Chapter : 42
“Skill power enhancement? How much are you aiming for?”
“Enough to raise it by one or two grades?”
“Hey, if that were possible, every hunter in the world would be S-rank by now.”
The old man clicked his tongue as if telling her not to even dream about it.
“It doesn’t have to be permanent. One-time use is fine.”
“…….”
Since it was one-time, it wasn’t completely impossible. The old man paused his hammering for a moment.
“Why bother with something that’s not even cost-effective?”
“Because you told me to capture Hyunmoo.”
“Hmph, even with such a jewel, raising an S-rank skill is nothing to brag about.”
Raising the power of an S-rank skill required an S-rank jewel, which was difficult even for the old man.
“A B-rank jewel will do.”
“…….”
The old man groaned as if he were genuinely considering it.
“Do you really think that monster will make it to Korea?”
“It will.”
He had overheard Seobyeok talking to Hwang Tae-san, so he asked.
“Among your skills, the one that can catch that guy… and it happens to be B-rank?”
“It’s just a similar situation.”
The old man seemed to ponder again, then got to his feet.
He strapped on the prosthetic leg he had set aside, leaned on his staff, and stood completely upright.
“Eh, Old Man?!”
“Move aside, kid.”
Seobyeok, confused, quickly helped support him.
But he waved the staff as if he didn’t need any help and started walking.
“Follow me.”
He headed toward the farthest corner of the fifth basement floor.
His stall was already at the innermost part, and behind it, a dark passage extended even further.
Clunk.
When the old man lifted the corner of the floor, an iron door was revealed.
“What are you waiting for? Hurry up!”
Seobyeok had expected him to pull the door open, but the old man stepped onto the iron platform above it. She followed hesitantly.
When the two of them stood on the one-square-meter platform, he tapped the floor with his staff.
Whoosh—!
A darkly drawn summoning circle swallowed them and transported them elsewhere.
The surroundings changed from a damp, dim basement to a clean, bright space.
Seobyeok’s eyes widened in shock.
“Eh, Old Man?!”
“Quiet. Follow me.”
He limped forward, walking through the space.
It looked like a museum or a relic management room.
Though Seobyeok had known the old man since her previous life, this was the first time she had seen this place.
This wasn’t creating a space out of thin air like Seobyeok’s Atlas Safehouse.
This was a real place somewhere in South Korea.
The iron plate he had used was a teleportation device that allowed access to this space.
Even so, Seobyeok couldn’t help but be astonished.
“What… what is all this?!”
The neat room was filled with countless items.
Weapons, armor, mounts, accessories—all meticulously organized and maintained.
From rare items that had briefly appeared in auctions and disappeared, to legendary items thought destroyed.
“Why? Did you think an old junker would just stay buried in the dark every day?”
“No, it’s not that, but…!”
Seobyeok lightly touched a nearby shield.
<Item: Usurper’s Shield (S)>
A shield used by the Usurper’s royal guard. After being shattered in war, a stubborn old junker collected the fragments and restored it to its original form.
“Woah.”
One of the very few S-rank shields in the world was here. Seobyeok quickly withdrew her hand in surprise.
The Usurper series included helmets, armor, and long swords, all renowned for their S-rank performance.
These had been in the hands of various S-rank owners worldwide. France had once considered buying them all to arm its S-ranks, but each item cost over 500 billion won, so they gave up.
And yet, one of them was here.
‘So there was a shield too!’
The existence of the shield had never even been known, and now this unique among the unique was here…!
It wasn’t just the Usurper’s Shield.
This place was full of such items.
“No, Old Man! With all these, why are you just keeping them? You could auction them, rent them out…!”
Moreover, these items weren’t just great weapons—they had all been personally handled by him.
<Item: Silver Lining (EX)>
Even behind the dark clouds, the silver shines. There is always a way out, even when the sky falls, and joy follows pain. This is the truth the old junker realized about the world.
“Are you crazy? Are you really A-rank? Or are you secretly S-rank?!”
