Chapter 26. Training Like the Real Thing (1)
They say everything in the world has its pros and cons.
No matter how good something looks, there’s always a downside behind it.
And Shin Woo, who’d been handed a golden opportunity from the heavens, wasn’t exempt from that rule either.
‘Now what should I do…?’
Originally, he had planned to prepare for the practical exam by paying good money to rent out a training center.
But thanks to Professor Kim Cheol-su, that was no longer necessary.
Honestly, he had been worried it would just be a waste of money—like going to the gym without any exercise knowledge. So, it was a blessing in disguise.
The problem was that now he suddenly had free time.
He’d left the jjimjilbang earlier than expected, and if he went straight home, he’d probably fall asleep.
But with the exam right around the corner, he couldn’t afford to waste time like that.
So, after some careful thought, he decided to head to…
[Welcome to the Workshop Street!]
It was the workshop street.
‘I should check how far along the staff is.’
For the Hunter Exam, candidates were allowed to use personal equipment during the practical test. So he figured he’d check on the progress.
Of course, just showing up early in the morning without notice would be rude, so he’d gotten permission from Uncle Cheol-jin first.
—Come.
In true fashion, the reply had been short and to the point.
Still, it felt wrong to show up empty-handed that early in the morning, so Shin Woo stopped by a nearby café.
He ordered a large iced Americano.
“Uncle Cheol-jin’s a diehard ice-coffee guy, even if he freezes to death.”
Maybe because the forge was so hot, the man only ever drank iced drinks—even on days when the lake froze over.
Shin Woo shook his head, sipping his warm caramel macchiato.
How could he not appreciate the sweet warmth of this drink?
Recharged with sugar, Shin Woo happily strolled down the street.
“But why are there so many shops closed down?”
Every other storefront had a short notice pinned to its door announcing its closure.
Strange.
He’d heard that workshops required so much capital investment that owners rarely closed them easily.
Especially on Workshop Street—supposedly, even if you wanted to open one, you couldn’t unless a spot freed up. Shops only closed when they really went bankrupt.
And yet, here was a whole street dotted with shuttered businesses.
‘Guess the fraud problem on Workshop Street really was serious.’
Well, no surprise there. The Association, guilds, and police had cracked down hard—no wonder a lot of dust came out.
Served them right. Why cheat Hunters, who risked their lives fighting monsters?
“Tsk tsk, they reaped what they sowed.”
At least now, with the dead weight gone, the surviving shops would be more trusted—and popular.
If nothing else, customers wouldn’t have to worry about scams or rip-offs anymore.
The street might look quiet now, but it would soon recover around those shops.
Shin Woo felt a quiet pride, knowing he’d had a hand in sparking that change.
‘Not that I’ll ever reveal I was Mars John Doe.’
If he did, acquaintances would bombard him with calls, and then what would he say?
—You were Mars John Doe?! Honestly, I always knew you’d do something big someday!
—Hahaha, yeah. It was me, actually.
—Wait, now that your identity’s revealed, you can’t be John Doe anymore. You’ll need a new alias. Hmm… how about “The Mars Discipline Guy”?
‘Oh my god…’
Just imagining it made him curl up inside.
He’d thought “Santa Guy of Suwon” was the worst, but this was somehow worse!
No way. That nickname was going into the grave with him.
Resolving that firmly, Shin Woo pushed open the door to Cheol-jin’s workshop.
“I’m here~”
“……”
“Hmm, is he out?”
He’d even brought coffee like he promised, but there was no sign of him.
Muttering, Shin Woo sat down in his usual spot, having been here a few times already.
He quietly looked around the empty workshop.
‘They say the inside of a room shows its owner’s character.’
Sure enough, the sparse interior reflected Uncle Cheol-jin’s blunt, no-nonsense personality.
A few prototypes hung on the wall, and a simple workbench sat in one corner.
The place was less like a full workshop and more like a combined workspace and reception room.
‘The real stuff must be in the basement.’
His eyes drifted toward the stairs leading down.
Despite coming here several times, he’d never seen what was down there. A craftsman’s true workshop…
It’d be a lie to say he wasn’t curious.
‘Still, I can’t just snoop without permission…’
Just then—
Clatter—
A faint sound came from below.
Come to think of it, he had been vaguely hearing noises from the basement for a while.
“So he wasn’t out—he’s been downstairs?”
He pulled out his phone, and sure enough, the default ringtone echoed faintly from below.
“I’m here~”
—If you’re here, bring the coffee down.
“Oh, understood.”
Since he was being invited, there was no reason to hold back.
Grabbing the coffee, he hurried downstairs.
‘Deeper than I thought.’
No wonder the sounds had been so muffled.
The basement was much deeper than expected, and Shin Woo’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
A secret underground hideout beneath a shabby storefront—how could it not feel cool?
And then he saw the workshop’s true interior.
“Wow…”
Walls lined with all kinds of tools: carving knives of every size, saws, hammers—you name it.
