger becomes legendary item material, ‘skyrocketing’ lololol (PK Godddeu is crying)]
[Title: [Price Prediction] Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword minimum starting bid: at least a house! (If you disagree, you’re right)]
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.
.
The entire community was plastered with stories about ‘Golden Hand’ and the ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’.
His past activities were re-examined, and all sorts of speculation about his identity ran rampant.
In an instant, he became the hottest figure in Lepion.
However, not everyone was enthralled by Golden Hand’s playstyle.
[In a dark corner of a PC room]
“Hey, found it?”
“Ah, wait a bit! The broadcast screen is too dark, it’s hard to identify the terrain!”
Blinded by the bounty posted by PK Godt, several players were dissecting the recorded broadcast frame by frame.
“This bastard definitely broadcast from a dark place on purpose. But don’t give up. The shape of that rock over there, the mountain ridge visible in the distance… analyze every little detail.”
Players began analyzing the background piece by piece while replaying Golden Hand’s broadcast.
Their idle-time analytical skills surpassed those of corporate analysis teams.
Then, one player zoomed in on the screen and shouted.
“Hey! Found it! There, the mountain visible far away! Isn’t that Mount Kratum?”
“What? It really is! So that bastard is heading from Neman Village to Kratum right now!”
“If it’s Kratum, the route is obvious. He’ll take the fastest path, the ‘Arid Gorge’… but it’s probably already too late, right?”
The moment Golden Hand’s expected travel route was identified.
But they were already late due to the analysis.
He likely had already arrived at Kratum by now.
But it didn’t matter to them.
“Good, let’s report to PK Godt first and collect that bounty.”
Unbeknownst to Golden Hand, he had become the core of a massive storm shaking the entire world of Lepione.
However, Golden Hand, at the center of all this uproar, was completely unaware as he checked his earnings.
[Total Donation Amount: 18,744,500 won]
“……Eigh-Eighteen million?”
Golden Hand counted the number several times over.
He had earned a fortune from just one broadcast.
Of course, after fees and deductions, what would land in his hands would be about half.
But even that was enough to make his legs go weak.
“Ha…… Haha……”
A hollow laugh escaped him.
It was a complex mix of relief, thrill, and a slight sense of absurdity.
For a while, he wouldn’t have to struggle for money.
Capsule installments, electricity bill, food expenses, rent.
Even funds for future gameplay.
Everything was solved.
“With this much… I can focus solely on Repion for a while. No, should I work harder on streaming to upgrade to a newer model capsule?”
Golden Hand got up from his seat with a satisfied smile.
Moreover, he hadn’t even sold the crafted ‘Moonlight Venomous Serpent Greatsword’ yet.
If he sold it, the profits would undoubtedly swell even more.
However.
“Ah, was Kratum this far?”
Golden Hand, traveling to Kratum on foot.
After walking for quite a while, the fatigue accumulated from streaming and crafting washed over him.
He stopped in his tracks and looked at the back of the Iron Walker, which was twice his size.
