abcnovels
Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Whirr-
Ha-Jin picked up his smartphone from his pocket and answered the call.
“Yeah. Bro, did you check the video?”
“Dude! What is this?!”
Jang Dae-Hwi’s excited voice came from the other end of the phone.
“Bro, calm down first.”
“How can I calm down? How did you know about this?”
He didn’t remember telling Jang Dae-Hwi that he was going to do a live stream.
But how did he know?
“Dude! I was checking if you uploaded the video properly, and I happened to see you doing a LIVE!”
“Aha!”
“…Anyway, send me the recording if you have it! I’ll edit it for you this time too! And if you manage the channel like that, people won’t subscribe.”
Jang Dae-Hwi was willing to share his know-how generously.
But Ha-Jin’s answer missed his point.
“Wait. Hoon hasn’t told me to send the video yet.”
“Huh? Then contact him quickly!”
“Um… Just wait for now.”
“Wait? Why are you so relaxed? Don’t you know you have to strike while the iron is hot? Weren’t you trying to grow your YouTube channel?”
“Huh? I don’t really have any desire for that.”
“You don’t…?”
“No.”
Jeong-Hoon had told him to manage the channel and said he didn’t care if he went crazy for profits.
But Ha-Jin didn’t want to do that.
Thanks to his friend, he had been having a lot of fun experiences lately.
He had a personal capsule and had even obtained equipment from the Golden Temple, so there was no reason for him to earn money right away.
And the reason Jeong-Hoon did a LIVE broadcast this time was probably because he wanted Korean users to be the first to benefit from the honey pot called the Ruined City.
If he uploaded the recording to YouTube, foreigners would also be able to see it.
‘Let’s ask Jeong-Hoon separately and then upload it.’
So he wanted to get proper permission from Jeong-Hoon before uploading it.
That way, he wouldn’t feel uneasy while managing the channel.
Doing it this way meant that he wasn’t managing it on his own, but what did it matter?
As long as he was comfortable, that was all that mattered.
* * *
“Aaagh!”
[You have died.]
Along with the message that he had died, the capsule door forcibly opened.
Whoosh-
“Fuck!”
Kim Bong-Goo came out, cursing.
He had already died twice.
Twice.
He hadn’t died consecutively, so the penalty hadn’t increased from 24 hours to 48 hours, but it was still 24 hours per death.
The time he had promised Jeong-Hoon was ticking away helplessly as he was suspended for another 24 hours.
“It was an impossible promise from the start…”
How the hell was he supposed to clear this?
Kim Bong-Goo replayed the video he had transferred to his smartphone.
The Ruined City, cleared by Jeong-Hoon himself using cheat codes.
The problem was his movements.
“How did he dodge that here?”
The Mutated Golem’s attacks were so fast that it was hard for the body to react.
Jeong-Hoon narrowly dodged those attacks, moved efficiently, found cheat codes, and neutralized the golems.
This wasn’t a honey tip video.
It was just an amazing video.
“You’re telling me to clear this in a week after watching this…?”
But if he gave up here…
“Fuck, I can’t do that.”
He couldn’t even imagine what kind of retaliation that monster would inflict.
All he could do now was to keep replaying the video and practice repeatedly.
* * *
[Legendary Enhancement Stone]
– An enhancement stone that can enhance Legendary grade equipment.
– Can be obtained with a low probability when hunting bosses above Lv. 300.
– Success rate: 10% (Applies to all enhancement levels)
– If failed, there is a 20% chance of the equipment being destroyed.
It was truly a vicious probability.
The success rate was 10% from the start, and the failure rate was 90%, with an additional 20% chance of the equipment being destroyed.
That’s why no one dared to use enhancement stones on Legendary equipment.
[Hey… Wait a minute. You’re not thinking of destroying me with this, are you?]
Mukho, who had been making a fuss for a while, suddenly became quiet.
“Why? Do you want me to destroy you?”
[I-If you destroy me, you’ll regret it?! You can’t get armor like me anywhere else?!]
“I’m not the type to invest in armor.”
That was a lie.
The armor Jeong-Hoon wore before returning was a fully enhanced Legendary grade armor.
But perhaps because there was no change in Jeong-Hoon’s tone of voice, Mukho seemed to have fallen for the lie and hurriedly spoke up.
[Honestly, it’s your fault! I didn’t do anything wrong!]
“Me?”
[Yes! I didn’t do anything wrong!]
“Okay. I know it’s not your fault. Anyway, this will be used as an important material later. I had no other choice.”
[…Is it that important?]
“Yes.”
Mukho was silent for a moment at the sight of Jeong-Hoon nodding with a serious face.
[…Tsk, alright.]
At least he was understanding and not whining anymore, even though he was the owner.
Jeong-Hoon stroked the chest of the robe he was wearing once and headed towards the Alchemist’s Street.
Unlike other territories, Märchen Kingdom had a street where alchemists gathered.
Jeong-Hoon would probably be the only user to visit the alchemist in every territory.
This was because the NPC in the Alchemist’s Street this time wouldn’t give quests to anyone who wasn’t an alchemist.
“Hmm? What brings a non-alchemist outsider here?”
As he entered the street, an alchemist looked at Jeong-Hoon with an unpleasant gaze.
“I’m looking for Alchemist LeBlanc.”
“Master LeBlanc? I’m sorry, but he’s not in a position to see anyone right now.”
LeBlanc.
An unparalleled genius.
‘If I hadn’t met LeBlanc, I wouldn’t have been able to unravel the secret of the recipe.’
Iwase Haruto had been unable to decipher the Ancient Recipe until he happened to meet LeBlanc while wandering around the streets.
