TL : enigma3555
PR : forgotten_one
Episode 7
Chapter 1: My efforts were not in vain (7)
“…?”
The hunter standing at the exchange entrance turned his head in response to Shin Dae-hoon’s shout.
“Found him!”
Shin Dae-hoon felt a surge of joy. He believed that his quick analysis and actions had led him to the person he had been desperately searching for.
However, the joy was short-lived.
“What’s going on?”
“Huh? Oh, no, sorry.”
The red-cloaked hunter had been called out, but he wasn’t the same person as the one seen on the CCTV footage. Additionally, the man standing beside the red-cloaked hunter was alone. His hair was black, not blonde. The only similarity was the color of their cloaks; everything else was different.
“Where did he go? I’m certain he came here…!”
Shin Dae-hoon quickly apologized and scanned the surroundings.
The exchange lobby was bustling with over a hundred people, including hunters and brokers.
Eyes darted around, searching.
Although it had taken less than a minute for them to catch up, the two individuals were nowhere to be seen.
It was only natural that Shin Dae-hoon couldn’t find the hunter.
“It was quite a pursuit. You can go in and rest now.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
Han Sang-woo, who had summoned I’ll miss you, sent Taeseng GilgeoI back to Hire.
After clearing the F-class dungeon, Han Sang-woo placed the item in I’ll Want It’s inventory, ended the summoning, and left the dungeon.
If the number of people entering and exiting the dungeon didn’t match, it could be cumbersome when filling out the entry log for the dungeon guard.
And I summoned Taeseng GilgeoI to briefly retrieve an item from a deserted alley near the exchange.
It was only for a moment, but for Shin Dae-hoon, who witnessed this, it became an unintentional torment of hope.
Shin Dae-hoon searched not only near the exchange but also up and down the stairs to the 10th floor of the exchange building. However, Han Sang-woo had no way of knowing about these efforts.
After canceling the summoning, Han Sang-woo simply carried a bag containing the items and entered a store specializing in item purchases in the lobby.
As Han Sang-woo entered the store, a male employee in his 50s greeted him with a friendly smile.
“Welcome, I’ll be here to assist you with selling your items here.”
“Thank you. This is my first time selling items. What should I do?”
“Oh, I see. Nothing special. Just place the items on the table here.”
Inside the store, there were about 20 large tables. Han Sang-woo glanced to the side and saw other hunters who had finished their raids, taking out items and getting them appraised or bargaining for their value.
Following the instructions of the staff, Han Sang-woo dumped his bag onto the table.
Chrrrrrr-!
Dozens of items, including daggers, boots, and magic stones, spilled out onto the table.
The employee began scanning the items with a portable measuring device that resembled a magnifying glass and tablet.
“F-Class No. 12… It seems like you’ve been to the one-eyed goblin dungeon.”
“You’re right. How did you know?”
Is there any trace of the goblin’s scent?
At the employee’s words, Han Sang-woo sniffed his clothes once, but there was no distinct odor.
The employee responded with a smile.
“I have almost 5 years of experience. You can tell which dungeon the dropped item is from just by looking at it. There are certain items that appear in each dungeon. This applies not only to special items but also to miscellaneous items.”
“Oh, I see. That’s interesting.”
“But it seems like the Wizard’s Bracelet didn’t drop for you.”
“Yes? Ah, yes…”
Han Sang-woo glanced at his wrist, which was covered by gloves and clothing, for a moment but then nodded.
The employee looked at the items and continued talking.
“It’s a shame. Wasn’t that why you came in?”
“Yes? Ah, yes. That’s right.”
In reality, not only did Han Sang-woo obtain the Wizard’s Bracelet, but it was also upgraded to the higher-level Sage’s Bracelet. However, there was no need to mention that because he intended to use it himself.
“Even though it’s an advanced-level item, its mana efficiency is exceptional… Even if it’s from an F-class dungeon, I can’t buy it because I don’t have it in stock.”
“Then the price must be quite expensive, right?”
“Yes. If it’s a Wizard’s Bracelet, it could be in the thousands… If you’re lucky enough to get a Sage’s Bracelet, it could be worth hundreds of millions.”
“Hundreds of millions for a bracelet?”
“Yes, give me just a moment… here it is. A Sage’s Bracelet was recently sold for a little over 400 million won. Those who have a house or a high-ranking guild are willing to spend a lot of money to enhance their hunters, so the price goes up like this.”
“Hmm… No wonder the competition for dungeon entry is so fierce.”
Han Sang-woo already knew that the Sage’s Bracelet was a valuable item, but hearing the actual prices made him realize just how sought after it was.
Han Sang-woo stared intently at the transaction window that appeared on the tablet screen.
The employee cautiously asked, “If you need it, can I help you obtain one? If you contact our head office, they will probably provide you with at least a general-grade item with a similar option…”
“No, thanks.”
Of course, it was unnecessary since Han Sang-woo already had the Sage’s Bracelet.
The employee, unaware of this fact, smiled slightly and proceeded to appraise the item using the tablet.