Seobyeok recoiled after touching another item.
Even though he repaired broken items, this went far beyond mere restoration.
After confirming the EX-grade item that manipulates luck, Seobyeok was so shocked she peeked at his status screen.
<Status Screen>
Name: Seok Geum-cheol
Rank: A
Server: Earth (S3-EH)
Guild: Black Dragon
Title: One-Legged Junker (A: Growth-type)
He was indeed A-rank. But…
‘Growth-type…?!’
She had seen variable types before, but growth-type?
‘How far can a growth-type go?’
Could she potentially raise him to S-rank…?
“So that’s why Hwang Tae-san watches over him…”
“That guy has never seen this place either.”
“Never?”
“I only fixed a few of his items, and he immediately brought the contract. Sharp kid.”
Even if he didn’t know the full extent of the old man’s skill, he realized missing out would be bad.
“Are you really just going to keep all these things here?”
“Every weapon has its rightful owner.”
The old man said firmly.
“It’s not like he’s struggling to survive. Sending them to just anyone would be unforgivable for a junker.”
“What, weapons are supposed to choose their owner like cats?”
“A hunter’s weapon is a life-and-death companion. Even the materials infused by the junker have power and will.”
“I know weapons have egos, but these…”
“All weapons in this world have the potential for ego.”
The old man extended his hand, as if to say, “Show me your weapon.”
“Many S-rank weapons manifest their ego because the junkers worked hard, and the hunters cherish them just as much.”
Lower-ranked weapons were usually treated carelessly.
“Do you think factory-made weapons are the same as those crafted stitch by stitch by a junker?”
Seobyeok pulled out <Loneliness-Stricken Spear> from her inventory.
The old man held it and suddenly laughed.
“Hahaha! Ah, this one’s unusual. A junker who knew nothing of honor, only money, carelessly put in leftover materials and hammered it as practice whenever he had time.”
“You can see all that…?”
“But that’s why life clings stubbornly. Every single material.”
The old man raised the spear, twirled it in the light, then suddenly blew fire from his mouth.
The spear shuddered and vibrated, glowing intensely.
“Do you know how tenacious and ruthless those who survived from the very bottom are? They greedily devour everything and melt it into their own.”
Seobyeok furrowed her brows.
Her heart pounded.
It wasn’t excitement or surprise. Anxiety? Panic? Fear?
No, it wasn’t her own emotion.
The cry of the spear stuck to her heart like glue.
“That sly little guy is impatient too. Very…”
The old man’s eyes gleamed with joy, and his upturned grin was almost creepy.
“A terrifyingly perfect madman.”
“…Old Man.”
Seobyeok swallowed dryly as she watched the spear’s cries extend tiny, microbe-like appendages that clung to the old man’s hands.
They said a junker in madness was scarier than a combat-class…
“If you want something, you can take one. But leave this one to me.”
Woooosh! Wooooooosh!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The spear’s wailing made Seobyeok’s heart go wild.
“Not Hyunmoo, even the Jade Emperor would be crushed by this one!”
For them, this was no longer crafting or repairing—it was battle.
Seobyeok, who had come to the association with documents to finalize guild creation matters, ran into the last person she wanted to meet.
“Why is our Seobyeok’s tenant here?”
It was Park Woo-jun, whose voice carried a sharp edge.
Usually playful and fun, he transformed completely in front of Seobyeok.
Especially near her, he smiled foolishly; elsewhere, he was incredibly unkind.
The contrast disgusted Kang Su-ho, making hunters seem hypocritical.
“Hunter Park Woo-jun, this isn’t your concern.”
“Why not? It’s about our Seobyeok.”
Park Woo-jun approached as if to demand the documents.
At over 190 cm, his presence was imposing.
But Kang Su-ho, 187 cm and well-built from labor, didn’t flinch.
Even in a raid, Park Woo-jun’s approach would usually make someone flinch, but seeing Su-ho unmoved scratched his pride slightly.
“What’s your purpose?”
He asked, erasing all trace of a smile, growling.