A huge furnace dominated the opposite wall, unmistakably marking this as a proper forge.
The whir of a ventilation fan filled the air, quickening his heartbeat.
“So, what do you think of the workshop?”
“…It’s amazing. Really.”
“They say a true craftsman never blames his tools. But honestly, it’s best to have the right ones.”
“I get what you mean. Oh—here’s your coffee.”
“Thanks.”
Cheol-jin placed it not on the workbench but on a small side shelf.
That allowed Shin Woo to clearly see what was lying on the bench.
A black staff.
“Oh.”
He knew instantly—it was his staff.
And the staff, recognizing him in turn, began to respond.
Wooooom!
The staff trembled violently, making the entire workbench shake.
Cheol-jin stared at it, startled, then quickly pulled on his heavy gloves.
“It’s rare for an item to recognize its owner. Looks like you’re one of the exceptions.”
“Does that mean it’s finished?”
“Finished? Not quite. Still needs polishing and some final touches. But… want to try holding it?”
“Yes!”
“Be careful, though. I’ve said it before—this thing carries demonic energy.”
Indeed, it did.
「Unfinished」
Description: A staff carved wholly from a demon’s horn.
Forged by a master craftsman, it retains the demonic energy the creature held in life.
Enchantments: 「Magic Amplification Lv.2」, 「Demonic Presence Lv.2」
Notes: Being unfinished, much is lacking. But because of that, it holds vast potential.
[Warning! Remember: those who fall to demonic temptation always meet a miserable end.]
A warning message—something rarely seen with items.
Thanks to it, Shin Woo calmed down and began his usual preparations.
Whoosh—
Casting both Calm Mind and Clear Thought spells, he quickly smothered the excitement burning in his chest.
Even so, he still felt a powerful connection with the staff—enough to reassure him.
‘Good thing the pull I felt wasn’t a trick to devour me.’
That would’ve been depressing.
At least now he knew it wasn’t purely the demonic energy at work.
“Better make it clear you’re the staff’s master. Otherwise, it’ll give you trouble every time you pick it up.”
“Got it!”
“If it goes bad, I’ll splash this on you.”
“Whoa—that potion costs a fortune! I’ll try not to need it.”
Seeing the expensive potion, Shin Woo straightened his resolve.
Then, carefully, he grasped the staff.
Clatter!
Suddenly, nearly everything in the workshop began to vibrate—then float into the air.
Tools, chairs, even towels… all rising weightlessly.
Even Cheol-jin himself was lifted, potion clutched tight as he watched nervously.
What Shin Woo was displaying was astonishing—but if he’d been corrupted by demonic energy, it would be a nightmare.
As Cheol-jin kept a wary eye on him, Shin Woo calmly looked at the staff and asked:
“How do I put this down?”
“No headaches? No evil voices whispering?”
“Not at all. But seriously, how do I bring this down? I can’t control it.”
“…Unbelievable.”
In the end, Cheol-jin’s feet didn’t touch the ground again until three hours later—when Shin Woo’s mana was completely drained.
“Don’t touch that staff again until it’s properly adjusted.”
“Yes, sir…”
Sometimes, being too compatible with your weapon caused its own problems.
Have you ever seen the back of someone who’s returned after overcoming an illness?
Their face may be gaunt with traces of hardship, but their eyes shine with the strength of survival—
[Mage A awakens from meditation.]
[“Mana Overload” has been lifted.]
“Welcome back, A.”
Shin Woo said warmly, shrugging on his coat.
The chaos with the staff had been just yesterday.
And today, he had an appointment with Professor Kim Cheol-su.
“Looking sharp today.”
Checking his outfit one last time, Shin Woo grinned and set out. The meeting spot was a bit far, so he had to hurry.
Meanwhile, he gave his recovered summon a new task:
[Mage A begins researching “Cursed Trap.”]
[Research time: 10 hours.]
Finally, they could study the material he’d acquired from the last Gate.
‘Can’t wait to see what comes of this.’
He hoped for a defensive curse, if possible.
Most of his current arsenal leaned toward offense and support. The more ways he had to protect himself, the better.
‘But what exactly does the professor plan to teach me at the training center today?’
His destination: Yongin Hunter Training Center.
Since Hunters were superhuman, specialized facilities were necessary for proper training.
The Yongin Center was a joint project by the local government and the Association, built precisely for that purpose.
Its “high-tech magical engineering training systems” were so effective that everyone who tried them sang their praises.
Naturally, it required reservations and cost at least twice as much as other training facilities.
But—
—Don’t worry about that, Shin Woo. Just make sure you bring a change of clothes.
‘If I really make it big, I’ll repay Professor Cheol-su properly.’
With that thought, he gazed at the square building looming in the distance.
[Yongin Hunter Training Center]
Today, he would grow stronger within those walls.
“So you’re saying I should fight that golem…?”
A Hunter was sent flying with a single kick from the golem.
“You’re serious?”
Professor, I think your lesson plan is moving a bit too fast.