“I believe the total settlement price will be around 12 million won, excluding tax. Normal-grade items and magic stones have fixed prices, as you can see right here.”
The employee explained while showing the price list on the official item exchange website.
Although item prices vary widely, low-grade items and monster by-products often have fixed prices.
After listening to the explanation, Han Sang-woo nodded.
“Yes, I think that’s fine.”
“The prices of the items you had brought in today are fixed, so we have no choice. But if you bring high-quality items, we will offer you the highest possible price. Please come again next time.”
“Thank you for your help. I will definitely visit again.”
Han Sang-woo hesitated for a moment, glancing at his wrist, but soon responded with a smile. After completing the transaction with the employee, he left the exchange.
***
“My life has truly changed overnight.”
In a simple studio apartment with minimal furniture and a computer, Han Sang-woo muttered softly as he enjoyed the large amount of chicken and beer he had bought.
It had been a long day.
Although he was still in the same room as yesterday, he felt like a completely different person today.
I had awakened, received my hunter’s license, cleared an F-class dungeon, and earned over 10 million won in just one day. It was a significant achievement, so I decided to celebrate by buying chicken and beer from different brands. It might have seemed a bit excessive, but since I couldn’t share the joy with others and receive congratulations, I thought I could have a simple party by myself.
And that’s exactly what I did.
“I also obtained some amazing items,” I thought to myself as I placed the beer can on the desk and rolled up my sleeves.
Then, letters appeared on the bracelet adorning my wrist.
[Brilliant Sage’s Bracelet]
[Grade: Rare]
[Effect: Intelligence +15, Magic Power +20, Magic Resistance +5]
[Additional Effect 1: Mana Increase – Increases the wearer’s maximum mana by 20%.]
[Additional Effect 2: Wizard’s Wisdom – Reduces the amount of mana consumed to use skills by 30%.]
The bracelet was made of black cloth with golden embroidery. It was a reward for defeating a one-eyed goblin in the F-class dungeon. While the rare grade might not seem particularly high as a tier three piece of equipment, the Sage’s Bracelet was considered a high-performance equipment, often referred to as a post-rare grade or pseudo-legendary among the rare grades.
I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction as I admired the bracelet. It was a testament to my progress as a hunter and a reminder of the exciting journey that awaited me.
The wise man’s bracelet is worth hundreds of millions of won, but since I added a modifier, it must be worth more than 500 million won.
I did a quick search on my way home and found that it had never been registered at the auction house in the first place.
To be honest, I was curious about how much it would cost if it were auctioned, but it would be advantageous to look at the future rather than making immediate money.
[First achievement achieved]
[You have cleared this dungeon in the shortest time ever.]
[Rewards are upgraded.]
The moment I acquired the rare Sage’s Bracelet, an inexplicable light emitted, and the messages that appeared in front of me explained the reason.
[The achievement has been achieved and the hidden quest has been opened]
[First achievement – Clear F-class dungeon in the shortest time (1/1)]
[The acquired items will be strengthened as a reward.]
Hidden Quest.
The Sage’s Bracelet, an item obtained as a reward for completing the first hidden achievement, was strengthened.
‘I never thought there would be a hidden quest. ‘Not only were the Hire’s characters were being applied, but also the system.’
There are quite a few hidden quests like this in Hire.
Although it does not appear in the quest list, if you achieve an achievement or hidden condition, you will receive a huge reward or hidden piece.
I’ve never heard of hidden quests for real-life hunters, but I was given one.
And it wasn’t just one.
[You have successfully achieved the first achievement and some hidden quests will be unlocked.]
[Hidden Quest: Monarch’s Achievements (1/10)]
[The second achievement is unlocked.]
[Second Achievement – Acquire the Greedy Monkey Shaman’s Tome (0/1)]
[When you acquire all of the achievements, you can obtain some hidden rewards.]
After clearing the first achievement, a list with the second achievement also appeared.
The name of the hidden quest is Monarch’s Achievements.
Looking at the numbers, it seemed to be a hidden quest consisting of a total of ten achievements.
Not only are rewards given for each individual clear, but hidden rewards also follow when they are all completed.
What will you give in the end?
“I don’t know what it is, but it’s probably better than the Sage’s Bracelet.”
In the case of linked quests, there is no guarantee that the next reward will be better than the first reward. However, it is an immutable law that it will give the best reward when the quest chain is complete.
Since the first reward was a reinforced Sage’s Bracelet, the final reward is at least that much.
Of course, the last thing I was thinking about was drinking kimchi soup, and right now I had to achieve the second achievement first.
“A greedy monkey shaman… I think it was the boss monster of an E-class dungeon.”
I sat down in front of the computer and started searching.
As I recalled, this creature was the boss monster of an E-class dungeon.
It wasn’t a very popular dungeon because it used magic to make hunters hallucinate and didn’t offer expensive items.
But it was perfect for me.
Because it didn’t attract much attention and was conveniently located near Seoul Station.
“Okay, let’s see what kind of reward we get this time.”
I raised one corner of my mouth and proceeded with bidding for the monkey dungeon.