At that time, LeBlanc was in need of help, and in the process of helping him, he brought up the Ancient Recipe, which led to its deciphering.
“Why?”
“Why do I have to tell you? Anyway, you can’t, so go back.”
===
[NPC Information]
– Nickname: Reigner
– Level: 180
– Class: Alchemist (Enhancement)
===
Reigner seemed ready to kick Jeong-Hoon out at any moment.
The other alchemists were sitting inside the building, watching through the open windows, but their eyes were in agreement.
[Ha, what’s with this flat dumpling-looking guy? Just push him away!]
Mukho’s refreshing remark followed, but he couldn’t do that.
“It’s okay, stop it.”
An old man in his 80s was slowly walking towards them, leaning on a cane.
===
[NPC Information]
– Nickname: LeBlanc
– Level: 300
– Class: Alchemist (General)
===
That was the unparalleled genius.
The pride of Märchen, LeBlanc.
“Master! You shouldn’t be out here when you’re not feeling well!”
Reigner hurriedly supported LeBlanc.
LeBlanc had a kind face, but he looked so frail that it wouldn’t be strange if he took his last breath at any moment.
His eyes were lifeless, and his body was so weak that there was nothing but skin and bones.
“It’s okay.”
“But still! The wind is cold. Let’s go inside.”
“Then bring that guest inside too.”
“…Yes. Follow me.”
Reigner didn’t seem pleased, but it was LeBlanc’s order, so he guided Jeong-Hoon into the mansion.
Jeong-Hoon sat across from LeBlanc.
“Cough! Cough! So, what’s the reason you wanted to see me?”
LeBlanc coughed, covering his mouth with a handkerchief.
‘At that time, LeBlanc was on the verge of death.’
Iwase had saved LeBlanc.
Of course, he hadn’t healed him, but he had extended his life a little by resolving his dangerous situation.
Therefore, LeBlanc had closed his eyes when he had deciphered nearly 98% of the recipe’s secret.
The remaining 2% would be completed by his disciple, Reigner, who was here.
‘I can’t save LeBlanc.’
The cause of LeBlanc’s death was an incurable disease.
He had a chronic illness for a long time, but Jeong-Hoon, who didn’t know the details, wasn’t confident he could cure him.
In such cases, only periodic use of high-level healing could cure him.
‘The fact that he’s like this even though there’s a temple nearby… means it’s practically incurable, right?’
No matter how much divine power was the source of healing, it couldn’t defy the laws of nature.
But he could stimulate his curiosity.
“Would you like to see this?”
Jeong-Hoon placed the Ancient Recipe in front of him.
A recipe written in an ancient language and so severely damaged that it was almost impossible to decipher.
“…What’s this?”
LeBlanc’s eyes gradually widened as if he recognized the recipe.
At the same time, a red question mark blinked above his head, which had been empty.
[Hidden Quest: Ancient Recipe]
– Restriction: Possess the Ancient Recipe
– Reward: Decipher the Ancient Recipe
– Description: Help Alchemist LeBlanc decipher the recipe.
Jeong-Hoon immediately accepted the quest and got to the point.
“I want to decipher the recipe. Is it possible?”
“…May I ask where you got this?”
LeBlanc’s eyes changed.
They weren’t lifeless anymore.
It was the curiosity he had when he first started alchemy a long time ago.
“Master, what is this that you’re so interested in?”
Reigner, who was ignorant about the recipe, asked with a puzzled face.
“Shh, I’ll tell you later.”
LeBlanc firmly pushed him aside, saying it wasn’t the time to interrupt.
Thanks to that, Jeong-Hoon could speak comfortably.
“Do you know about the Ruined City near Märchen Kingdom?”
“Of course… How could I not know about that cursed city?”
The Ruined City.
A city where evil spirits lurked, and no one could purify it, so it had been left unattended until now.
In fact, LeBlanc had tried to explore that city when he was young.
And in the process, he had almost died and barely escaped, but he had suffered from the aftereffects for several years.
“I got it from that city.”
“…You went in and out of there?!”
“Yes.”
“Huh… You’re crazier than I thought.”
“Thank you for the compliment. So, will you decipher it?”
“Tsk tsk, you’re an interesting fellow. Alright. Maybe the reason I’m still holding on is to see this.”
LeBlanc took the recipe.
Reigner’s face turned pale and he shouted,
“Master! You can’t do research in your current condition! It’s absurd!”
“It’s okay. If I wait any longer, I won’t be able to do it.”
LeBlanc was stubborn.
He got up from his seat with his cane and went into the research lab on the second floor.
[Deciphering begins.]
[0%… In progress]
The research would only be complete when it reached 100%.
Jeong-Hoon would wait in the mansion during that time.
He would surely need the Legendary Enhancement Stone in the middle of the process.
“It’s because you came here! Master is already unwell!”
As LeBlanc disappeared, Reigner’s anger turned towards Jeong-Hoon.
“Then will you decipher it?”
“What?”
“I need to decipher this. That’s why I came here. And I’ll pay you for it.”
Jeong-Hoon took out 100 gold and placed it on the table.
Reigner’s eyes widened at the sight of the gold pouch.
“Y-You’re going to spend 100 gold coins just to decipher that?”
“I’m willing to spend more if necessary.”
“…”
“And didn’t you see Master LeBlanc’s eyes? They were sparkling. It seemed like he really wanted to decipher it.”
“What…?”
Reigner’s face went blank.
[He probably didn’t see it properly. From what I can tell, he seems to have a bit of a squint. He might need treatment.]
‘…Please be quiet.’
Thanks to Mukho’s serious comment, he almost lost control of his expression.